SURFING'S AGING WORKFORCE - HOW KELLY SLATER AND MIKE HO ARE MAKING IT OBVIOUS YOU CAN SURF INTO OLD AGE

Last year Kelly Slater won the Pipeline Pro at age 49. The sports world barely mentioned him on ESPN. But surfers around the world were forced to take a hard look in the mirror. He made the believers realize what’s possible. He made the burnouts realize what’s not. You know the guys who sit in the local parking lot, rambling about how the wave used to be better, and never actually surf. Last week Kelly put on a show at the Da Hui Pro at age 50, and looked as good as the 20 year olds or better. Surf fans who aren’t completely desensitized to Kelly’s greatness will recall that the first time Kelly was number one in the world was in 1992. The same year withering old ballsack Bill Clinton was elected President. In baseball an amazing career is 20 years. In football, 10 years. Tom Brady drinks baby blood so we’re ignoring him. KELLY HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR 31 YEARS. 

At the same time, Michael Ho has been doing shit like this https://youtu.be/U0Ia2tPXKpE  at age 64. He also competed with Kelly in the Da Hui Backdoor Shootout last week at the ripe age of 66. The waves were considered some of the heaviest in a Pipe contest ever. Michael Ho was out there. He wasn’t just out there. He was shredding and surfing in honor of his nephew who had suffered an injury earlier in the event. All honor and respect to Kala Grace and the Grace family. 

This begs the question to all of us surfers who are not in our 20s anymore. How long are you going to surf? Perpetual stoke Mason Ho, Michael’s son, was recently on the “Ain’t That Swell” podcast, “I never ever ever wanna stop surfing Pipeline.” Kelly and Michael Ho are setting the bar, and changing what it means to be an aging surfer. No longer are you destined for a 9 foot log and a bad attitude towards the youths. Next time you’re not feeling up to a morning surf in the cold. Just picture Barton Lynch’s bearded face and feel the stoke in your belly. THEN GET THE FUCK OUT THERE!