Registered or Premium Member? LOG IN | Become a Member: TRY PREMIUM FREE
|
RIGHT ON THE NOSE
Joel Tudor on why competitive longboarding is in danger of being irrelevant
|
|
Longboarding isn't dead, it's just gone underground.
Or so says nine-time US Open champ and arguably the best surfer to ever set foot on a log, Joel Tudor.
|
|
SURFLINE: HAS COMPETITIVE LONGBOARDING LOST ITS WAY? JOEL TUDOR: I don't know if it's lost its way. It's more that the competitive aspect has become pretty one-sided. The bad emulation of shortboarding gives us no identity. A lot of guys are just trying to do what the shortboarders are doing, which is kind of ridiculous. HOW HAS THAT DAMAGED LONGBOARDING'S IMAGE? Well, it's kind of gotten to the point where no one really cares. All of the stuff that's cool in longboarding -- and where the bar's really being raised with the kids and the next generation -- is kind of underground now. It's hard for those really good kids to want to compete now. They have very little support, barely any sponsors... "It's what separates us from everyone else: the principle of riding the front half of the board. That's where the real level of difficulty comes in."
-- Joel Tudor
WHAT IS THE "COOL STUFF" IN LONGBOARDING? It's what separates us from everyone else: the principle of riding the front half of the board. That's where the real level of difficulty comes in. It's everything. ARE YOU SEEING PRO LONGBOARDERS COMPLETELY ABANDONING THAT NOSERIDING APPROACH? Completely abandoning? I think the guy who won the US Open last year was doing aerials. I'm not going to name names, but guys were trying to do Christ airs on nine-foot longboards in one-foot Huntington. You do the math. IS THAT WHAT'S KEPT YOU AWAY FROM THE EVENT? I've just been bored with it. I mean, I've been there the last couple years. But I think it was last year when I was standing there, watching one of the longboard heats. The waves were super bad and guys were trying to do airs. I looked over at the guy running the contest, looked over at my friend who was first alternate and said, "You can have it. Take my name off." BUT WHAT ABOUT GROWING UP? SURELY YOU TRIED "RIPPING" ON A LONGBOARD. Sure, when I was a kid, I tried all that. Hit the lip and shit. But I was just going through the paces of learning how to surf. That's what you do. But when I was 18 or 19, coming into my own, that was when I really started riding logs full time. You know, the 25-pound, 9'8" single fins with no leash. And from 1995 on, that was what I used to beat everybody in contests. The way those logs forced me to surf was just so different from everyone else that it kicked their asses. It was easy. Like a formula. I knew exactly what I had to do to get the score every time. Because those guys were all lip bashers. It was, like, "Guys, you're making it too easy for me to look different." SO, TELL US ABOUT THE CORONA NOSERIDING INVITATIONAL AT HUNTINGTON. I'm just so stoked they're finally allowing us to show longboarding what it really can be. Noseriding events exist -- they have one at Noosa every year, and I think it was Tom Morey who put together the first one back in 1965 in Ventura. But there's a whole crew of kids who've been given the right lineage to draw from, and they do some amazing stuff. They might not be able to do Christ airs, but they'll do stuff on the nose that'll blow your mind. And so that's what this event is about. I handpicked these guys because they're the best in the world at riding the nose. I invited Herbie Fletcher as well because he's such a legend and still rips. This event revolves around the principle we're all dedicated to: maximum tip time using the most subtle, graceful movements possible. For us, to win a big noseriding event is like winning the Pipe Masters. It's the end all be all. Cause, man, to do it right, it's f--king hard. WHO'S THE FAVORITE GOING INTO IT? Well, some of the technical stuff these guys are doing, with switchstance noseriding, is really gnarly. CJ Nelson's raised the bar pretty high in that category. Christian Wach is incredible. Harrison Roach from Australia is amazing. But what's cool is that no matter how far we push it, a lot of what we're doing is on par with what David Nuuhiwa did 40 years ago. You put him back then in a heat today, and he'd give any one of us a run for our money. Hopefully he'll be there to watch. WHO'S SHAPING YOUR LOG THIS YEAR? That's another cool thing about this event -- it forces people to really think about design and what will work best. Stu Kenson will be making my board, and it's pretty much what I always ride. More than anything, I'm just stoked that good longboarding will have its day. It's not about me; I've had my day. It's more about the next kid who will hopefully have the same opportunities. *** The Corona Noseriding Invitational will be held next weekend during the Hurley US Open at Huntington Beach Pier. A field of eight invited noseriding specialists will be competing for $10,000 in prize money and major bragging rights. The field includes: 1. Joel Tudor 2. CJ Nelson 3. Christian Wach 4. Tyler Warren 5. Alex Knost 6. Kevin Connelly 7. Harrison Roach 8. Herbie Fletcher Two semis will be held Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and the final will be on Sunday at 11:15 a.m. Come check it out or watch it live on www.usopenofsurfing.com or www.hurley.com. MORE SURF NEWS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |
|
Comments: (145) Add Your Comment
aloha 07/27/2009 08:20 PM
I think you should rida all types of boards but dont forget where surfing came from a big long board so if you ride a shortboard just remember how it started you wouldnt even have a short board if it wasnt for longboards.. howzit
HBsoulsurfer 07/27/2009 07:44 PM
Why don't they allow female longboarders in this contest? They have the ability to get some nose-time just as much as the guys or more. Plus they have a unique style and grace on a longboard. I'm a guy shortboarder and I love watching videos of Kassia Meador surf. She's mesmerizing on a wave. I bet if she entered this Corona Noseriding contest, she would have won.
yup 07/27/2009 03:56 PM
the guys right. i hate seeing guys hop around on a longboard. i watch joel surf all the time in la jolla. good guy, good surfer and a really good style which i will assume all the haters on here do not have.
kmorgan30 07/27/2009 11:37 AM
joel is a one of a kind enigma in the world of surfing, and to have been around during the same time as him is a complete honor. i completely agree, noseriding (properly) is an art form.
jbinsb 07/27/2009 09:50 AM
Dan's got it right,and Tudor himself said his contest nose-riding on a log vs. guys on extended short boards was just a "formula." The purist's "formula?" Isn't that a little shallow and unoriginal? Nose-riding takes skill. Ditto short-boarding tricks. It's all rail though and using the energy. If you're on it, cool. I'm just looking for some style and grace, long, short, whatever. Have fun. TRY to get your ego out of it.
Norm 07/27/2009 09:32 AM
What he said it not correct. Good suring is good surfing. Now we are going to have a bunch of guys who wear tight jeans, shoes on the beach, guy liner and paint all day displaying our sport to the US OPEN.The hand pick was a joke like the OC register pick on the best. Lets get back to surfing and enjoying it!!!
GD 07/27/2009 09:23 AM
Hey Hater,
Have you ever seen Tudor, Colin McPhillips,Bonga Perkins or any of the top notch longboarders ride a shortboard! They rip!!!I've seen Kelly Slater, Cory Lopez and The Hobgoods ride longboards and all of them sucked, I mean really made it look bad especially Slater. That should tell you hard riding a LB is!!!
Debbie 07/27/2009 09:22 AM
As a mom I have enjoy watching all the guys growing up surfing and it was a way as a family to take trips together and see them surf. I remember when Dodger was young in Costa Rica that Joel was there giving Dodger tips for the contest. The true longboarder are what makes this sport what it is. The guys that really love to surf longboard are doing it for themself not for others.The longboarding wasn't in the US open which was missed by so many of us. But we are all really proud of Brett winning!
shrope 07/27/2009 08:07 AM
HP longboards are just another type of board to ride a certain way. theres only a matter of time till we see separate contests for hp's and classics, just like I've seen heats for fish divisions in contests. As for me I ride everything. Plus I know tons of guys who are underground and could kill these contests, classic or HP, but they dont believe in surfing on sunday. Somethings dont change, theres only one noseriding contest that ends sat.Underground guys beliefs keep them there,they dont care
HATER 07/26/2009 09:04 PM
Lets just face it!! Longboarding is dead. Just a bunch of surfers not good enough to shortboard!! So they try and sell this hippy soul surfing image!! Long boarding should be replaced with SUP wAy SiCkeR!!
Bryce Young 07/26/2009 07:13 PM
reading this interview is nothing but dissapointing just lost all respect for someone who i thought was a true legend
Martin de la coste de Basque 07/26/2009 06:33 PM
We are committed to the evolution of the inverted hull. Why ride anything else?
Esteban de LP 07/26/2009 06:27 PM
Why ride a longboard in small surf, when you can ride an inverted hull? Roundboards for round waves... GG
Jon 07/26/2009 10:28 AM
so why is that longboarders need their own identity? If we can do airs, tail 3s and then throw 10, i think that gives longboarders an upper-hand. Why not tag the lip instead of standing there looking dumb waiting for a section you can get to the nose on? Seems wasteful to me. And its funny he praises CJ Nelson... yes he does really insane stuff on the nose, but i've also seen him do chop-hops and tail 3s. I hope he shows to this joke of a contest with a chippy 9'0 and wrecks tutor.
brian 07/26/2009 06:44 AM
View All Comments (145 comments)
I have to say that it seems silly to me that anyone might attempt to declare what is the right or wrong way to ride a surfboard. Yet, there is a kind of subconscious feeling I get when I see surfing with style, and surfing without style. Anyone is free to ride a longboard how ever they want, but when I see guys trying to do airs on them, or trying to ride them to impress--I feel kind of sick to my stomach.
Add Your Comment:
ABOUT SURFLINE'S COMMENTS: Surfline comments are intended to foster and continue a community discussion and/or debate on the topic brought up by the feature above. We encourage you to comment and express your opinion. Before commenting, you should know that Surfline Comments are moderated, which means that comments containing personal attacks, excessive profanity, or off-topic remarks may not be posted. Also, 'EDITOR'S PICKS' are comments that we feel capture points-of-view from all sides of the issue at hand, not necessarily the comments Surfline most agrees with. Thanks. --the editors
|