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| The View from the Empire State Building |
NY, it is a place of yellow taxi's, hot dog stands and home to over 8 million people. The Quiksilver Pro in NY is, if anything, a surfing success. Although it had much speculation when first announced, it has delivered waves and crowds to match.
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| NY Loves Surfing |
The surfers have been stoked to go somewhere different and their ladies have been equally stoked. The surf as you would imagine is like the waves you could score at any known beachy around the globe, however it is within a 40min train ride of the world's most famous city.
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| Quiksilver Store Times Square |
It is amazing the looks you get when you jump on the subway with a surfboard in hand. I had a conversation with a surfing enthusiast of sorts, who basically spoke to me for 45mins about his whole life story and I exercised the art of listening whilst the rest of the train looked on.
To see how surfing has reached all corners of the globe is awesome and even in NY you can find surf shops. Times Square is home to both Quiksilver and Billabong surf stores.
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| Bring a Board to NY |
The surfers are now global commodities and they are the advertising billboards of the ocean. It is obvious that with this pressure of international fame comes underlying insecurities of unmet expectations. It can be a seesaw of emotions trying to perform as well as pleasing sponsors. Focusing on an impending heat can be difficult with cameras recording your every movement, then to surf in front of the masses with an announcer breaking down your every move in the water can be hard to block out. And if you lose you still have to come in a face all those fans who are so eager to meet you and sign autographs and pose for photos with people you have never met all with a smile on your face. Then to go and face your coaches and sponsors with professionalism and stature all whilst the people around you are celebrating for the other guy, the winner, and telling you what you could have done differently to win your heat, with phrases like, “if only you didn’t go that wave” or “maybe if you hadn’t fallen on that good one” leaving you questioning your own abilities as surfer and a person, thus all you really want to do is get out of that place and forget what just happened.
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| Owen Wright Staying Focused for his Upcoming Heat |
I see this all too often, and to tell you honestly, it takes character and determination to be able to deal with all outside influences in order to remain balanced. Some people wonder why there are amazing surfers out there who don’t compete, more often than not it is because they can’t or don’t want to deal with all of the above additives that come with competing.
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| Kelly Slater with a Massive Alley-Oop |
Is there a solution to all of this? No, well not an instant remedy. However, having people around these guys who support and nurture regardless of the outcome is what these guys need. I hope at the end of the day that is what I can do for the surfers on tour. Keep them on an even keel so they keep afloat. It takes time, patience and diligence but in the end if I can help someone be a better person and a better competitor, then that is a job well done.
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| Owen Flies with Style: Frontside Slob Grab |