CLARITY AND SURFING 5-16-07
By Corky Carroll

I have been teaching people to surf for many, many years now.  I have had first time beginners and very good surfers who want to be better.  I have had people with real talent and potential and also the exact opposite.  No hopers.  Actually I should take that back.  Surfing is meant to be fun and how well you can do it should not really take away from that.  So there really aren't actual no hopers.  Ahhh, heck, that's not really true, I am just trying to be nice.  I have had a couple of people that there was truly no hope. 

For instance I once had a late middle age Japanese lady who was afraid of the ocean and did not know how to swim.  Why she wanted to take a surfing lesson was and still is beyond my imagination.  But she did.  She showed up at the surf school at Bolsa Chica in the middle of summer and had a full wetsuit on.  She drove up wearing it.  Not just a full suit, but like a quarter inch thick full suit.  Hood and booties and the whole ninty-nine yards.  She told me right off that she was terrified of the ocean and could not swim.  I strongly urged her to reconsider trying to surf but she said that she wanted to do it. 

I walked her into the water about knee deep and she started crying and turned around and b-lined it back up the beach.
She said she was sorry for taking up my time and left.  THAT was a full no hoper.  

But that is not the reason for today's column, actually just the opposite.  This is how I really anger journalism teachers, hahahaha.   Rambling off about NOT the subject of the story at the beginning.  Oh well.  Anyway…  here is what I want to talk about today.   Kids who are young and have some talent and are thinking about surfing as a serious thing for their futures.  

I had a friend of mine show up today with a fourteen-year-old boy who he wanted me to surf with and give some advice too.  My friend feels this boy has potential as a pro surfer but wanted my opinion.  

So I went out and surfed with the kid for a couple hours and then came in and talked to him for awhile.  My honest opinion is that the boy does have talent and also is a smart and good kid.  If he has a shot at being successful on the professional level is at best a maybe.   He is already fourteen and by then most champions are already very “there” with their surfing and also competitive backgrounds. 

But, he really loves to surf so I tried to give him my best advice on how to proceed and also how to improve his talents.   The most important part is to be smart and be clear about what you are doing.   Surf as much as possible without sacrificing education and social growth.  Stay away from the wrong distractions such as drugs or anything else that could take your focus off of what you are trying to do.

To be a great surfer you have to breath it, eat it, dream it and feel it in everything you do.  This is hard to explain.  But it is a serious focus that is almost a single mindedness.  I say almost because I also think that being a normal person is as important as winning a world championship. 

Then the actual surfing part.  The hard part for young surfers to understand is the concept of “flow.”  You have to be thinking one move ahead of the one you are doing at the moment.  It is like every move is a set up to the next one.  Every thing should link and connect.  That is the only way to truly achieve great speed and freedom.   It also has to do with style.   A pelican sailing across a wave face flows and is beautiful to watch.  A crow flapping his wings is not so fluid.  Surfing is more or less the same way.   It should be fluid, especially since it is a fluid art.   Style does matter.

 

 

SURFERS' HALL OF FAME CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY

The Wave ~ 5-16-07
By Corky Carroll

Ya know how, when somebody says it has been like xx amount of years that something happened and you flash on that and go, “No way, it could not have been that long ago, it seems like it was just yesterday.”?    Well that was not the case when I got the press release on this years Surfers' Hall of Fame induction ceremony.  It was just opposite.  I went, “No way, it's only been 10 years.  It seems like so long ago when on a cold and drizzly May morning Robert August, Wingnut Weaver and myself were the original inductees.”   Feels like a century ago.   So many things have changed in my life since then.  

Anyway, that has nothing to do with today's story, just a little sigh of nostalgia by me.   I will once again, and probably against the better judgment of all concerned, be M.C. again.  For some reason I always find a way to step in the wet cement and it always totally ruins a good pair of shoes.  The mastermind of the Hall of Fame, owner of Huntington Surf n' Sport: Arron Pai, always shakes his head and I can see the, “This is for sure the very last time we ask this three quarters brain dead old dinosaur to do this” thoughts going through his head.   But then he forgets about it and invites me back.   And then I accidentally do it again.   Life is funny.

The Surfers' Hall of Fame, the world's first imprint collection of legendary surfers will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2007 with the inductions of Sofia Mulanovich, Al Merrick, Bruce Irons and Martin Potter.  This wonderful group of surfblazers will leave their permanent mark on the surfing world Friday, July 27 at 10:00 a.m. in front of Huntington Surf & Sport (corner of PCH and Main Sts.).

Brainchild of Huntington Beach's very own goofy-foot long time surf local Aaron Pai, the Surfers' Hall of Fame celebrated its first induction in 1997…inside of HSS.  Four years later with a stunning bronze statue of sport's spiritual leader Duke Kahanamoku (built and funded by Pai) serving as a backdrop, the ceremony moved outside to the corner of PCH and Main; just a frisbee throw from the Huntington Beach Pier. 

“This year's Surfers' Hall of Fame inductees have had a major impact on our sport,” said Pai. “Their combined contributions have influenced millions of surfers across the globe and helped revolutionize the sport and industry.  We are very proud to honor them and create a permanent public showcase for their achievements.”

Styled after the famed Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, this year's inductees join superstars and legends from several eras including Laird Hamilton, Mike Doyle, Jack O'Neill, Paul Strauch, Gerry Lopez, Jericho Poppler, Kelly Slater, Lisa Andersen and Rob Machado who are already immortalized in cement through handprints, footprints and signatures. 

Here is the rundown on this years inductees taken from the official press release:

Sofía Mulanovich: Born June 24, 1983 in Punta Hermosa, Lima, Peru, Sofia was the first Peruvian surfer ever to win an Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour (WCT) event.  In 2004, she became the first South American (man or woman) to ever win the world title.  Sofia's list of credits to date is impressive, having won the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, U.S. Open of Surfing and the Surfer Poll (2004 and 2005).

Martin Potter: Nicknamed "Pottz" and "Eggy Potter", Martin is a British born surfer who was educated in Durban, South Africa.  Considered the best “free-surfer” of his generation, Potz displayed immense talent, but lacked the consistency in the era of 25-plus event tours.  He forever silenced the critics in 1989 by winning the world title.  Pottz redefined competitive surfing by performing risky aerials moves and helped lead the way for a new form of competitive surfing which is now standard on the pro tour.

Bruce Irons: Bruce is a talented regular foot surfer from Hanalei, Kauai and younger brother of three-time world champion Andy Irons.  Perhaps best known for his radical aerial maneuvers and fearless tube-riding abilities, Bruce turned pro shortly after graduating high school.  After close calls in 1998 and 2000, Bruce defeated Kelly Slater to win the prestigious 2001 Pipeline Masters event.  On December 15th, 2004, he won the "Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau" event in waves that exceeded forty feet at Oahu's Waimea Bay.

Al Merrick: Legendary surfboard shaper was a relative unknown until Shaun Tomson captured the world title in 1977 on a Merrick-shaped board.  Soon thereafter Al began making boards for future legend Tom Curren.  Under Merrick's tutelage, the teenage star inked deals with Op and Rip Curl and went on to win three world titles.  As Curren's status reached epic proportions, so did Merrick's surfboard label, Channel Islands.  This reputation grew as young surfers wanted to duplicate Curren's feats and the next generation of top professionals, spearheaded by Kelly Slater, desired Merrick's creations; further cementing his status as an elite shaper/ entrepreneur.

The Surfers' Hall of Fame inductees are selected by a committee of business owners, surfers and surf industry professionals based on contribution, dedication, integrity and revolution to the sport of surfing.  The Surfers Hall of Fame induction ceremony is open to the public, free-of-charge.  Further information is available at http://hsssurf.com/hall.

It is a cool event, you all should come down and check it out.  There will be a pool over how long it takes me to screw up and step into the wet cement yet one more time.  Don't bet on it, I am NOT going to do it again.  Probably.