i am sick of watching airs

This is exactly why the industry is backing airs over everything else. Have you noticed how crystal-clear the stickers on the surfboards come out on these photos? I guarantee you that representatives from the big companies push these kids to do airs while filming/shooting in order to get more advertising dollars out of them.

 

No airs here!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EK2ciUMSeo

 

I couldn\'t agree with you more...\r\n\r\nWhat separates good surfing from great surfing is using the entire board, and the entire wave. Kelly can make it around a section by boosting over it, deep-railed bottom turning around, or literally doing a re-entry in it by climbing up the whitewater, turning at the top, and coming back down with MORE SPEED than he went into the maneuver with. And that takes not only great physical skill, but great wave knowledge, having your equipment wired, and a creative mental approach to surfing.\r\n\r\nI think what we say in Taylor Steele\'s first (?) video, FOCUS, showed the real turning point... a renaissance... in surfing that was happening at the time. Guys like Pottz, and ever further back to guys like Buttons, certainly cracked the door open. But the \"new wave\" of surfing that shifted the focus from power to \"tricks\" happened around the time of FOCUS. And that\'s important, because when you have a guy who goes on to win 9 world titles, he sets the standard. Everybody wanted to surf like Slater.\r\n\r\nBut most missed the point. It\'s not ALL about tail slides and punts. It\'s about a repertoire of skills that includes all without excluding any... power PLUS. So for me, it\'s not an either/or. And that\'s what a lot of these One Trick Pony surfers need to learn, both approach wise, and ability wise.

 

Airs and all the skateboarding influenced tricks are like a whole other sport. If you can pull 'em off, good for you. It takes talent, no doubt. I just don't appreciate the aesthetics of it. Except for the very best pros, attempts at "above the lip surfing" lead to a kind of ugly, wide stance, non-functional result. Airs/tricks don't define surfing for me but they do sell boardies and sneakers to teens. That's why the mags/videos pimp it so hard. It would be great, though, if the mags only printed still photos of airs that were landed. I've heard that that is the rule at skateboarding mags.

 

I have to laugh at this. Back in the late 80s I recall alot of people complaining that surfing was too boring and that big turns were just no fun to watch

Oh yeah, go pick up some old mags from that era..boards were just as stickered up then.

 

right but how much more noticeable are the stickers in a photo of a board in the air? I'm just trying to think from a business perspective, because it seems like, like it or not, money is what drives the direction of sports in general.

Would a company rather run an ad with a photo of a guy getting shacked or digging the rail in a deep powerful bottom turn (where you might not even be able to see their logo) or of a guy boosting a huge air showing off the logo for all to see?

I'm not defending airs or anything, personally I find 95% of them lame, but I'm just trying to rationalize the reason behind the trend.

 

I see your point but will throw out another view. Most serious athletes want to progress in whatever they do. So you master the basics then you move on to big turns, 360s, floaters, etc and get them down. what's next? If you are the type that is driven to excel and progress in surfing, airs are the logical answer. Why do you think they put the big logos on the nose of the board? its one of the few places you can see it on a big gouging bottom turn or tube ride. It's really a chicken or egg thing. boards have had lots of logos for some time now (i'm talking decades) since the Lightening Bolt. Airs just make it easier to see them.

 

only people over 30 will know what you are talking about ,style is cool when common courtesy is extended guest and local both!only people with issues will mess with you !great surfers and issues go hand in hand!

 

Good point, I agree. Especially with the crossover between boardsports these days (Shaun White for example), it seems like the current environment is the 'perfect storm' for aerial tricks to blow up.

 

Im over 30, I have issues, I have nipples...can you milk me too?

 

I wonder if snowboarders had the same feeling when the sport started focusing on spins instead of carving smooth stylish lines down a mountain. Before my time...

 

To answer your question, yes. There was a huge rift when the skateboard influence took over snowboarding.

 

damn. I just like to see people getting barreled out of their minds haha. the aerial stuff is cool but to a certain extent. if you watch people like occy or kelly or taylor knox, they get the job done by shredding the hell out of a wave.

 

No airs here!
http://youtu.be/OjWhqgs4uEo and
http://youtu.be/wsDhEhWhkJQ

 

Bobby Martinez backside killah!! The video of him on this site is sick. Love his style.

Agree with all y'all. However, airs highlight the surfboard which has become a giant billboard. Commercialism at it's finest!!

 

Airs

To each their own I guess.The younger generation is def heading this way.Things change as times move on.Look at how many SUP's are in the water now.Glad to see others who appreciate the fundamentals of surfing.

 

just my opinion.lbcrew,speak for yourself.your first post here seems to encapsulate that you have the slightest clue about motivation,thinking,approach of others,and you could not be more wrong.at least when it comes to me.like the dude talking about athletes.i am not an athlete.i am a surfer.i do it because i love riding waves.but that's just me,you've got your own life

 

I'll take Billy Hamilton style anyday. Young guys are saying, "Who the ____ is that?"

 

haters gonna hate!