34/32 - Contest Overview

Got out there today. Too much party yesterday - so tired...

Tough day for me. I surfed on the wrong board, but that wasn't the problem. I just surfed really shitty, on edge, sketchy and not a lot to offer. Yeah, I'd like to make excuses… The truth is that I don't know why I surfed like that, I have no excuses. It was still a super fun day with probably the best waves that we saw all year on our little gimmick tour. My 5th versus Jay's 3rd are not representative of how we surfed. Jay surfed very solid but, but in the end I think he was handicapped by his 2.5 move repertoire as it seemed the judges eventually got tired of seeing the same moves out of him. I know he is confident and hopefully, this lights a bit of a fire under his ass to figure out how to add a variation or two to his portfolio. He has consistency but not enough variation and function to his surfing to really compete against Yari and as such he'll be relegated to slug it out for second place as long as YV is in the game.

In the end, Jay pushed Yari to the repo, where I struggled to get through with a 3rd in that heat, just outdoing some very nervous newcomer. But Yari? He knew it all along. He'd win. He always does. He can surf within himself and almost guarantee a win; he varies his surfing, both on the forehand and backhand enough to take down anyone. His surfing is functional, stylish and powerful. Even when he picked off the small insiders, when it seemed like he was panicking because he hadn't caught a wave with only 5 minutes left in the heat (Jay's heat), be he wasn't panicking, he knew that he'd do enough. That quick bottom-turn, that tail release, that snap. He's too good, he stands alone. Can he be beat? Certainly, they are 15 minute heats so anything can happen. Jay beat him in that heat with a close decision (1 judge had Yari winning), but is anyone better than him in our division? Absolutely not. Jay was excited after our finals heat, I did not see his waves, but I saw 2 of Yari's and from the back and I knew the competition was for 2nd place. At one point a right was coming for us (me and Yari) and he calmly asked if I wanted it, probably knowing that it did not matter. I was beaten; I had nothing left, so I just said "No" and watched him dismantle it. He was in the right spot but was willing to give it to me. Knowing that it was rightfully his, I could not say, "Yeah, I'll take that from you." I just couldn't and I didn't have anything left anyway. I'm surprised I got 5th to be honest. I'm very happy with my result to be certain.

Munsterman, Penning and Mezak are probably in the second tier. Wolfe is a wild card for certain. He could be at the bottom or the #2 guy on any given day. His surfing is powerful and probably more functional than anyone else's (he can make it around sections and link turns better than anyone). He saved Jason from getting a 6th place finish in the Open Men's with a nuclear meltdown. I don't know if it was drugs or what, but he just started snaking people. It made it entertaining to be sure! I'm down in the next tier, probably just me and Salick. My surfing is too erratic too all over the place to truly contend. Can I get lucky? Of course, I ride big gnarly as well as anyone out there, but that is not what wins these contests. Maybe a lucky heat with a barrel or something, I can win. That won't stop me from trying!!! I'll keep getting better, certainly I will, I'd like to be in the 2nd tier. Jay probably needs add a tailslide and a functional cutback to his bottom turn and blast / floater bag of tricks to get out of the second tier. The judges made it clear that 2 moves are not enough… Maybe Yari will lose interest. Maybe we'll get better when we are 40 and seniors. We are still kids, we are still dreaming, that keeps us young certainly… I almost certainly have to go to Morro Bay now. Suddenly, I cannot wait!