Quello che per molte persone è solamente uno sport come gli altri, ha invece un’essenza, talmente grande, da non poter essere minimamente immaginabile da coloro che usano impropriamente il termine “surfista“.
Sentire i windsurfisti estivi della domenica o quelli che escono al lago autodefinirsi “surfisti”, genera in me un rigurgito simile all’eruzione del Kilauea.
Andrebbe spiegato loro che il surf non ha nulla a che vedere con la disciplina che praticano. Il surf ha qualcosa in più di un semplice sport; è una sorta di religione. Un “credo” che si perde nella notte dei tempi. Il surf è cultura, stile di vita ed essenza dell’essere. Il surf nella storia è stato anche un mezzo per rispettare le tradizioni dei propri antenati e tramandarle ai posteri. In alcuni casi, come accaduto per Eddie Aikau alle Hawaii nei primi anni 60, è stato il veicolo per evitare l’emarginazione dei nativi dal “colonialismo statunitense”, superando il muro delle leggi razziali. Quando si prende una tavola da surf sotto il braccio bisognerebbe sapere che quell’oggetto ha rappresentato qualcosa di importante per alcune popolazioni, senza il quale, molte, si sarebbero addirittura estinte. Difendere quel simbolo, anche solo salvaguardandone la correttezza della locuzione, dovrebbe essere un dovere, morale e culturale.
Le parole sono importanti!!! urlava Nanni Moretti, cercando di trasmettere un concetto sempre più desueto. Perché le parole hanno una forza incredibile, quella di far esistere le cose. Le parole sono come degli incantesimi: rendono tutto reale. Con le parole ci definiamo e definiamo gli altri e usarle superficialmente ci identifica per quello che realmente siamo.
Frasi celebri
“The best surfer out there is the one having the most fun.” Phil Edwards
Not only is surfing most famous quote isn’t correct, it wasn’t even said by Phil Edwards. The EOS’ Matt Warshaw found that the quote comes from a foreword by Edward’s biographer Bob Ottom. The real quote was, “To find the champion, you should hook them up with electrodes at all their vital points, take a reading, and find out who is having the most fun.”
“Surfers are the ‘throw-aheads’ of mankind, not the dregs; they aren’t the black sheep of humanity, but the futurists and they are leading the way to where man ultimately wants to be.” Timothy Leary, 1960‘s counterculture icon and acid pioneer. Sure the LSD may have affected his thinking, but we like his positivity.
“Waves are not measured in feet and inches, they are measured in increments of fear.“ Buzzy Trent, surfing’s first ever big wave rider, nails it. And this was 50 years before Nazare.
“It’s a cakewalk, when you know how.” Gerry Lopez. A Cakewalk (referring to either a simple carnival game, or uncomplicated dance) is known for being easy and effortless. And to this day no one made Pipe look more easily and effortless than Gerry.
“The fact is that when you are a young emerging rookie from Australia or South Africa you not only have to come through the backdoor… but you also have to bust that door down before they hear ya knocking.” Rabbit Bartholomew writing for Surfer magazine in 1977. The next season in Hawaii the locals busted down his door… and beat the shit out of him.
“It’s not tragic to die doing something you love.” Mark Foo uttered these words a year just before his, uhm, tragic death in 1994.
“I’m just a surfer who wanted to build something that would allow me to surf longer.” Jack O’Neill with surfing’s version of “necessity is the mother of invention.”
“My passion for surfing was more than my fear of sharks.” Bethany Hamilton. She provides a simple equation that might more sum up surfing better than any other.
“First of all, I’d like to say, and the ASP are going to fine me, ‘cuz I don’t want to be a part of this dumb fucking wannabe tennis tour. All these pro surfers want to be tennis players.” Bobby Martinez combusts, then retires, in easily the best post heat interview of all time.
“They say if you can punch it in the nose maybe it will be deterred. I didn’t want to be totally defenceless; it’s like anything you want to go down fighting. Pretty unfair fight though.” Mick Fanning, with incredible composure moments after his encounter with a great white at J-Bay.
“I was a sunburnt pagan now. I felt privy to mysteries.” William Finnegan, from the greatest surf book of all time, Barbarian Days; A Surfing Life
“I surf because… Kelly Slater did it, for chicks, for the cool cars, for the hype, but it all became just stuff.” The late, great Andy Irons opens up.
“Friends that were on tour with me 20 years ago, 10 years ago, are now family guys married with kids. They say ‘I can’t believe you’re still doing it, that you’re looking for waves every day.’” Kelly Slater, on keeping on keeping on.
