Trident is blessed with a readership that contains multitudes of pro surfers. No, not really. But there are some, definitely. Here’s looking at you, Anonymous ;). Anyway, today we’re not about to endorse the life and pressures of a pro, but instead something far more utilitarian – yet certainly inherent in the professional surfing world. If you surf, regardless of your level of experience and ability – you would’ve at some point brushed shoulders with a surfing competition.
It may have been a school or varsity competition. It may have been a local, fun competition, or imaginary heats with a coupla friends. It may have been a local QS event – or, as in the case of the burgeoning number of pro’s who read this fine online ‘zine – a ‘CT event.
Whatever your personal experience with surfing competitions, one thing is clear – some of us love competing, some of us couldn’t be arsed. Doing well in competitions certainly fuels one’s ego, and conversely – doing poorly may make one want to take up competitive darts instead (and perhaps aim them at the occasional surfing judge who crosses your path in the pub). Whichever side of the fence you find yourself on; here’s the rub though – surfing is not a static sport. We do not have a rugby field or a tennis court to display our skills on. We don’t even have a road, and we certainly don’t have concrete or wooden skate ramps that remain still, regardless of weather. No. Instead, we have a playing field that changes literally second to second. Even in waves as mechanical as say, Supertubes, the nuances between individual waves are distinct. In other words, our competitive surface is in constant flux, which may help or hinder you, such is the mood of the sea. Sometimes the better surfer suffers in a heat while the less talented advances. Or vice versa.
Trident has watched and surfed in a number of competitions over the years. For us, one of the first criterion for entering any event is the following: “How kak will the waves be?” Check the forecast a few days in advance, make a judgement call and enter – or decide, “nah, waves look about as fun as punching yourself in the crotch.” Even when the outlook is good, you can get skunked badly on occasion, as Trident would imagine has happened to the best of us when it comes to any form of competing. Waves so small, smurfs would struggle to surf them. Wind so onshore it feels like you’re breathing saltwater. Still, that’s nature bro. Use the conditions to your advantage. Or, here’s a word to ensure consistent waves of quality – wavepools. Perhaps something to be examined in more detail in the future, even though the verdict on actually watching competitions in wavepool seems only slightly above watching paint dry.
To paraphrase from classic cult movie Withnail and I – even a stopped clock gives the right time twice a day. That’s an analogue clock team. Anyway, this analogy can apply to surfing competitions. Despite your talent – or lack thereof – you can get kinda lucky in a heat. Or unlucky for that matter. Maybe you’ll find the right waves, maybe you’re blessed with a nice punchy section for a decent turn. Maybe you find a barrel. Maybe your far more talented competitor gets hit by a meteorite falling unexpectedly from space, and the heat is wide open for you.
So that’s the playing field, far from level. When it comes to actual competitive surfers, Trident has witnessed an almost surreal lack of self awareness when it comes to some surfers’ lack of ability, while others surfers of sublime skill are about as excited to compete as they would be getting a prostate exam from Wolverine.
Here’s the thing though. Like ‘em or not, surfing compo’s remain one of the only ways in which to assess your own skill, albeit in a wonderfully flawed manner. Still, we at Trident say go for it, enter your local trials, enter that fun annual competition, enter that retro-only event. Who knows, you may just get a result that surprises you about as much as Donald and Melania Trump having a Jamaican baby.
