Ramblings about meeting Sally and the 2015 WSL season.

This was originally written on 16 May 2015 so it's not a current assessment.

I’m not sure what is going on with Sally this year. I swear she trains harder than anyone on the tour, she has the competitive drive and determination to be the champion and the experience and know-how many younger competitors haven’t learned, but this season she seems to be struggling.

Sally is my favourite. I’m supposed to be unbiased when I write and generally speaking I am but Sally was my inspiration while battling cancer so it’s hard not to show favouritism. Those days when I could actually sit up in bed I would watch recordings of the competitions on YouTube. Her performance and personality impressed me so much I said if I do survive this I’m going to meet her one day and thank her for being such an inspiration to me. A little over a year later I did that in Huntington Beach 2014 at the Van’s US Open of Surfing when I happened to be in the USA so I drove out to California to attend the event; even in person she amazed me.

It started very accidentally, I had been in contact with Sandra Olson from Women’s Surf Style Magazine that same weekend and I jokingly said I should cover the event since I’m here anyway. For many reasons I didn’t but a short time later I did my first magazine interview and Sally was gracious enough to be my first. Sandra Olson gave me the opportunity to succeed or fail and Sally gave me the opportunity to make my dream a reality. So forgive me if I seem a little bias towards Sally.

Sally has been a champion so many times in so many sports it is just a matter of time before she is the WSL champion too. She has been the runner up so many times she’s like the proverbial bridesmaid. Last year was hard for me to watch as she put on the yellow jersey only to lose it again in the next event. What I truly believed should have been Sally’s year came down to the closest finish in women’s surfing history but Sally wasn’t part of that battle. Why?

This year has been the worst I’ve ever seen as far as results go and I’m dumbfounded to come up with an answer to why she’s not winning those victories I expected to see. I’ve watched the replays and the events over and over but I don’t see the problem. She is a very seasoned competitor so I feel confident in saying she’s not beating herself out there by overthinking or poor wave selection. Could I be wrong? Can a person be overly prepared? Can it be possible to train too much? I’m not on her level but I doubt that’s the case.

Perhaps I’m reading too much in to this? Perhaps I’m just being overly bias because my favourite isn’t wearing the yellow jersey? Either way I must say it was an honour to meet her, to do a brief interview with her for an internationally recognized magazine and I still believe this will be her year. Go Sally!

I feel truly blessed to meet the person who inspired me to fight through those difficult days of radiation and chemo treatments. I know in my heart she will be the WSL champion and even though I know she’ll never see this I’d like to say the next time I see her during an event I would love to get together with her and Mr Fitzgibbons, who was also really great, for lunch or dinner if she would like.

Surfing in the Olympics?

Surfing in the Olympics? I have mixed thoughts about this. A part of me says it’s about time another part says it will ruin the sport and subsequently the lifestyle of surfing.

To me surfing is both a sport and a lifestyle and surfers have a special connection with the ocean; for some, it’s even a spiritual almost religious experience and they draw strength and inspiration from it. In ancient Hawaiian tradition, surfing was a privilege reserved exclusively for Hawaiian royalty or Ali’i and since the beginning surfing has been for those in tune with and in proximity to the ocean. Duke Kahanamoku’s surfing exhibition at Sydney’s Freshwater Beach December 24, 1914, is widely regarded as the event that launched surfing in Australia. The world’s love of surfing had begun, but not all surfers grew up near an ocean so once they relocated they found that connection which those before them had already known.

Now the oceans are being brought to the landlocked masses in the form of wave pools. The ability to produce the perfect wave every time endlessly anywhere in the world kind of bothers me a bit. I feel the soul of surfing is being traded for corporate profits and taking something sacred to so many and giving it those who don’t appreciate, respect, or understand the ocean can’t possibly be a good thing.

Ok, now I’m not going to bash on wave pools too hard, I can see how they could be useful. A few years back Sally Fitzgibbons went to Dubai, a place I’ve been to many times, and worked on some moves she was having difficulty with. From a practical standpoint, I can see how this can be a useful tool to learn and train. Repeatability is great when learning something new or practicing something familiar just like batting practice, same pitch, again and again, to strengthen and improve; but it should be a tool and nothing more; an instrument to be used in conjunction with an accessible break to improve your performance out in the ocean where surfing should remain.

The Olympics is a funny place, snowboarding is accepted, skateboarding is not and I must wonder why. If anything I would think skateboarding in the Olympics makes more sense than surfing because skateboarding can be done everywhere, and like snowboarding it’s enjoyed by more people than surfing and doesn’t have that deep-rooted spiritual connection to the oceans and even the Earth in the way that surfing does. You won’t hear skaters being protective of their home halfpipe, and not likely to hear many snowboarders talking about the spiritual connection they feel to their early morning sesh. Surfers, however, are very protective of their home break, virtually all surfers can tell you how glassy early morning sets can make you feel connected and one with the ocean; and it’s these things which take surfing from just a sport to a lifestyle which is why I feel the Olympics could kill the soul of surfing.

So let’s leave surfing out of the Olympics keep it in the oceans of the world in the natural environment where it belongs and stop trying to bring surfing to the masses in places it was never meant to be, like the middle of the USA, the outback in Australia, or the bush country of South Africa. I’m not going to be interested in reading about the latest surfing trip to the local wave pool where some local sensation is doing backside 540’s but has never seen an ocean.

Surfing is a lifestyle and a sport.

There seems to be some debate about the subject is surfing a sport or a lifestyle but to me it seems pretty obvious that it is both. Surfing has a very long history and it can be one thing to someone and something completely different for someone else perhaps even both for some people. I’ve met people around the world which for them surfing is like a religion, they are up every morning and down on the beach catching that first glassy wave at their home break before the sun comes up. They know the tides, they watch the weather and they do this every day. They know the break and all the other locals. They don’t travel the world to find different or better waves they are content to just exist in the moment and find their Zen being one with the ocean. To these people surfing isn’t just a lifestyle, its life.

Then there are those who do feel the need to travel the world to live the search and experience other cultures; to chase that perfect wave for much of their life. They’re not competitors, just travellers, enjoying the search as much as the ride and always chasing the next perfect wave. These are the ones who many times will reach a certain age when the travelling becomes just too much and return to settle down and become the first type and pass along the wisdom of the search to the next generation of worldly travellers. This group kinda defines the lifestyle of surfing sort of like a surfing circle of life

Still, every once in a while though you find the truly competitive types. The stand-outs at the local break who seem to have a divine gift for surfing and a deep burning need inside to push the limits of what is possible and who’s search is not just about the perfect wave but the perfect score. To continuously improve and always feeling a need to surf better than those around them. These are the athletes. The ones who are at the beach before sunrise with everyone else but after pushing the limits of imagination in the water they find themselves in the gym, watching videos of previous surf sessions and following strict diets in an effort to maintain the highest levels of fitness. For these people truly are athletes and for them surfing is a sport, one in which they hope will become a successful occupation as well. This is the glorified side of surfing much of the world sees. This is the glitz and glamour, where clothing brands and surfing manufacturers make their money. For these people as time marches on and the competition years wane surfing once again becomes more of a lifestyle, even for the ones who continue to make their living in the surfing industry once the competition days are behind them.

So, that’s my take on the whole sport vs. lifestyle debate and who knows perhaps I’m completely off the mark but having travelled around the world myself I don’t believe I’ve missed it by too much.

Interview with Tanika Hoffman for WSSM

Few people know that when I’m not running all around the world working or following the WSL World Championship Tour I live in Tableview, South Africa. While surfing down around Muizenberg I realized just how under represented South Africa is on the surfing world stage; other countries known for having good surf like Australia, Brazil, USA, and technically part of the USA but listed separately, Hawaii are all well represented on the surf scene. Then there’s South Africa and for the men there is Jordy Smith and on the women’s side there is Bianca Buitendag who was featured in the fall/spring 2015 issue of WSSM. Two people whom I respect but a far cry from the twelve men and six women on the same tour from Australia alone.

Fortunately amongst the Qualifying Series there are more South Africans competing and representing around the world. I had the privilege of interviewing Tanika Hoffman after she returned from China and here’s what she had to say about surfing around the world, representing sponsors, the differences in sanctioning bodies and the future of surfing in general.

ME:    So what is it like to be sort of the South African ambassador of surfing?

TANIKA: It is great, my aim is to get more girls in the water, surfing and growing the sport in our country. Surfing is such a healthy lifestyle and I love encouraging people to surf, whether it competitively or just free surfing.

ME:    Women’s professional surfing is exploding worldwide with greater prize money and more stops on the tour, how do you see the sport progressing? Will women’s surfing ever be equal to men’s surfing in sponsorship support and tour stops?

TANIKA: Surfing in general is growing worldwide, the men’s and women’s events are getting consistently bigger and better. I think the only reason that men’s surfing appears bigger would be due to the number of men who surf competitively, the girls abilities are definitely up there and getting better and more progressive on a daily basis. As we get more women involved competitively we will definitely see a huge jump in women’s surfing in general.

ME:    What about surfing as an Olympic sport? With the proliferation of wave pools around the world is this something we may be seeing in the future?

TANIKA: It would obviously be an honour for surfing to be part of the Olympic Games, we do however have the ISA World Games which is seen as the “Olympic games” of surfing. The ocean and its unpredictability plays such a large role in surfing, especially competitive surfing. In my opinion surfing consists of the full skill package, surfing, your mind set, selecting the correct waves, reading the ocean…therefore contest is a wave pool could bring on a completely different twist to what we are accustomed to seeing in the competitive scene. I personally would prefer competing in the ocean as appose to wave pool, as I love the challenge that the ocean provides.

ME:    What advice would you give to new surfers trying to get in to this sport and the young surfers striving to reach the professional ranks?

TANIKA: Once surfing becomes part of your lifestyle, it becomes part of your DNA, all you have to do is work hard, use every opportunity you get and never give up. The best training for surfing, would always be to surf, so lots of time in the water will definitely help.

ME:    For someone looking to take their game to the next level, as a member of the ISA and ASP (ASP is now known as the WSL, World Surfing League), what are the differences between the two organizations from a competitive perspective?

TANIKA: To compete at the ISA events you have to be selected by your country, therefore you are representing your country and it is seen as a team event. When competing on the WSL and doing the WQS (World Qualifying Series) events you are entering as an individual with the goal of qualifying for the WCT (World Champions Tour).

It is always an honour representing your country at the ISA World Games. The WSL, WQS take you all around the world competing against strong, hungry competitors who all have the same goal of qualifying at the end of the year. So both are challenging and great experiences.

ME:    Any tips for getting recognition and attracting sponsorships?

TANIKA: The best thing is to do as many contests as possible, the events are always sponsored by brands who are keeping an eye out for young new talent. Contests are also usually swarming with photographers, so surf as much as you can and you should end up with some cool pictures…potentially in magazines. Also remember that these days’ social media plays a huge role, so stay active and get your best pictures out there. But most importantly be dedicated to your sport, stay humble, train hard and never give up…hard work always pays off

ME:     How do you maintain being true to yourself and grounded while at the same time being the international spokesperson and public figure necessary to promote your sponsors?

TANIKA: I think it is important to never forget who you are and what your goals are…stay true to yourself. I am always just myself, whether it is in interviews, magazines, or any kind of social media.

ME:    You’ve done well this past year and you’re still quite young, will we see you on the WCT in a year or two?

TANIKA: This year I am hoping to do all the WQS events with the goal of qualifying in the next two years, so hopefully things go well

ME:    Many years from now when you decide not to surf professionally anymore what’s next?

TANIKA: I think surfing will always be part of me, even if it isn’t competitively, I will always surf. I often get asked, ‘where do I see myself years from now’, but to be honest, I am so focused on fulfilling my current competitive surfing goals that I haven’t looked much further. I can’t picture myself doing a 9 – 5, behind a desk kind of job, I would prefer to be out there, working and interacting with people My surfing take me all around the world, and travelling has definitely become something that I enjoy…so who knows, a job in travelling maybe.

ME: Is there anything you would like to add which hasn’t been covered repeatedly already, something you would like to share with the fans?

TANIKA: Maybe just to say thank you for all the support that I get J Fan, family, friends, sponsors, I really appreciate it.

https://twitter.com/tanika_hoffman

https://www.facebook.com/tanikahoffmanspage

http://www.tanikahoffman.com/

http://instagram.com/tanika_hoffman

Interview with Sally Fitzgibbons for WSSM

The world of women’s professional surfing is changing with new faces on the world tour, new locations, and a fierce battle for the number one spot have made this an exciting year to watch. Thanks to a second place finish at the Swatch Women’s Pro in Trestles and a third place finish at the Van’s US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, Sally Fitzgibbons has moved into first place on the WCT with a 1950 point lead over second place Stephanie Gilmore.
I was able to talk to Sally after Trestles when she had a moment to answer some random questions about her equipment and training, how the sport of women’s surfing is progressing, the recent name change announcement from the ASP and her future plans. This is what she had to say.

ME: This first question is something I’ve been wondering, what do you do with all your old boards? Are they destroyed, donated, or just discarded once you no longer use them?

SALLY: My sponsor partner supplies me with 30 or so boards a year and we are constantly developing them to find the magic board. When I decide to change the profile I do end up with some extras that I donate to charities looking to raise money at auctions around Australia. There are so many worthy causes needing help and I am happy to say they have raised over $50,000 so far.

ME: You’re arguably the fittest surfer on the tour how has your training regimen changed and improved over the years to bring you to the number one spot on the tour?

SALLY: Over the years I have continued to gather information, programs and different exercises from an array of great Trainers and Coaches. This has allowed me to better myself and see what best suites my body and what is most effective for me to improve out on the water. I never stop looking for something new to take me to the next level and this helps to raise my performance level year in year out.

ME: This year saw some new locations for the women’s tour and the return of some old ones, do you think we’ll ever see the women’s tour as expansive and rigorous as the men’s tour?

SALLY: The new additions of Trestles and Fiji are awesome locations bringing to the tour back to 10 stops taking us from February through to December. More quality locations would be welcome but it is already a busy year when you do a few qualifying events as well.

ME: There are 18 ladies on the WCT and 36 men, how do you see the sport expanding in years to come and do you think we will see an equal amount of women and men on the respective tours?

SALLY: There are a number of factors that control the number of surfers on tour. Getting through a contest in two and a half days for the Women and three and a half for the men, means we need six days of swell to finish a combined event. As you know this is a difficult thing to expect nature to deliver that on a consistent basis. So I don’t see the Women’s tour expanding any further at this stage and maybe the men’s tour will be reduced further, only the ASP (WSL) organisers know what direction we are headed.

ME: Now that the ASP has announced it is changing its name to the World Surf League in an effort to better promote the sport of surfing, do you feel this will have any impact on the expansion of the women’s WCT perhaps even increase coverage, sponsorships and prize money at events?

SALLY: I think it is a good change and will align with a number of other sports in stating more clearly what the sport is. I’m not sure of the impact of a name change on those things you mention but the sport is definitely moving in the right direction if the year so far is an indication of our future.

ME: When the day finally comes when you stop competing what’s next for you, what sort of plans do you have? Sports commentator perhaps?

SALLY: Haha I hope that it isn’t too soon and yes sports commentary would definitely be on the cards back home. I love following all sorts of sports so it would be a job that I would love to do and even develop those skills along the way while I am competing. In Australia I do some co-hosting on Wide World Of Sports my favourite Sunday sports show.

ME: Is there anything you would like to add, anything you’d like to tell the readers which hasn’t been covered extensively in the past?

SALLY: I have a health and surfing lifestyle book coming out in November so anyone wanting to kick start living a healthier lifestyle should check it out 🙂

Thank you Sally for taking the time to speak with me; for more information about Sally Fitzgibbons or what is going on in her world be sure to check her out on one of her social media links.

http://www.sallyfitzgibbons.com

http://www.twitter.com/Sally_Fitz

http://www.facebook.com/SallyFitzgibbons1

http://instagram.com/sally_fitz