What do you know about surf & comps?

Turner.

Turner.

Active member
Staff member
Does anyone know what the culture is in surfing w/r/t competing versus filming? Is there a similar divide like you see in skiing? I really don't know shit about surfing as sport/industry or whatever. Maybe the sport isn't exactly separated into those spheres like it tends to be in skiing.

Got to thinking after watching this WSL live stream:http://fw.to/8GOVlod

So anyway, don't know if y'all have any insight.
 
there are definitely guys who mainly film but a majority of guys who surf in the wsl and shit like that put out parts all the time.
 
There's people at both ends plus everywhere in between. So it's similar to skiing if you ask me.

You've got JJF, who just released a movie (that I need to see) while doing the whole WSL thing. What often happens is the WSL surfers will go elsewhere on the off days and stack clips. You've got Dane Reynolds, who gets wildcards often but really is mostly a film guy. You never see Clay Marzo compete anymore but he's insane in his edits. There's people who think competition is stupid and straight up don't compete. But even Mick Fanning, who I'd say is a very serious competitor, has a new Rip Curl clip of a boat trip he took to film.

Nobody only surfs in contests. It's too fun to only surf when there's a contest. So when they go and freesurf, as you call it, there's often a filmer and an edit results. Although I'm sure all the CT guys go and surf without cameras from time to time too. But it's like skiing. You see video from most people, competitors or not.
 
Filming surfing is alot easier to film than filming skiing in my opinion. So when they go free surfing there's usually someone with a camera there to capture it. I think Kolohe Andino films every single wave (or some other surfer) for both film and to improve his game. And there definitely is the whole "fuck comps" mentality but it's not as loud as or prominent compared to the skiing industry. After JOB won pipe in 2004 as a wildcard he actually set the ASP (WSL) rule book in fire in protest.

But keep in mind I don't think there divide is as big in surfing because film surfers get fucking paid. Dane Reynolds has an estimated net worth off like 3 million from contracts.
 
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