New skool surfing

In the last two years a recent phenomenon has taken the British surfing scene by storm.

Well, ‘scene’ is perhaps a strong word. As it only caters for a specific age group affiliated with academic institutions. However, within this age group are many of the rising stars of the British surfing scene from every corner of our (occasionally) green and pleasant land.

The young, the fit, the committed.

It also opens doors to other kinds of surf-affiliated go-getters. Such as photographers, film makers and writers. The question that has been asked is if the Student Surf Tour (or SST) is one of the best things in British surfing at this time.

New skool surfing,

The argument for this is a strong one.

To illustrate this point I’d like to take us back to a brief look at the history of surf competitions. Guys like Mark Richards, Rabbit and the rest, spearheaded the first serious competitions and these events enjoyed variations of style, design and approach that must have been incredible to watch. Despite this, the surf competitions of yesteryear that I read about with envy always had a defining theme: Fun.
The essence of the competition was a mixture of an exhibition of style and the ever-young surf party, with the big names getting on the beers with everyone, pranks played and trouble found, tearing up the evening with the same ferocity as the waves that had pounded them that day.

And there were spectators.

People came from far and wide to watch and be a part of the fun.
The myths were made and the stories were told at the next event, with the only objective being to exhibit even more progressive style and have more fun.

This is where the SST excels, and where the UK Pro Tour does not.
It proves that you don’t need Hawaiian weather to make a surf competition happen.
At the UK Pro Tour 2012 final the best in the country went head to head in excellent conditions for showcasing their progressive and stylish surfing, but in all honesty the only people there to see it were the other competitors, their girlfriends/boyfriends and the parents of the grommets.

It was a ‘nice’ day out though. But that was the problem.
It was just ‘nice’.

That’s all I really had to say about the ambiance afterwards.

Of course I had no complaints about the surfing, but the actual day was a little flaccid, punctuated by the limited crowd gathered at the prize giving.

I don’t want to rain on the UK Pro Tours parade, they are recovering from serious administrative chaos and are doing well to come back from it, but where is the atmosphere? Where are the spectators? And where is the spirit of the surf competition?

All these things seem to be following the SST around like the after party smell on your clothes from a night you cant quite recall with any coherent accuracy, but that you are certain was absolutely epic.

Despite the laidback attitude and non-elitist approach, the SST is still pushing progressive surfing in the final rounds and also has the all-important sense of humour. Coupled with as much professionalism as can be mustered when balancing all these things, the SST seems to be going nowhere but up.

I also see the SST everywhere.

It’s all over the recent addition to our lives: Social media. Taking full advantage of the connectivity available in modern times.

I hear nothing from the UK Pro Tour. I wish I did. I’ve seen their social networking pages but don’t feel connected to it as a British surfer at all. The SST keeps me connected with regular updates interspersed with genuinely amusing anecdotes and the regular-ish photo of Alana Blanchard…

In essence the UK Pro Tour has to be a little more ‘grown-up’ than the SST, but it is lacking something. We are all British and will put on our wellies, thermals and wet-weather gear for a good day out, as the SST proves, event after event.

But is it one of the best things in British surfing at this time? Maybe not quite yet, considering it’s limitations. But there are spectators, there are night clubs packed to capacity and there are myths being made.

The SST is certainly all that is right in British surfing, and with sponsors rapidly jumping the sinking ship that is the professional scene, is the pro competition circuit going to return to it’s roots? Should it? Can it?

The SST seems to be combining new skool surfing with old skool attitude, to great effect.

The next event is Gwithian on the 31st may - 2nd June. The theme is Mexicans, Robots and dinosaurs... Sound like somewhere you want to be?

Words by Josef Williams

Editor:

Old skool attitude...