The Apocalypse of Surfing - Olympics 2021

There’s some clickbait for you. That headline is a bit much we agree, but let’s take a hard look at surfing in the Olympics and really consider if it’s good or bad for the sport. On one hand, it gives surfing the global exposure that’s never been seen before. That should be great right? I don’t know. Some argue this will have catastrophic effects on surfing crowds in lineups around the world. Personally I think that’s far fetched. Surfing is hard, and surfing requires years of dedication, for which most people don’t have the patience. Plus lineups are already crowded. So global exposure may have a short-lived affect on lineups in countries where surfing is not already widely accepted, but who benefits from this? The brands… Quicksilver, Billabong, Rip Curl, are all frothing at the upcoming Olympics, and good for them. Do you own stock? Because they’re all about to get exposed to an international community the likes have never been seen before. Ok so unless your a corporate slag how does this benefit any of us? I don’t know. I’m still searching for the pro that is in the pudding.

Let’s consider surfing’s origin of counter-culture degenerates who carved the way for the likes of Kelly Slater and John John Florence. Do you think they’re happy about this? I’m picturing Mark Richards and Greg Noll, who sadly just passed away, wondering “what the fuck are we doing?” This corpo sell out cash grab to get attention is the antithesis of the reason we surf. Can you imagine if Sunny Garcia was surfing in the Olympics and didn’t get a score from the judges? Watching him storm into the judges booth to bash their heads in? What about someone like Chippa Wilson smoking a jay during the walk in ceremonies? Just the ultimate fuck you in reaction to the recent Sha’Carri Richardson suspension for testing positive for marijuana. These are dream scenarios I know, but fun to ponder.

Japan, the host country has a budding surfing culture which is about to explode. I look forward to 20 years ahead when we see athletes who began their careers at Shikoku or Shonan. Kanoa Igarashi who grew up in Huntington, but will be representing Japan, has a serious chance to take home gold. Japanese kids who may find their first exposure to surfing could see someone who represents them take home all the glory. One can imagine the ripple this would have in Japanese youth. That there may be the answer to the question is this good or bad for surfing. The inspiration this could have on Japan, and other countries’ youth outweigh the bulshit and cash hungry motivation for putting it on. Lord knows the IOC has lost their way. So maybe we tune the lens just for the kids, and the fun.

Either way you look at it surfing’s soul is going to be in jeopardy this summer. In a way it always is though. In 2007 Kelly’s wave pool debuted, and everyone thought that was the end. Surfing has maintained though. Maybe guys like me are just shouting into the offshore breeze as things change. The Olympics will have surfing. We will be watching. Someone will win and inspire the country. Then what? I don’t know.