Progression of Surfing, The Future?

Just more of the crazy air flips, rotations, variations....don't know about tricks inside the barrel, nothing can get better than just slotting in there, drag the hand and enjoying the view.

Yep, nothing beats getting slotted, don't care for anything else.

What's the craziest move you've ever seen? For mine it was Jordy Smith's Rodeo at Macaronis which he pulled off over two years ago. Kelly Slater attempted the first one at the Pipe Masters in 2000, nearly 10 years earlier.

Going on these events surfing innovation is progressing very, very slowly. The major improvement is in the area of consistency (i.e the ratio of attempts to landings). There has been a marked increase in top surfers ability to consistently pull off aerial moves. Testament to this is that they are a staple in any comp heat.

As for actual innovations, I can only see tweaks here and there in aerial moves, or the same moves but of bigger magnitude (anyone see Kelly Slater's oop at Rio? Huge!)

Moves in the tube? Not likely, maybe craftier ways to pull in. You know, jam the brakes real hard or maybe side-slip into a barrel, but once in there it's the same as it ever was (and will be).

The next advancements are in height and rotations.

Moves in the barrel? Geez look at those blokes hitting the step at Shipsterns and the like. Virtually an air in the tube I'd say. Throw a spin or a grab into the mix? Shit, it'd take a braver soul than I, but as a comparison, who would have envisaged 20 years ago some of the wild stuff we've seen in recent years?

And what about the old double grab barrel-roll from the 80's? Surely some of today's hotties could pull those while inside a legit tube.

Just daydreaming....

But don't ever say innovation is over. Eventually you'll end up looking silly.

What about going along the lines of skating regarding kick-flips and the like.

I've seen some footage of these being completed, but mix in a rotation and it opens up a whole new world of maneuvers (It wouldn't be nice to land on the fins but if you stuff up).

Switchfoot barrell-roll on carbon fibre Alaia hybrid?

At night with LED boardies.

What about going along the lines of skating regarding kick-flips and the like. I've seen some footage of these being completed, but mix in a rotation and it opens up a whole new world of maneuvers (It wouldn't be nice to land on the fins but if you stuff up).

By: "craig"

What was Warshaw's quote? "The difference between a Lien and Indy is about as interesting to me as the difference between rotini and rigatoni pasta."

I actually think that continuing to take leads from skateboarding is a dead end. That's what happened in the early-90's and it got us off the ground (pun unintended but I'll take the credit). The limitations of copying technical skate moves have been reached and surfers are no longer looking to skaters or snowboarders for inspiration.

Consider the backlash against that Zoltan fella from N Cal who scored $10K from Volcom for landing the first kickflip - a straight-ahead skate move. It looked terrible, wasn't functional and could only be done in small, gutless waves. A dead end. Won't mean people will stop attempting it but I strongly doubt that it will ever become popular. Surfboards aren't skateboards.

I’d have to say in my time surfing, the biggest innovations have been not so much in terms of direct performance / manouvres (Ratboy Collins was pulling air reverses 15 friggin years ago).

The biggest innovations have come way out of leftfield

1. Accurate swell forecasts and their availability on the internet
2. Jetskis and the tow phenomonen (including board design spin-offs such as quad fin set-ups and deep concaves)

In 1990 or so, every grom was a budding Pottz, Archy or Fletcher, but none could have envisaged checking the swell forecast on a hand-held digi-contraption before getting out the ski to whip into a few ledge monsters or outer-reef bombs.

Maybe a step backwards and a return to power surfing? I guess I'm the Occy generation, but not that old :)

Airs are great and all, but punting on every wave is boring to watch (modern collective) and generally not very fluid/conducive with putting a whole wave together.

I guess I'm talking more about personal preference than where I really think the sport is going.

I think the future is going to China and there will be no need for paddling arms or ski's because you'll just stand on a motorised board with straps on your feet doing pre-programmed flares and flips. The whole scene will be broadcast live on MTV hosted by Occy and sponsored by Ryan Sheckler.

Being towed into pipe blindfolded, chained and handcuffed then emerging free! TA DA!!