We all know one, gate keeping our favorite beaches, rarely smiling, always letting their opinions be known in the parking lot. Because their opinions are the final word in surfing. They are the CORE LORD. And so, on this Valentine’s Day Eve, we thought it was appropriate to ask a real core lord what he loves and hates about surfing. Because there’s a lot to love, and hate, about the Sport of Kings.
Who’s playing the part of our favorite core lord? That’s the talented John West, a Huntington Beach native. In reality, he’s as core they come, but he doesn’t need to tell you. But he’s made the core lord character his own.
West, aka That Surf Guy, is a modern surfpreneur. You might have seen his content on Instagram; a tongue-in-cheek satire of surf culture. He dances the line between angry local and the non-core surf influencer. But he’s more than a content creator. West tuned out of his normal existence to chase the dream of a surfing life.
He tried real estate, and it didn’t feel authentic. He thought about a surf-lesson biz. That didn’t fit either.
West got creative and came up with something new. CityPro, West’s brainchild, is a mobile application that connects surfers with surf videographers and photographers in coastal California. “Whether you’re surfing in San Diego or up to Santa Cruz, you can schedule a booking and have a videographer or photographer capture your best surfing moments,” he says. The idea came to him when an injury sidelined him from the lineup. “After tearing my meniscus and getting knee surgery I thought about what was missing in the surf industry. I felt that all the hype, love, and attention has been focused on pro surfers, while everyday surfers, who make up 99 percent of the surfing population, were left out,” says West.
Every surfer knows the feeling of catching waves, then wondering if someone on the beach got a shot. West’s application aims to fill that gap. “We can easily film birthdays, weddings, vacations, and every important moment on our smartphones. Surfers don’t have that same level of accessibility being in the water,” he says.
It’s also a way for people to improve their wave riding. “Progress can be slow and hard to notice without video feedback,” West laments. “For new, or experienced surfers, they can actually see what they’re doing.”
No, West isn’t really a core lord at all. He’s more of an everyman shredder. But he can sure play the part.
Find more from John West, aka That Surf Guy, here.
