JANESSA GERONI MO
Stoke :TheSurf e r’ sF i re T hewor ds t okehasbeencommonl yus edi nt hes l angver nacul arast hef eel i ngofexci t ementandeager nes s .Butf oras ur f er ,s t okei ss omuch mor et hant hat .Get t i ngs t okedi st heeuphor i aort hehi ght hatdr i vess ur f er st opus ht hems el vest ot hel i mi twheni tcomest ot hes por t .Wi t houti t , s ur fingwoul des s ent i al l ybemeani ngl es s .I nt hePhi l i ppi nes ,s ur finghasnow gai nedpopul ar i t y.Wi t hs ur fings pot ss uchasL aUni on,Bal er ,andS i ar gao,communi t i esofF i l i pi nos ur f er shaveemer gedanddevel oped,andi scont i nui ngt opr ogr es s .Wi t ht hi s ,s ur finghasbecomeakeycomponenti nt he advancementoft our i s mi nt hePhi l i ppi nes .Eachs ur f erhast hei rowndefini t i onoft hewor ds t oke,andbyt hi s ,get t i ngs t okedhasi nfl uencedeachof t hem di f f er ent l y. Mi guelAnt hony“ Mi ggy”P.Cr uz,a4t hyearhi ghs chools t udent ,i sapar tt i mes ur f er ,get t i ngonl yt os ur fdur i ngs choolbr eaks .Hehasr ecei ved t r ai ni ngf r om t hewel l knownF i l i pi noAus s i es ur f erL ukeL andr i gan,andi saqual i fiedl evel1s ur f er .Accor di ngt ohi m,get t i ngs t okedi sbei ngr us hof adr enal i net hatget syou“ ext r emel yexci t ed,exhi l ar at ed,ent hus i as t i corcombi nat i onofal lt hr ee. ”Hecons i der shi ms el fanadr enal i nej unki e,s eeki ng t hatr us hofexci t ementi nt hevar i ousext r emes por t st hathepar t i ci pat esi n,wher ei noneoft hem i ss ur fing.“ Vi r t ual l yal ls ur f er sl ovet hef eel i ngof get t i ngs t oked.Wes ur f er sgett hi sf eel i ngoncewe’ vemanagedt or i deawaveandpl ayar oundwi t ht hatwave” ,s aysMi ggy.T hi sadr enal i ner us h,or get t i ngs t oked i nMi ggy’ sowndefini t i on makesyouhappi er ,whi chmakesyouappr eci at el i f eevenmor e.Heus eshi sf ami l yasanexampl e:“ T hi smay notmakes ens et os omepeopl e,butwhenyougetanadr enal i ne,as endsachemi cali nt oyourbr ai nwhi chmakesyous eem happi erandl et syous ee t hi ngsbet t er .I tcanyoul etyouappr eci at e[ yourf ami l y]mor ewhent heywat chyous ur fandt akepi ct ur esofyouwhi l eyous ur fandwhent heycommendyoui nyours ki l l sonhow you' vei mpr oved. ” Asf orCoachEar lCal uns od,hes ays ,“ S t oke/ df ormei st hef eel i ngyougetwhenyouaccompl i s hs omet hi ng,whet herbei tr i di ngaper f ect waveandexecut i ngt hemaneuver st hatIwasdr eami ngaboutdoi ngort aki ngof fona9f tmons t erwave.I t ’ st hemomentwhenyougetoutoft he wat ers mi l i ng,knowi ngt hatyouj us thadanamazi ngs ur fs es s i on.I t ’ st hehi ght hatt heoceanof f er st hes oulandhow i tr emi ndsust hatwear eone wi t hnat ur e. ”CoachEar lhasbeenas ur f erf or6year sandi sanAS I( AcademyofS ur fingI ns t r uct or sL evel1Cer t i fiedS ur fI ns t r uct or .Hepl aceds econd att he2ndCMES ur fingCup:Men’ sDi vi s i on,andwasawar dedt hemos ti mpr oveds ur f eratt he8t hMS A( Mani l aS ur f er ’ sAs s oci at i on Cup.Hecl ai ms t hathi saddi ct i ont oget t i ngs t okedhasmadehi m abet t erper s on.Whenwei nt er vi ewedhi m dur i ngours i t evi s i tatCl ubMani l aEas t ,het ol dust hat hedi dever yt hi nghecoul di nor dert ogets t okedf orasl ongaspos s i bl e,whi chi swhyhenow l i vesaheal t hi erl i f es t yl e.
“ [ I ’ ve]qui ts moki ngf or3year snow.Ihavebeenact i vel ywor ki ngoutt opr epar ef ort henexts ur ft r i p.I ’ mi nt or unni ng,yogaandwhat everexer ci s es t hatwi l lmakemeabet t ers ur f er , ”s aysCoachEar l .Get t i ngs t okeddevel opedCoachEar l ’ sover al lchar act er .Heexpounds ,“ Iam mor econs ci ous about …t heenvi r onment ,t hecul t ur eandpeopl eofeachbeach/ pr ovi nceIs ur fi n.I thasbecomeal i f es t yl e.Iam now par tofacul t ur e.I thast aughtme t obehumbl e,pat i entandr es pect f ul . ” CoachJ os ephGabr i el" Mi gui "Wi nt er ni t z,as ur f erf or7year s ,s ayst hats t okei seuphor i ayougetwhenyouar eabl et odos omet hi ngwi t houtany gl i t ches .Buti nt hecont extofs ur fing,hegi vesadi f f er entdefini t i on.“ I ns ur fing,s t okedf ormei st he‘ exper i ence’ oft hewhol ej our neyands ur fs es s i on” , CoachMi guicol or f ul l yexpl ai ns .“ I ts t ar t swhenyous eet hewavesbr eaki ng,t henyourfir s tt as t eoft heoceant hatday. . .andt hatmomentyouconnect wi t hMot herNat ur e,t hei ns t antyouf eelt hepus honyourboar d,andyouhearhers ayi ng,‘ S ur eyoucanr i demebutdon' tt hi nkIwon’ tt r yt oki l lyou. ’ Andwhens hedoest r yt oki l lyou,i t ’ st hatmomentyougetwhenyoucomeupal i veandwant i ngmor e,andwhens heal l owsyout ocompl et eawave… I t ’ saf eel i ngevenIcannotdes cr i be,butal ls ur f er swi l lunder s t and. ”Get t i ngs t okedhast aughtCoachMi guit oenj oyt hefinert hi ngsi nl i f e,andnott o t aket hi ngst oos er i ous l y.“ Wenevergetper f ectwavesal lt het i me,s omet i meswehavet omakedowi t hnots ogoodwaves ,butbel i evei tornot ,eveni n cr apwavesonecangets t oked… T her ei sas ayi ng,‘ T hebes ts ur f eri nt hewor l di st heonehavi ngt hemos tf un’ byKeanaKel l yf or m' S t epi nt oL i qui d’ ,a movi e. ”T her ei sonevi r t uet hatCoachMi gui ,aswel lasmos ts ur f er s ,gotf r om get t i ngs t oked–pat i ence.Heel abor at es ,“ S ur fingi snotal labouthow manywavesyoucancat chbutchoos i ngt her i ghtonesandmaki ngt hemos toft hem. ” Event hougheachs ur f erhast hei rownt akeonget t i ngs t oked,i thasi mpact edt hei rl i veswi t hagr eatmagni t udeandhasi nfl uencedt hem i ns uch apos i t i veway.Get t i ngs t okedhast aughts ur f er spat i ence,di s ci pl i ne,andopt i mi s m.Becaus eoft hi sr us hofeuphor i at heys or el i gi ous l yt al kabout , s ur finghasbecomenotj us tas por t ,buti thasbecomet hei rpas s i on,andmor eover ,al i f es t yl e.Nowondert hes por twasabl et opr oducei t sowncommuni t yt hr oughoutt hegl obe.Butoneoft hevar i ouscommondes cr i pt i onst hatt het hr eei nt er vi eweds ur f er sgavei st hat“ onl ys ur f er swi l lgett hi s . ”T r ue enough,i ti snotenought hatwer eadaboutt hi ss ens at i on,buti ti sal s oaptt hatweexper i encei tfir s t hand.Ihopes omedayt hatweal lgett opi ckupa s ur fboar dandgets t oked,andexper i encet hehi ght hathast ur nedas por ti nt oacul t ur eandwayofl i f e.
NOELLE VELASQUEZ
NOTAL WAYS
TALL & FI T b l o
n d e
F ors ol ong,s ur f er shavebeens hownasbl onde,at hl et i c,t al lpeopl et hatdon’ thavemucht os how f orexceptt hei r was hboar dabsandabi l i t yt ocat chwaves ,f ort hemos tpar t .T heyhavebeenputi ns t er eot ypess i mi l art ot hos eof“ dumb bl ondes ”and“ pot heads ” .Ever yonehasbeenpl acedi nas t er eot ypebef or e,andi tus ual l ycaus esmor enegat i veef f ect s t hanpos i t i ve,i ft her ear eanypos i t i veef f ect st obes eeni nt hi sl abel l i ngatal l . Des pi t ebei nganol dfigur ei npopul arcul t ur e,t hes ur f ercommuni t ycannow bes hel vedof fasagr oupofpeopl e t hathaveout s t ayedt hei rwel comei nt heai r waves .Decl i nei npopul ar i t yas i de,t heyar es t i l lmos t l ydefinedbyt hei rs por t whi chi ss ur fing.T hi sdefini t i ondoesnots t ayi nt hes hal l ow par t soft hei ri mage,butcangodeepers uchasi npr ef er ences orbehavi our ,es peci al l yi npl acest heyar enor mal l ys een. I nor dert or ect i f yt hi sl ackofi nf or mat i on,Ihaves ur veyedandi nt er vi ewedaf ew s ur f er sands ur fingi ns t r uct or s f r om Cl ubMani l aEas t ,mos tofwhi chhavebeens ur f er sl ongenoughi nor dert obecons i der edanexper tont hei rcommuni t y.
Bl ondehai r,muscl e s,sl ow moti onrunni ng S uchs t er eot ypeshavebeenper pet uat edi nT Vs hows–andnotal waysi nt ot hes ur f ers t er eot ype,buts t er eot ypes ofbeach/ wat ers por t r el at edpr of es s i onsi ngener al .T hes es t er eot ypesar et heoneswefir s tnot i ce,becaus et heyar et he phys i calones . Al t houghIhaveonl ymetaf ew s ur f er s ,t her ewer et wos ur f er swi t hbl ondehai r .T hi scoul dbebecaus eofaf ew r eas ons :t heygott hei rhai rdyed,t heyar enat ur al l ybl onde,ort heamountoft i meundert hes unhasnat ur al l y bl eachedt hei rhai r .Whenas ked,af ew s ur f er sans wert hatt heyar eanat ur alr avenet t e–t hati s ,aper s onwhohas nat ur al l ybl ackhai r–butt heamountoft i meundert hes unhast ur nedt hei rhai rei t herbl ondeorl i ghtbr own. F r om whatIhavel ear nedi nani nt er vi ew wi t hCoachEar lCal uns od,as ur fingi ns t r uct orf r om Cl ubMani l aEas t , s ur f er sar eus ual l ymus cl edandhaveaheal t hyl i f es t yl ebecaus eofs ur fing.S ur f er scons t ant l ys t r i vet oi mpr ovet hems el vesphys i cal l ys ot hatt heycanbeont hei rs ur f boar dsl onger ,t husgi vi ngmor eoft he“ s t oke”t hatt heys eem t ol i ke f r om s ur fing.( Andaccor di ngt oPaol oS ol er ,coachandpr es i dentofPhi l i ppi neS ur fingAcademy,“ Realmendon’ thave abs . ” ) Becaus es ur f er scar r yboar dst hatar eof t ent al l ert hant hem,andl ookheavyaswel l ,s ur f er swal ki ngorr unni ng t ot hewat erwi t ht hes el ar geboar dsl ookl i ket heyar es l owerwhent heyi nf actar ewal ki ngatt hes amepace–s omet i mesevenataf as t erpace–ast her egul arbys t ander .
P re f e rbe e rorrum,do notl i kef ancydi ni ng T her ear eal s os t er eot ypesonpr ef er encesappl i edt os ur f er s ,s uchast hos ement i onedi nt het i t l eoft het opi c. T het houghtofs ur f er spi cki ngxoverymi ghtbebecaus et heyar eus ual l ys eendr i nki ngt hes et hi ngsordi ni ngr egul ar l y i nt hes epl aces .I tal s omi ghtbef r om anot hers t er eot ypewher et heycoul dber ef er r edt oas“ s i mpl emi nded” ,whi chi s whyt heypi ckt hes i mpl erchoi cesmor et hant hef anci erones . Cont r ar yt opopul arbel i ef s ,i nt el l i gencei snott her eas onf oranyoft hes e,r at hermai nr eas onsf ort hes ear e t ypi cal l ybecaus eofpr oxi mi t yt os ai dobj ect s .( “ T her ear enof ancyr es t aur ant sont hebeach, ” accor di ngt os ur fingcoach,Mi guiWi nt er ni t z. )T her ear enotmanyf ancyr es t aur ant sneart hebeach,and s ur f erat t i r ei snotnor mal l ycons i der edappr opr i at ef ors uchanoccas i on.T hes amef oesf ort hepr ef er encei nal cohol ,ast heygetus edt oi tast her ear eus ual l yt hedr i nksi nt hear ea. Al lt hi sdoesnotmeant hatt hes es t er eot ypesar et r ue,becaus et hi si sal li nt hemat t erofpr ef er ence.As ur f ercans t i l lengagei nhi sorherpas s i onbutwantt oeatouti nf ancyr es t aur ant sorpr ef er anot heral cohol i cbever aget obeerorr um.However ,s i ncet hi si swhatt heyar eus edt o,t hi st endst obe t hes t er eot ypef ort hes epeopl e.
Se condaryl i f e guards,aggre ssi ve l yprote cti veofte rri tory L as t l y,t her ear es t er eot ypesont hebehavi our sofs ur f er sont hei rhomegr ound,al s oknownas beaches .Peopl emi ghtt hi nkt hatt hes es t er eot ypesar et r ues i mpl ybecaus et heyar edoi ngt hes ei nt he pl acet heyar emos ts eeni n.But ,l i keever yot hers t er eot ype,t heyar enot . S i nces ur fingi sas por tdonei nt hewat er ,i ti sus ual l yr equi r edt hatas ur f erl ear nhow t os wi m bef or e event hi nki ngabouthi t t i ngt hewaves ,i nor dert opr eventacci dent sanddr owni ngbecaus et hes ur f er wasnotcapabl eofs avi ngt hems el f .T hought hi si soneoft hekeypoi nt st obei ngal i f eguar d,notal l s ur f er scanqual i f yf ori t .Accor di ngt oCoachMi gui ,“ S omes ur f er sdon’ tevenknow how t os wi m. ” S omepl aceshaves ur f er swhoar ever yaggr es s i veaboutt hei rs ocal l ed“ t ur f ”t hatt heyar ewi l l i ng t obr i ngphys i calvi ol encet ot heunknownf acet hats t eal st hei rwaveorj us ts t ar t ss ur fingi nt hei rar ea outofnowher e.T hi st ypi cal l yoccur si nf or ei gncount r i ess uchasAus t r al i aori nt heUni t edS t at es .However ,t hi si snott r uef ort hecas esi nt hePhi l i ppi nes ,ass omes ur f er sar epr ot ect i veoft hei rwaves becaus et heyt hi nkt hatt heper s ons ur fingwoul dnotbeabl et ohandl ei t .I ti sar ar ecas ef oraF i l i pi not o beaggr es s i veoveras poti nt hebeach,per hapsduet ot henat ur al l yf r i endl yandhos pi t abl enat ur eof s uchanat i ve. Al li nal l ,t hi sar t i cl ei sj us tar ei t er at i onoft heol ds ayi ng“ don’ tj udgeabookbyi t scover ” ,whet her i tbebecaus eofpr of es s i on,l ooks ,oreveni npr ef er encesi ndr i nks .I tmi ghtj us tbeami s concept i on becaus eofwhati sobs er vedoft hem i nt heever yday.Ever yonehass uf f er edf r om bei ngcompar t ment al i s ed,andal mos tnoonehaseverwant edt obe,s owhys houl ds ur f er sbet heexcept i ont ot hat ?