The one and only, Mason Ho, giving his unusual take at Uluwatu.
Surf exhibitions once brought masses to coastlines throughout the world to witness an awe-inspiring spectacle that eventually gave rise to modern-day competitive surfing. The long, rippable A-frame peaks of Lower Trestles seems the idyllic location for premiering a new twist on this old concept, by demonstrating today’s current state of surf progression in a slightly revised format. The World Surf League may be the logical avenue to successfully develop such a format by laying out the foundation for an exhibition that allows for a forward moving platform that highlights dynamic surfing at each WCT venue.
Here’s how it could work: no time clock, no criteria, no judges, no scoring, no event winners, and no prize purse. Just a pure exhibition of dynamic surfing. Each invited surfer would be encouraged to take to the lineup as they wish and simply surf the venues in the manner that they feel the wave is meant to be surfed. The best forecasted day prior to finals day of the event’s waiting period would be utilized, with the exhibition running from 8 a.m until noon. A live webcast maximizing the latest social media tools could cover the event, along with live beach commentary and DJ providing freeform interpretation as inspired by the action in the water.
An expert panel selects invitees whose surfing approach best matches the waves at the upcoming event, an the selected invitees would be encouraged to embrace the spirit of the exhibition by striving to push the performance, sportsmanship, and showmanship levels of today’s surfing forward. The order of the day would encourage an emphasis in linking combinations of turns into a technically perfect presentation of wave riding. On the other hand, waves at barreling venues would require the selected invitees to also incorporate creative advancements to the current state of tube riding.
Why incorporate a revitalized surf exhibition? Today’s competitive surfing platform arguably is becoming the antithesis of the progression in surfing. What surfing purists and casual observers want to see is an exhibition of the advancements in surfing, not 30 to 35 minutes of sitting and waiting for only the perceived choicest waves to be ridden during a defined time period. At present, competition heats oftentimes resemble a labored strategic chess match and have occasionally become a safe surfing haven as the focus becomes fixated on a mindset of not losing as opposed to winning.
Envision, as a fan of surfing, having the opportunity to witness a handful of surfing’s current innovators having complete artistic freedom at some of the world’s best surf spots. Perhaps if enough surf fans petition for this concept, we can all see it through to reality and enjoy a renewed and ongoing spectacle in surfing.
