The Kook Issue - Part 4

by Emilie Marx
(Part 4/6)

Another trend that seems to be expanding is the “mean guy” attitude (possibly to make up for the boardie above the wetsuit).
“The mean guy attitude” –that probably has a similar origin as “Maui style”- involves avoiding eye contact at all cost when meeting another water user on a –wave- spot.

“Don’t look at surfers, don’t wave at other riders, just do what you have to” I’ve heard….

I definitely come from another planet and, there again, claim my status of kook: eye contact is the first thing I do when meeting any other water user, whether they’re windsurfers, surfers, fellow riders, swimmers.
This is to me the basic of communication….

A while ago, I was an Art School student. One of the most powerful performances I ever did was regarding the language. Part of the exhibition included myself, tied up on a chair, my mouth taped and the only matter I had left to communicate was my eye contact with people passing by.

Performance made sometime in 2001…

Eye contact is the very start of communication…

Looking at a fellow water user, it’s acknowledging his presence -and right to be there…
In all my naivety, I genuinely believe we can all share the spot as a happy family….

But it seems that I’m wrong: it’s much cooler to go out there with the angry rider’s attitude, not to smile, not to look, drop on surfers and pretend to be owning the place.

What happened to my daisies and butterflies that came along with the sport when I started it?

Some close friends introduced to some “pro riders” recently, during an evening.
I eventually ran into them couple of days later, on the surf spot. They pretended not to see me when I stood right in front of them to say “hi”.
The “pro” side of this sport has always appeared obnoxious which motivated me keeping off… But it looks like now, everyone thinks he’s a “pro”, with the attitude that goes along with it…
Don’t smile, don’t look at the audience, go hard and don’t look happy to be doing what you’re doing.

A happy smiling kook! (Photo: Didier Rouxel)

Be aggressive, “Maui style”, mate…
Big is the only way. Big waves, big handle passes, big kiteloops.
Hooked is out.
Freestyle is out.
Straps are out.
Twin tips are out.

If you follow the set trends and listen to all the lectures people have to give you, you might as well quit the sport.
They have become perfectly blasé: they won’t go out if it’s not pumping, they won’t go out if the wind is light, they’re the ones saying “not good enough”, basically, they no longer have fun with what mother nature is generous enough to give them.

Well, give me a twin tip any time, give me small waves any time. If there’s wind, I’m out there. Period.

I met some amazing wave riders (very inspirational) who totally spitted on freestyle, talking it down all the way. I found out later on that they had actually never done any…. Ever.
It was a dismissal solely because they weren’t doing it.
It left me… speechless!

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