J Bay

I watched the final replay. Was Parko injured? ASP Surfing wants to be seen as, and has touted itself as, 'elite athletes', putting on an elite performance. Are the surfers sure that's what they really want? 5 minutes to go in the final, a final, the final, and with much ado about the 'greatest conditions ever seen at Jefferies Bay', or, 'That was as good as I've ever seen it', so no excuses there, and also much ado about the incredible, the 'elite' fitness of the athletes, Parko rolled over, quit. Bailed with a full 5 minutes to go, so the end, the finale was an ultimate anti climax. In any other elite sport, every detail of the athletes performance is dissected, and Parko's towel chuck would be intensely scrutinized.

For instance, here's a much, much, much, incomparably worse situation, confronting an elite, highly paid athlete.

Corralle's famous quote, that he would go to hell and back before losing that fight, was literally played out before he won, in devastating, elite fashion.

For those that haven't seen the fight, here's a couple of descriptions. It is famous for its non stop, heavy duty, super intense elite action from start to finish.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1402332-top-10-fights-of-the-past-30-...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Corrales_vs._Jose_Luis_Castillo

As can be seen the consequences to Corralles and Castillo, were huge, even questionable, but, they are elite professionals and know and accept, fully those consequences... perhaps even thrive on them.

In comparison, what were the consequences confronting Parko? He, a quote, 'elite athlete', might get a bit tired? Some 'rocks'? No jetski, so couldn't paddle? Already had some heats? Yet non contestants were champing at the bit to get in the water, and many would surf for hours at a time, and in fact were in the water during the event. Earlier a fifty year old, retired pro surfer dominated the same, or quote, 'heavier' conditions, and an overweight, unfit retired pro surfer did fine as well. If all the heats surfed by the two were broken down, the amount of time having to produce intense efforts would be miniscule compared to most sports, especially Corralles effort. Plenty, tons of time to sit and to recover.

Elite action? Then on that scale, Middleton Bay is a bone crunching, sledge hammer, ledgy left hander.

He was going for tubes that were risky and did close out. Could have been best waves ended up being the worst waves of heat.

That explains it then, just a misunderstanding. Really a classic case of an 'elite athlete' surfing 'the best ever seen' closeouts, and elitely picking the worst of them, and then just getting elitely tired, and having an early knock off... with full pay.

Carry on 'eliting', so to speak.

Great entertainment. Watched the whole final day, loved it all. The boys were ripping. Loved those take offs - big , beautiful walls marching in for the dream roll in entry. Classic stuff.
Although I imagine the Men's clean and jerk at the looming commonwealth games will be a far more impressive spectacul of pure athleticism ... And therefore more entertaining I guess .

'Although I imagine the Men's clean and jerk at the looming commonwealth games will be a far more impressive spectacul of pure athleticism ... And therefore more entertaining I guess .'

You'd want to quantify that I imagine blowout. And also the last 'classic', 'ripping' 5 minutes of the 'dream'?

Perhaps in dot points.

You know what Uplift, I actually didn't see the final 5 minutes. I saw Fanning had Parko on the ropes and gave in to the demands of my weighty eyelids. Woke up today and saw that Fanning had held on , so i didn't witness any meltdown of Parkos. If you could fill me in it would be appreciated . Was he vomiting bong water ?

From what I saw uplift, he got washed right down with the sweep along the rocks. The water too shallow to paddle out through the sets and combined with the sweep at that spot beyond the exit keyhole and impossibles, and an difficult exit-point to boot. No chance he could get anywhere near to a position with scoring potential. They timed him doing the runaround (exit through the keyhole) in one of his earlier heats at 5.5minutes. He was in a much worse position than that and possibly as you mentioned was injured as well.

An elite athlete would have just struck the rock with his mighty hammer , hewing a gaping chasm for himself to stroll to the shore whereupon our hero would race like Zeuses thunderbolt back to the takeoff spot and demanded a set wave from poor , put upon king Neptune.....no wait, that's Marvel Comics isn't it ? My mistake.

Sorry guys, where were we ? Something about 20 reps of 10 sets with minimised lactic acid buildup then straight to low impact squats of........ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

If Parko did more training with Carl Lewis he would have better wave selection.

Well, one thing's for certain, we'll never know.

An equivalent 'elite athletic' scenario is,

'Oi Malts, wegs are a bit tiwered maaaytte, we bin belted all theeason anyway, ownwy 5 ta go, might justh caawwl it quiths for now aayye maaaaaayytee.'

No doubt the answer, being the elite realm, would be along the lines of:

'Yeh, no worries maaayyyte, poor little bugger, wouldya like a little rubdown as well... what about a pizza delivery... and ya might notice a bonus on ya cheque too, mmmmaaayyyttee. 'Ere, ya sure ya not too tired there son, as a matter of fact, I'll give ya a hand orf meself... you ####ing ##### ***** ### ****ing #### piss weak #####ing #####***** ####ing *******!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry you got too excited and fell asleep blownit.

I always go to sleep a few minutes after I get too excited.....if you know what I mean ( wink wink nudge nudge say no more ).

The pub bore.
What fuels their narcissistic monomania?
All that same old rubbish:
- The only real football is soccer, but don't you dare call it soccer!
- Oh c'mon, pro surfers aren't reeaallly athletes.
- Do you want to look at my potato. It looks just like Richard Nixon.

Oh yes, the pub bore is a bit of a classic. Best enjoyed from a distance.

It is entirely in the realm of conceivability groundswell, and lostdoggy, especially considering the speeds(or, as demonstrated all day, complete lack of), reached 'sprinting' up that point, and paddling, that a fitter, stronger, faster Parko could have had a genuine chance of shaving enough time off that 5.5 mins to be in position to catch a wave. Obviously they would need the elite athletic type of recovery and explosiveness necessary to do so, and to also be ready to instantly surf the wave at a winning level. Something many elite athletes are used to doing, and expect to do, and are called on and expected to do, over and over and over, no matter what the situation. Something that is ingrained in their mindset. It is never over until the final siren/bell/whistle is part of the territory of truly 'elite' athletes', and something that their training helps, or should help ingrain.

Truly uplift, I appreciate what your trying to say as far as athletic excellence acquiring the best outcomes from the demands placed upon a surfers body during the rigours of a professional surfing competition at the highest possible level but..... I truly don't give a fuck.
I respect your opinion, but as consumer of commercial surfing as it is presented, I don't find it lacking regards the fitness of the athletes.
Sure, when the waves are inconsistent and the commentators voice is grating I would never refuse more action, but as a surfer I recognise that we abide to the whims of Huey and am more than content to relax and wait for the ocean to provide.

The most capable surfers I know are able to surf to such an elevated ability due to time in the water and HEART. Neither of which are attained by any amount of hours of conditioning achieved outside of a life spent marinating in the brine.

Certainly, some time in the near or far future, after the soul of the pursuit has been truly wrung dry through the application of overbearing applied discipline will we see sportsmen performing at the uppermost limits of what is achievable beyond the extrapolation of the human body by presently identifiable physiometric capabilities. And guess what ? Just like the achievement of the 4 minute mile that you quote
so vociferously , still , like always, the next unprecedented performance levels will be achieved not by the application of a structured weightlifting routine , rather by the inspired belief that someone can be more than they were told they could be, more than they thought was possible .

It is heart and humanity that makes progression possible.

'Oh yes, the pub bore is a bit of a classic.'

Commonly called a 'wally'.

'It is heart and humanity that makes progression possible'

Exactly. And why the 'impossible', becomes possible. The heart to keep going when it seems impossible.

Not seeing the similarities of the last round of a boxing bout, and parko leaving the water. The boxers are in the same physical space, literally 'boxed in'. unless of course, one of the fighters gave such an almighty uppercut, that it knocked the other so far out of the ring and into the stands, that he didn't physically have enough time to walk back to the ring! Or do you mean the fact the ref stopped the fight while one was still standing, e.g. he just gave up cos the ref decided it was over.

Uplift... Corrales took a dive on the second hit..... Made sure he got his full count (made sure he got a full 8 seconds on the first knockdown too).... Spat his mouth piece...... Those crucial few seconds to get his nervous system kicking back in, was the key.... The crowd booed, and rightly so..... Psychology won that bout.... Rope a dope lite...... Castillo thought he had it won.... Led with his chin..... That wasn't elite.... That was trickery...
Now elite? This was elite.... Arguably the best ever 8 minutes of boxing you'll see... No feeling each other out... No laying down for 8 seconds or spitting mouthpieces..

But Uplift , what I think your not failing to see, but refusing to see is that humanity has the ability to overachieve, to overcome any human limitation and that it is the exact instant that this occurs that sport transcends mere pastime and elevates the entirety of mankind like a rising tide lifting all ships.

This element is not provided by massive physiques or accomplishment in the sterile atmosphere of a gymnasium , the essential part of surfing and sports is displayed when man EXCEEDS his physical abilities not when he achieves through the mundane employment of them as impressively structured as they are.

He made sure he did what it took to win sheepy, to keep punching till the bell, or until he was knocked out. The myriad of fans voted. Up there with best fight ever. You cant fake the bruises, the cuts. The ref stopped it woohcs. The fighter wouldn't go down. Hail (stone) Mary's boys. Enough to bring the cheques the ASP openly seeks pouring in?

Just had a look at the last few minutes of the final again. It's with 3.41 to go that you see in parko's body language that its over. He's still surrounded by reef/rocks with set wave after set wave washing through. Doesn't hit the sand for at least another 30 odd seconds. Now down to a max of 3.10 to run and paddle out-puls catch a set wave- from much further down the beach than others had runaround from that day. Quickest of which was 5.50. Don't need to be an elite athlete to do the maths.

He didn't exceed anything blowy. I think you are scared, threatened to see that he could be much, much fitter, stronger. Nothing new. It was the same in most sports in the past.

I saw it in the body language too.

uplift wrote:

He made sure he did what it took to win sheepy, to keep punching till the bell, or until he was knocked out. The myriad of fans voted. Up there with best fight ever. You cant fake the bruises, the cuts. The ref stopped it woohcs. The fighter wouldn't go down. Hail (stone) Mary's boys. Enough to bring the cheques the ASP openly seeks pouring in?

Dont care how many people voted, uplift.... They voted for GWB,too..... Hearns Hagler, Smokin jo ali Manilla, The real deal fighting above his weight..... The little champ down here in tassie goes alright too...
But put 'em on a surfboard in 8 foot J bay, they'd drown......
I do agree re' parko..... But he aint the first to throw in the towel....... Seen whole "elite" teams do it..... The brain can be the weakest link....... Freo v saints....... All above the shoulders....

'But put 'em on a surfboard in 8 foot J bay, they'd drown......'

Irrelevant. Give them all a dart, a deck of cards, etc, same scenario. Too easy, common practice, to confuse fitness with skill.

Doesn't matter how elite one's fitness is.... If one has no natural skill, and minimal grey matter, well....... Laird Hamilton was/is probably the fittest surfer I have ever seen...... But he didn't have natural all round surfing skill or the mental fortitude to tough it out on the tour..... Kelly Slater, Mark Richards, Tom Carroll, Curren...... A balance of fitness, natural ability, mental toughness...
There's a young aussie tennis player... Extremely fit.... Weak brain......
BTW, 3 minute rounds...... 36 minutes in all....... 36 minutes........ No comp next month to boost up the rankings....... World title on the line in 36 minutes...... Boxing is a totally different mindset..... Surfing is akin to formula one....

from watching on my laptop on first time round Parko seemed almost in tears on his speech. Or was that just me? (Very glitchy and slow wifi and buggy laptop).

Wow Toms music is actually pretty good-
https://soundcloud.com/tomcurren

At the truly elite level it matters dramatically how fit athletes are, or they wouldn't bother with training, and drugs would be a non event.

Interest and money motivate many elite athletes. Thus Laird Hamilton made a choice which shook the world of surfing and the world outside of surfing, (the realm the ASP has begged for for ever) far greater than any ASP 'elite' athlete ever has. So the solution you suggest is, a slower, weaker, less fit Parko is the key. And you suggest, super fit, elite athletes are unskilled dimwits. And, surfees know this, it is the world that must, that will, finally once and for all, see and acknowledge that surfers are the greatest, the most zomasing, the most gifted and skilled, elite athletes that the world, the cosmos, the universe, the galaxy has ever seen! Well maybe next year, or the next, perhaps the next, or the next. And those piss weak boxers dont know how to train... its easy... and surfees could dominate that, through sheer talent alone, or UFC... or Dancing with the Stars!

Somebody fuck'n pay us!

He should've paddled back out.

mmm ...

The sense I get from what you're saying uplift, not just here, but in other comments you've made too, is that you do not see any of the current professional surfers as 'elite athletes', and with your view of the world, life, your knowledge, experience, etc. you have taken some sort of personal offense to the term being used to describe them.

Let me make it clear, I have no issue with YOU having YOUR opinion. In fact, I would go so far as to congratulate you for sticking with arguing your point and discussing the issue and not denigrating anyone (others, please correct me, but I have not read any posts from uplift where he has resorted to name calling or insults)

it's been said before, and will again, I'm sure ... opinions are like assholes, so, well, with that in mind, here's mine ...

Parko did not 'chucked in the towel' ... it was purely a matter of the situation and time. He was in the wrong spot after his last wave, with no chance of paddling back out to get another wave in the time remaining. You can see he looked, thought about it, but weighed the risks and outcome. His options were to either paddle out, and risk busting out fins on the rocks and even then not make it back up to get another wave, NO MATTER HOW HARD HE TRAINED OR PADDLED he was not going to make it back up the point, or, try to come in over the rocks, which, he started to do, only to get washed by a couple of waves, still trying to protect himself (not giving up) by using his board as a buffer to the rocks, but, by the time he is able to make it to the sand, the time was gone, so, again even if he was super human and an "elite athlete" (by uplift definition) he was never going to make it up the beach, out the keyhole, into the takeoff spot, and into a scoring wave with the time left ...

Now, can you PLEASE show me uplift, an 'elite athlete' who could have made it back out, either in the water, or up the beach, with the exact same situation as Parko faced?

Heck, can you show me any 'elite athlete' with the surfing skills and ability to have caught and surfed a wave out their with a reasonable chance of winning, an 'elite athlete' who could have made it from standing on the rocks, to the run up the beach to the keyhole ready to start the paddle out, in the time Parko had left? Yep, just from the rocks to the rock off, in that time ... but, someone with the surfing ability and skill to have caught a wave and could surf it to have scored with a chance of winning ... ???

I doubt there are ANY that could have done it ...

IMHO, Parko was playing the risk game for the whole year ... He knew he risks injury paddling back out or rushing the rock exit ... why take that risk and impact the back half of the year. He'd have known, by making the final he would be in the #2 spot, and with some consistent results to date, it only takes a win to become a serious chance of the title ...

Taken as the whole situation, and the skills needed to succeed, the top surfers, are, IMHO 'elite athletes' by any measure ... Parko, did not 'give up', he managed the risks, played the odds ... he left himself with the ability to fight for the rest of the year ...

And with that ... GO PARKO !!!

:-)

This elite bloke would have made it up the point.

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=631&...

zenagain wrote:

This elite bloke would have made it up the point.

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=631&...

Did you really just google fattest NFL player? hahahahha

simba wrote:

Boy Parkos on fire.Wilko sat around too long and blew it but was surfing like the old occy,good on him.Asp has scored big time,now they have set the bench mark for future events.............maybe.

To me, Wilko deserved a 10 for his last effort. 9.77 was harsh, he'd lost anyway and that wave was demolished like nothing ive seen before. His last hook was something else.

Jeez Doggie, Corrales took so much punishment on those knockdowns.

For him to even have the presence of mind to play for extra time, let alone the will to continue is pretty fcuking amazing.

yocal wrote:

simba wrote:

Boy Parkos on fire.Wilko sat around too long and blew it but was surfing like the old occy,good on him.Asp has scored big time,now they have set the bench mark for future events.............maybe.

To me, Wilko deserved a 10 for his last effort. 9.77 was harsh, he'd lost anyway and that wave was demolished like nothing ive seen before. His last hook was something else.

That 9.77 was one of the best waves I've seen surfed in a competition. Disregarding tube rides..
How did he not get a 10?!? Fucken ripping!
Uplift if he was a super fit amasing deluxe elite athlete like you were when you could run as fast as Carl Lewis whilst bouncing a basketball back in the day, do you think he could of surfed that wave any better?

'mornin' wingnut, uplift... I think he threw in the towel, wingnut..... I think he mentally blew up after Mick's first wave.... Surfed differently... In tennis terms, 2 sets to love down... Started going for down the line winners instead of his relentless baseline attack.... That last wave put him in a precarious position... But what uplift said does have some merit..... A truly super fit surfer would've pushed through... Maybe not get all the way out the back, but could've got 1/2 way up....Even if a 7 wave set pinned him and stopped his progress, it would've shown "grit"...... Sent a message to all..... Now, if he had've scraped out and got 1/2 way back to the take off ( even a 1/3 way back) , whether he would've lucked a perfect bomb section from there through impossibles with a 6 second deep barrell and a hail mary 360 closeout mindblower will never be known.......
ps - uplift... There was once an "elite athlete" on the pro tour.... Won 2 "majors"..... One at sunset beach, the other at a sydney beachbreak.... So he had allround surfing skill (unlike Laird).... Supremely fit.... A legend of big wave riding...... A tour competitor for years, but never won the world title.... His supreme fitness didn't put any more bums on seats than MR, or TC..... His name - Buzzy Kerbox...

Wingnut, the truth is I have played and trained with many elite athletes, and I have also surfed for over 45 years, and have seen the worlds best surfers in action. The whole time I have surfed, I have heard the same pleas from the ASP re remuneration, recognition, special talent, eliteness, etc. I witnessed, in person, when the Bronzed Aussies, claiming, or wanting to be elite athletes, trained at Sports Science Clinic in Adelaide, as I was there training. Embarrassing is as polite as you could put it. Despite that, I totally respect what the likes of rabbit achieved, and its obviously awe inspiring to see that they used techniques to help them achieve their particular dream, just as Slater does, just as Dorian does, and as was highlighted, Fanning does. One dream has constantly eluded them though, and nothing looks like changing in a hurry. But it will.

I also witnessed in person vehement, emotional arguments, identical to many on here re weights, muscles, performance etc. We had it drummed into us that the above would ruin us, as did the top footballers, runners, and an endless list. Because of who I played for, I had exposure to elite college athletes at a fairly young age, and it didn't sit right that guys who, to a kid looked like the incredible hulk, could out run, jump, play, coordinate, and last our best players, our Olympic players. As I got older and talked to more players, it became obvious that they were stunned that we didn't lift weights. So I tried it. And I became much bigger, faster, stronger, resiliant and better. That helped skill level too, as I tired less easily, and loved the feeling of honestly being able to trample opposition. I used to be so stoked that hardly anyone would try it. And was and am really interested in how stubborn old patterns could be, as behaviouralism, visualising, programming was another thing that was sweeping the world of the visiting athletes. So I tried that too. It was pretty much the end of my basketball, right at my peak, as my dream was to live and work in a good job in Elliston, and to surf blacks when ever I wanted. When I moved with my weights there, the stories were the same, surfers were horrified. I love surfing as much as anyone, and it dumbfounds me that the training thing is what it is in surfing. It shouldn't because I would watch guys get their arse absolutely kicked, and still be unable to acknowledge the guy was just too big, strong and athletic, and that that actually enhanced the skill.

Comparing skill in different disciplines is a pretty useless exercise. I know 6'10" 20 stone guys that would make any surfer look like a slow, uncooordinated dim witted klutz, if both were asked to perform skills necessary to play basketball. Yet the guys can't even swim, and would be kooks from hell on a surfboard. And they have zero interest in water, or being able to surf. Pure athleticism and fitness can be compared though. I remember watching some 'pros' train in Ballina not too long ago. Seriously, I've seen housewives train with more intent and intensity. Some tow chargers here described themselves as elite athletes to me at one time, and tried a bit of training... just want a powerfull core... for fuck's sake. Ludicrous. I honestly would love to see surfers exhaust and utilise fitness training as much as other sports. There isn't a magazine or surfing promotion that devotes much at all to it, yet all the publicity journals etc of other elite, athletic sports long have had huge chunks of material revolving around it, and nutrition, its that important. I have never questioned the skill, but I am 100% percent certain that if asked to train at elite levels, hearts and commitment would be found to be seriously wanting. So its why I honestly ask, are surfers sure they really want to be an elite athlete? Does Parko really want his every action dissected, and publically scrutinised on pure profit and performance generating terms? To be grilled, to be publically accountable for weeks on end? His towel chuck, absolutely beyond any doubt at around the 6 min 10 sec mark, would be massive news, as would accountability. I agree with sheepy, he had a bad one, but that happens to all elite athletes. The one fall back is supreme fitness. Genuine athleticism, and that can't be bluffed or faked. You can't fool yourself there. So when the chips are really down, and you are out of synch, there is a fall back. Fitness allows better decision making under pressure, even if confidence is being tested. I was going to post the exact scenario as sheepdog. Parko knew he neeeded a high score. But took a wave Fanning passed up. Mistake, but, done is done, didn't pan out, soon realised, no high score. An elite athlete, a true fighter keeps going. Around 6 mins 10 secs, total slumpville, its all over, he 100% quit there and then. Beat himself better than fanning ever could. He could have thought fuck this instead, there and then, got off and out, and absolutely powered up the point, supposedly the best paddler, hunting, threatening, intimidating and pushing Fanning, somehow, right in his face, pouring it on to the end. What if half way up the pit sheepdog describes did come, what if he got right out alongside Fanning,.. and what if he still lost. He would have sent a message. To all, to the money. To himself too. A genuine super heat. Instead, a super hype.

The right training instills that fight. If, when you are literally dying, you constantly learn, concentrate, 1 more rep, core tight, breath, feet right, blah, blah, blah... no, fuck this, 5 more, then it shows under the extreme pressure of elite competition. Its ingrained, you stop when you can't possibly move. He walked off fine, no chucking from exhaustion, gasping for air, crawling because he couldn't walk. No where near it.

uplift wrote:

Wingnut, the truth is ... When I moved with my weights [to Eillston], the stories were the same, surfers were horrified.

You bet we fuckin were. Still are.

.

Need to check ya timing uplift...at 6.10 parko's still on the wave! gets another turn, and then pulls into a barrel! Watch what happens at the end of that wave, he gets pinballed around the reef for the next three waves. Now, lets say, for argument sake, parko's training- fitness etc would make him 80%? 90%? of a 'full blown elite'. In that sort of water movement, with ankle-knee deep reef/rocks hidden everywhere, would a 'full blown elite' really have performed that much different?

With 6.05 on the clock, Joel does a dodgy bottom turn setup and stall for the barrell... Even the commentator points out the stall ("he'll start slowing down")..... It should've been a cranking bottom turn with full speed into the looming section.... Watch the barrell from there..... He blows it, then the barrell throws out twice more.... Full tilt speed would've made the section, followed by another 2 backdoors.... The barrel stayed open...... As he was getting throw around, he knew he blew that tube....
Then, with 5.50 on the clock, he pops up.... Board was right next to him..... Wasn't tombstoning.... He put up the white flag right then.... Perhaps the decision was made underwater....
Dunno if Rabbit in his prime circa 78 would've done that..... He would've been on that board so quick, flawless duckdive, and a 5 minute paddle hoping for a huey miracle.....

That's the best I've seen Fanning surf in competition. Awesome high speed precision.

Curren was almost effortless, there's a lot of him in Kelly's style.

Great comp ASP.

Buggsy had the energy sniff sniff, Buggsy in 78 didn't have to pass a urine test

Yeah, ant.... Curren was amazing...... I don't think he was that far off the "youngns"....

ant shannon wrote:

Curren was almost effortless, there's a lot of him in Kelly's style.

There's more Curran in Parko than in Bob. You can take the boy out of wind blown slop at Cocoa Beach but ...

ACB__ wrote:

zenagain wrote:

This elite bloke would have made it up the point.

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=631&...

Did you really just google fattest NFL player? hahahahha

mmm, funny dude ... NFL player does not quite fit the question pisted:

" ... Can you show me any 'elite athlete' with the surfing skills and ability to have caught and surfed a wave out their with a reasonable chance of winning ... "

But, that's by and by ... Uplift has me thinking with his comments (and again, dude, great debate ... playing the issue not the poster ;) ) ... what are they doing at the HPC? It's a government funded, partly industry funded, linked to the AIS training facility for surfers, which. by the sounds of what uplift is saying, they have it all wrong; basically wasting the govt. funding, producing less then elite surfers.

I for one, would be happy to see the HPC closed ... those busses pulling up really p1ss me off!

Uplift, have you used your skills and experience to train surfers? And, what were their results like in terms of competitive surfing? Genuine questions. I'm keen to understand the theory to practical outcome conversion success.

I'm going back to the end of the final ...

Sheepdog wrote:

With 6.05 on the clock, Joel does a dodgy bottom turn setup and stall for the barrell... Even the commentator points out the stall ("he'll start slowing down")..... It should've been a cranking bottom turn with full speed into the looming section.... Watch the barrell from there..... He blows it, then the barrell throws out twice more.... Full tilt speed would've made the section, followed by another 2 backdoors.... The barrel stayed open....

Having just rewatched it, I'm not sure the 'he'll start to slow down' was in reference to the bottom turn. More like, what Parko was doing at the time, i.e. slowing for the section ...

As for your analysis of the waves as it unfolds from there ... I'd like to see a camera angle from the water.

I went back and looked at Mick's 9.0, and it looks like a similar section from the 'slow down' call forward on the Parko wave, and while Mick did give the bottom turn more, and entered the section with way more speed, he did only just squeeze out ... the camera angles show that on Mick's wave, from the point where Mick comes back down the face to sneak under the lip and out, the wave warps and starts to run again, which, is at about the same spot where it looks like Parko got clipped ...

So, while yes, if Parko had entered the section with more speed, he may have gotten out, but, I'm not sure he would have then got another two sections as it does not look like the wave warps like that ...

Sheepdog wrote:

... Then, with 5.50 on the clock, he pops up.... Board was right next to him..... Wasn't tombstoning.... He put up the white flag right then.... Perhaps the decision was made underwater...

Actually, yes, he does pop up at the 5.50, but ... watch how far sideways he moves in the next 10 seconds. He does not have his board 'next to him' but not until a further 10 secs ... and yes, it does look like he is flailing around in the water from the 5.50 point for that 10 secs, which has me thinking that it may not have been a 'decision made underwater' but rather a 'decision made for him by the rocks under the water' ...

You can see he flips the board at around the 4.40 mark, which, seems to me, like he is thinking the board is damaged, and hints to me, that he has hit the rocks himself ...

Towel through from there, or a calculated decision to get out without any injury to affect the rest of the season? Sounds like a probing issues that needs independent surf journalism ...

Actually, maybe uplift needs to join freeride76 so we can get to the bottom of this issue?

Wingnut, what it does show is that when the surf is pumping, people get interested... Just like a Man U' v Chelsea game, everyone dissects the match that night down at the pub over a few pints.... Every "what if", every pass, tackle etc.... Wasn't any of this sort of banter after Rio.....
Good waves, consistent waves gets the punters talking.....

I'm flat out today wingnut, but will answer you properly later. I will say this. He quit, beyond doubt.

When I played basketball, we were drilled constantly, taught to see any sign of weakness, to constantly sum our opposition up, from a young age, over and over and over. We were the top club in the country for years and years, and my coaches from that young age were Olympic coaches or players. It didn't take me long to see why our club was head and shoulders above the rest. The attention to detail was fanatical. Adding to that, being a trainer for so long, that is, having trained so many people from all walks of life for so long, further totally relies on and hones the skill of reading body language. At around 6 mins 10 secs, and I use that time so that it can't be missed, he quits. That feeble slump, fuck this, supposed fade fiasco, is like holding up an 'I'm finished sign, come and get me'. Man on man, which ASP surfing still has large elements of, or trying to explain comparably, if I was standing him in basketball, after seeing/sensing that, I would literally be on him, in his face like a dog... trample him, crush him, finish him would be the ingrained, trained reaction. Like what Geelong did to a young, inexperienced Justin Westhoff in that infamous final. Wecome to the big time... sonny.