Did pro surfing ruin surfing?

How about the elders of surfing before Curren and Nole? The Buffalo? Eddy Aikua? And the others who surfed in the shadow of the Duke's "bringing back surfing"? All not pro-surfers... but most competed in one event or more... and hell they even have/had a competition named after them at one point of time.

I want to see what happens to Slater when he retires... if he retires. Will he still surf or be the front man of the surfing industry as a voice and icon?

 

I thought the commercial success of "Blue Crush" was when I started to notice a big difference in the lineup

 

Eddie was not a pro-surfer in our sense in that he did not provide his main income from surfing; but he did travel the circuits to surf. It also caused strains in his marriage that eventually between his travels and other events led to his divorce. His competitive heart of winning the Duke year after year strove him to be a better surfer.

Can we make this into only one thread please... ha. I think you and I agree on all the same points; but do you think a pro-surfer is a true profession and did pro-surfing ruin surfing? I will say I am not a pro-surfer and actually never wanted to be and never competed in a surfing event in my life. I have competed in snowboarding and did travel around the states and also I rode competitively on the WERA circuit for motorcycle racing... I was never a pro-snowboarder or racer even though I made a buck here and there. Did professional snowboarding and professional motorcycle racing ruin snowboarding or motorcycles? Nope.

EDIT: Oh and Buffalo was the first professional lifeguard and his son is the forefront in Ocean rescue... and also competed in surfing competitions.

 

A lot of people whore out surfing and the "image" or so called lifestyle. It might be the surf/non surf companies, Pros, learn to surf camps... Some people will surf when it's cold and nobody out just to get the feeling. Others see how they can use surfing to make money. Depends on your personality why you're affiliated with the surf community in the first place.

 

The real threat to the surf "industry" is not pro-surfing but the surfing corporation. Yes it is fed or led in part by the pro-surfer; but also the image as lirider states that surfing has. Who doesn't want what we have... a feel good honest fun and enjoyment.

WRV... local surf shop for me... stuggles to make money from boards because they can't compete with the Chinese blanks coming out cheaper than they can shape a real surfboard no matter how much cuts they want to do on the board. So how do they get by... clothing and selling to the image of surfing. Other surf shops in my area... 17th street and Coastal Edge are viewed as Pac Sun by the Ocean... selling an image and not selling to the surfer.

Don't target the pro-surfer I guess is my thought.... target the corporation and the popularity around surfing that is killing.... or hurting surfing for others who are there for the "stoke" or just enjoyment of being able to paddle out.

Local surf camps in my area play off that image... but they are ran by surfers like you and I. They make a buck off that tourist or local kid who wants to learn how to surf... they may never be soul surfers or just surf for anything than pure enjoyment... but the guys and gals who teach these kids get stoke off the lessons they give and the ability to surf when not working. Are they ruining surfing anymore than pro-surfers cause they are feeding the surfing corporate image?

With that... I'm out

 

I don't think it ruined surfing at all... There would be more people in the water than the 60's with or w/o pro surfing.

 

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the introduction of the funshape in the 90s hurt surfing in a big way along with cell phones. the first allowed the overweight middle aged set to get into surfing much easier and the latter allowed for more crowded lines ups.

 

And now we have to deal with the advent of the SUP, or floating couch.

 

yup. if anything current pro surfing is neutral. it was WAY more popular in the 70s and 80s when comps were regularly on network tv. The difference then was if somebody wanted to surf, they got a shortboard and toughed it out. most quit and only the dedicated were left.

 

for NJ i would have to say summer time lifeguards hurt surfing the most. In the off season you can pick any peak you want, but for 3 months a year from 9-5 no matter if the water is freezing ass cold and no one in the water, as soon as 8:59am comes the chumps start blowing their whistles like I dont already know and then they paddle out on a foamboard to surf by themselves for the next 8 hours /rant #iwannabealifeguard

 

nice response. is english your first language? so creative with your weird pop culture reference. think you missed the point. you SUP right?

 

Know how I know you're new here?

 

I don't think that it ruined surfing, but I think it changed the perception of it. It's getting more attention, but how many people are talking about the best heat from today's match? Nobody. I watch the ASP tour for inspiration, insight and learning. Regarding the surf 'style' - it is what it is.

There will always be the posers, but ya can't let it get to you. As much as I hate getting a wave snaked by some 50 something kook on his Ron Jon log, I don't let it get to me. Instead, I use it as motivation; trick 'em to go on the first set wave, pick a different peak, change where I'm sitting, etc. Get good at sniffing 'em out, accept that they are who they are and move on. Maybe more people need to surf; maybe the world will be a better place? haha

Pro surfing never impacted the feeling I get from surfing, nor will it ever.

 

Funny,I was surfing the other morning and looked at my watch it said 9:00am .I looked back at the lifeguard stand and was waved in.

 

It's a fad .... funny how much the line up thins out when the cold water comes or the big swells. Last few storms I counted about 5-10 of us out. On the smaller clean days .... there's about 50 guys in the water... some just bobbing around.

It's like golf with Tiger Woods .... it'll pass

 

Sounds like everyone should watch Bustin Down the Door.

Those guys are the purveyors of Pro Surfing