After the first-ever WSL event ran at Slater’s wave pool in Leemore, California, the worldwide web’s surfers caused a ruckus on surf-centric Internet platforms.
The modern wave pool has also begun making a waves outside surf culture as well. The event even got attention from general news media sources and love from all kinds of sports forums across social media. (But, why the fuck doesn’t regular surfing get that much attention all the time? Not that we want it to, but seriously people are surfing Shippies right now and no one in the general media gives a fuck–I digress…)
While media-users by large seemed to wet themselves at the sight of professional surfers ripping the Slater Surf Ranch, a recent poll conducted on our website revealed different feelings toward the Founders’ Cup event.
Our poll only reached few more than 50 people on the American East Coast who are probably just pissed that they aren’t surfing, however, the general consensus was a big old: “Fuckin’ Lame.”
Of the respondents, 60% said that the Founders’ Cup was “Fuckin’ Lame.” Compare that to 8% of the population calling the event “Fuckin’ Rad.” URN’s Founders’ Cup poll offered one “Other” option, giving the surveyed a chance to qualify the choices, “Fuckin’ Lame” and “Fuckin’ Rad”. When selecting this choice the subject was asked to give some sort of written-in response to describe the selection of “Other”.
“Get two guys out there at the same time paddle battling, then I’ll watch,” said one of our website subscribers. Wave pools offer a very different experience for surfers due to the fact that there is no lineup. With only one surfer in the pool at a time there is no chance to have the usual wave priority contest format.
No paddle battles, no fake-outs, no burning one another, just perfect, chlorine-flavored screamers. While this sounds kinda sick, this subscriber’s comment reveals how much a surfing contest can change with a simple adjustment in setting, format, and steroid dosage in the average backyard pool…
Furthermore, Founders’ Cup organizers were able to switch up the amount of dudes in the water and magically turn some of them into chicks! Just kidding. However, the fact that guys and gals surfed against each other under a totally foreign point system had some people rattled. “The scoring system was fucked!” remarked another survey respondent.
However, in other cases the respondents disregarded point systems and human gender all together. “Throw one great white in the pool and then I’ll watch!” said another survey participant without regard to anyone’s well-being (or even the sport of surfing for that matter).
While the commenters could be a bit harsh, the reoccurring themes stayed the same. Most people “hating it would still surf it,” but at the same time, “How boring is the same lame ass cutback for 6 hours on the same section?”
These dudes and chicks weren’t doing the same “lame ass cutbacks” every time. On the contrary, the pros were pushing the limits in the air, in the tube, and in the amount of turns possible on a single wave. However, most viewers that responded did agree: “It became repetitive.”
So what do we do from here? We have “dudes actually wearing leashes” in an event where “Slater can’t even win his own contest.” Just like there isn’t a more riveting comment than: “PISS!! ME!! DAMN!! OFF!!” There is not one clear cut answer to processing a surfing event of this type.
While everyone is entitled to their opinion (right or wrong), it’s safe to say some high level surfing went down in that lake at Leemore (did you see gayboy-Medina’s fackin’ tube ride?). Whether you liked it or not, wave pools might just me here to stay. Dude’s are doing backflips and surfing is getting more attention inland than it ever did out on that smelly old ocean.
For those that love it–you’re in luck–looks like you’ll be seeing much more out of the wave pools. For those that don’t–go surf now, the nerds that like it may stop mobbing the local beachie.