Pretty surfing is back!
A recent article called ‘The Style Renaissance’ by our
collective pal Steve Shearer (Longtom) suggests
that style in surfing is better than ever.
Well researched, it makes one of few references in our surf
media to Brazilian surf journalism. Wrapping up the 2024 season,
the article considers that CT surfing is – at last – valuing style
again. So what to make the development of competition surfing over
the last decade?
Since Medina’s first title in 2014, the reverence for style
amongst Australian, Hawaiian and Californian surfers (call them
Colonialists) far exceeds everything that the Brazilian Storm
brought in victories and egregious behaviours. It began in sharp
contrast between peak-Colonialism – honed by the highly evolved
Coolie Kid and Andy eras – clashing with early-Storm behaviour
verging on kook.
The overly energetic upstarts came in with disregard to
otherwise absurdities in the culture. There was disdain to years of
perfecting a figure-8 cuttie, sticker placement, wetsuit colours.
There was claiming. Lots of pumping. One manoeuvre waves. There was
noise. It was small wave performance over charging large, hollow
waves. It was all win at the cost of style. It changed the CT.
But Colonial style is collective subjectivity, not quantifiable
to the uneducated eye and with mystic gatekeepers. It is a peculiar
pursuit of surfers mainly around the edges of the Pacific in
Australia, Hawaii and California. It is often regional, heralded by
the likes of the Surfcore Instagram account, local tilers, Margo,
Rasta. And style is historic: Andy Irons, Curren with his
Curren-isms, MP. Entry into the style club comes with difficulties,
is complex and layered.
Throughout Brazilian title years, Colonialists held onto style
as the bastion of superiority over the South Americans’ uprising.
When style wasn’t scored on the CT, surfers complained and quit the
tour, deeming that they wouldn’t compete unless on their own terms.
Titles rain down for Brazilian surfers. The reaction from both
sides was to defame. Chat rooms lit up. The term ‘Brazzos’ lurks
next to death threats among tones that are cringeworthy at best,
deeply troubling at worst.
While women’s surfing on the CT has been a safe place for
Colonialists, on the men’s side the uprising is in plain sight.
Seven Brazilian titles and three to John. Yet plenty of shade is
thrown and the proverbial ‘asterisks’ are noted below.
2014, Gabriel Medina: He rips, he charges (Tahiti, 18.96 v 18.93
(Kelly), but he cried losing to Julian in Portugal. His boards were
a bit wide and a bit flat with neon sprays. Charlie and mum on the
beach. There was too much emotion and not enough graciousness in
the back story.
2015, Adriano de Souza: Plenty to love in the backstory but we
called him the Li’l plumber. He was an early victim of peak-Kelly
and never recovered in Colonial eyes from comments about his wide
stance.
2016, John: Expectation.
2017, John: Hope.
2018, Medina: Should have been Julian’s year. It was
peak-Charlie. On the one hand we had Ross Williams and Tommy Whits,
then there was Charlie.
2019, Ferreira: It was a power vacuum with the first year in
forever without Parko and Fanning. John busts his knee with two
wins and a third after four events. There was some Colonialist
softening after Italo’s victory over Medina at Pipe on the final
day, which was ruined by excessive Storm scenes on the beach.
2020, COVID.
2021, Medina: wins at Trestles. It is the first year without
Charlie but Yasmin is there. Parko and Fanning had been creating
some positive noise about Medina, but the Colonial jury was still
out. This is pre-divorce era Medina, pre-mental-breakdown and
recovery-in-the-jungle Medina. John was injured again and
WTF-are-we-doing-deciding-the-title-at-Trestles, it’s a half
asterisk.
2022, Toledo: Wins at Trestles. Where to start on performances
in Tahiti and in hollow waves?
2023, Toledo: See 2022.
While John’s title came to the joy of pure Colonialists, the
comments section in the final five broadcast was divided – there
were those that thought his numbers were being pumped up by the
Colonialist Illuminati. However had Italo won, it would have been
another asterisk-title for the Brazilians. The flapping and
hopping, the single manoeuvre waves, the Red Bulls, victory decided
by Trestles, the system, it would go on.
So with John’s title against the thrilling run by Italo, the
Brazilian Storm era as we have known it over the last decade surely
closes. Italo’s style is one of the outliers amongst his
compatriots and most tour surfers. Ethan Ewing, Griff, Jack and
John occupy the top of the CT.
Brazilian style is maturing and with that their assimilation
into the domains of the Pacific style-lords and the end of the
Brazilian Storm as we have known it for the last 10 years.
As the final five decider moves to Fiji in 2025 and assuming
they get pumping Cloudbreak in September, the consequential nature
of the contest creates a title without asterisk, regardless of
their nationality.
