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Controversy

By Gary at 7:35am on 14th Dec, 2006

Oh hell, here we go... first by way of a caveat this post is not intended to be a personal attack on anyone here and I do not wish to cause offence, these are my opions only and everyone is free to make their own but.... please lets not let Lincolnshire win the best video. Allright it may show what the majority of the surfing pop in the UK are upto (God I hope not), and it displays enthusiasm and commitment, but it's shite; the waves are shite, the footage is shite, and the surfings shite. As far as I can figure the competition winner should be the best homemade surf video, this is not it.

You wouldn't rent it would you? Two foot slop with enthusiastic novices paddling around trying to catch a wave, it'd be like Eddie the Eagle winning sports personality of the year. Give the board to someone who's taken the time to hunt decent surf and shoot interesting angles of half decent surfers then made it all look good in an editing suite or at worst give it to someone who's going to raffle it as a fundraiser.

Rolo I'd be happy to share a wave with you anytime but there are better vids.... Get voting people. Oh and please don't think it's bitterness, I've got a shed full of boards and I certainly wouldn't have posted this if it was votes I was after!

graveltrax

big controversy

I agree!!!!

'my mate mark' is far better!

yerp!

Gotta say, the mans right! Theres definitely some better videos up there.

Itsovermyhead

Freedom: The essence of surfing

Hmmmm - I think Rolo's put some leg work in rounding up some voters - fair enough. I don't think that it merits winning this competition though. With the other videos it's plain to see that the people involved have committed themselves to surfing, which involves crap jobs on crap money a lot of the time but is all worth it when you get a perfect wave on a Tuesday morning when everyone else is at work in a nice warm regular secure jobs - with no freedom.

I think that's my point eventually - the good vids express real freedom, which is one of the essences of surfing and that's one of the criteria on which I based my vote.

I did like Rolo's entry it gave me a good chuckle but I honestly could only watch it once, where as 'Scottish Waves for Scottish Surfers' 'My Mate Mark' and that first 'Wobbly Barrel' I've now watch heaps. It's a good question to ask yourself when voting "Could I watch that again?".

Itsovermyhead

Mini review

I've just refreshed in my memory by watching some of the other videos and I'd be as bold to say that I think every other video in the comp is better than 'Linconshire' - seriously take a look at any of the below:

- Langland Surf Division (Welsh lads: Top quality surfing on a very good wave in the Canaries)
- Surfing In Ireland (Some boys who have organised their shit - and got themselves across to Ireland to find some waves - the vids got a bit about the road trip and then some nice little barrels with good surfing) .
- Lines Of Creation (All the way from New Zealand - not British but slick with heaps of skilled surfing and skating)

I'm not going to review every vid but Linconshire is not the vid to win this.

There are

There are absolutely some excellent entries & Im surprised that so few of the surfcore members have voted.

But hey, the making of the Lincolnshire vid was no mean feat, for 'enthusiastic novices' - we even had to take our arm bands off and everything ;}

Mummy Higgs

Tapping the Source

To be fair I'm a little suprised at some of the feedback that Rolo's LINCOLNSHIRE vid has sparked up.

I've viewed all of them and to be fair it's the only one that's got any sort of charecter in it, maybe beacuase it's the typical 3ft brown, cold churn that we spend 90% of our time (if we are honest with ourselves) churning around in. I feel it nicley captures the REAL stoke of proper grass roots surfers - a 100 mile drive in the freezing cold dark to dash into poo-brown seas of 2ft slop, charge it like you're Kelly at the Pipe and still come out grinning like a maniac, stoked to the eyeballs and aching to do it again!

If I wanted to see images of yet another perfect blue wave curling majesticly while some body-beautiful permataned surf god pulls into another sick barrel AGAIN I'll buy "Set into Liquid" or "Riding Giants" and benifit from superior editing, then relax at home in the knowledge that I can't (and probably will never) rip like Laird! LINCOLNSHIRE, however I can relate to and makes me want to pull on the 5 mill, jump in the wheels and get involved more so then any of the flash vids here!

Like the boys in the vid, savour the momement and find enjoyment where you can, it's a poor man that can't find beauty in simple things!

Wave appreciation society

Surely it all depends on your judging criteria, who you are and what aspect of surfing you like... I'd have thought that there are more proper surf lovers out there on Surfcore!

See, I like Gary's best, cos it reminds me of our trip to Indo (too long ago), so probably partly for nostalgic reasons plus I love the fact he waits so long for an awesome ride, but I will vote for either Oly's or Slater's as it is excellent British surfing, showcasing good waves. I get the Lincolnshire one, but ultimately I think it's boring, and it's more of a vid of a good day out rather than surfing which is what the comp is all about.

I hope that more of the community vote - all those posting pics are obviously into appreciating waves!

3ft cold brown churn

I really honestly don't believe that 90% of us splash around (with or without armbands) in slop... why would there be internet forecast sites? We do our best to surf good waves as much as possible and if you have real stoke you chase them... not to Sutton on sea (unless you're not old enough to drive and if s-o-s is you're nearest spot... move), why do we check the Atlantic charts daily, how come we always know what the tides doing, why do we want to watch perfect waves, why do we, when in the movies there's an embrace on a faraway beach, not look at the actors but the sea behind? I think it's because we're all after the same thing.. the most perfect waves we're capable of surfing. Now really really really do you dream of 2ft slop?

As for character, rubbish, Widemouth his first vid had more character, this is contrived not at all capturing the character. Roker pier, now thats character.

Mummy Higgs

Stoke on Stoke action

I didn't realise that this had turned into a "my Stoke is bigger than yours" competition.

Some of us who, alas, came to this beautiful sport a bit later on in life when careers, families and other commitments have limited your ability to drop everything and move to follow the swell (despite temptation and the occasional row with the missus). We all love perfect waves, we all dream of perfect waves - some of us have even ridden the odd perfect wave (Fuertaventura, Biarritz, Portugal.

I don't think I said in my original comment that the waves were better, just that it captured a unique perspective on the surfing experience - is the guy who drives 5 hours in November to Newquay to paddle out in blow-out foamy death just to catch maybe a glimpse of a ride any less stoked than they guy walks out his front door, takes a look at the sea and decides not to bother? It's not my place to judge that but it appears that others do.

As with all things in life there are two sides to every story - Rolo's vid captures "the other side" that's not all sandy beaches and perfect waves - but equally meaningful. Surely the surfing church is sufficiently broad to accept both??

Until the Revolution Brothers.

Mummy

Itsovermyhead

Doco vs Escapism

This forum has been fun - thanks to Gary for winding it up a bit. I think that Gary's not making a personal attack on you Rolo just trying to stir up some of the apathetic voters. Surfing is the same as anything, in that it's going to mean alot more to people who have been doing it for 20 years and have been on global barrel hunting missions, than some one who took it up a couple of years ago. (Don't give me any of that blah blah hippy shite - I get just as much fun out of 2 ft slop as I do out of a perfect head high point - that's crap)

The wealth of experiences the sacrifices and the near death reef situations all add emotional weight to what surfing means to you. Surfing is escapism and the Linconshire vid expresses a little of that but it isn't that special. Good on Rolo for rounding up people, this is a good site which isn't plastered in adverts, we should try to support it .

But this comp is about the best surf vid, I want to be able to marvel at a smooth manoeuvre a wonder where that wave is - not an interesting documentary about surfing in Linconshire. Not getting into a religious debate 'Mummy' (that's a wierd user name - sure there's some Freudian stuff going on there?) but I don't think using a church as an analogy for 'broad acceptance' is very accurate.

Mummy Higgs

Relax - it's just a video

Agreed Mr Itsovermyhead, it has been good to see a little debate about things and I'm glad you get as much fun out of the smaller, more mundane waves as you do the epic days!

I just made the point that the Rolo's vid was a little different and maybe deserved consideration and inclusion for that alone. Each person's experiences are unique to themselves and the Lincolnshire vid obviously appeals for some reason, just in the same way as the others do for different people. I just don't think it's right to trash it witness "it's shite etc" in the original post and telling people to move if Sutton is their local break etc. Tolerance is all I ask for!

If it's chosen to win then it wins, if it doesn’t then it doesn’t, let the dice fall where they may!

Two last quick points,

One: The nickname goes back a LONG way and I can't remember how I got it - nothing Freudian as I recall! Did you not think that I MAY actually be a bird???

Two: Take your point about the Church analogy but "broad-based loose homogenous group with a semi formed identity that none the less has its own customs and practices" didn't scan very well. What would your description be?

I've no axe to grind to chip to unload and would happily raise a beer / campari and soda with you all - all debate is healthy debate!

Play Nice Kids

Mummy

itsovermyhead

Did one of your posts dissapear from here?

Itsovermyhead

Step away from the keyboard...

I asked sam to delete it as I'd had a few Friday night drinks and was getting wound up by that bloke :) mummy. Sometimes in forums you just have to leave it as you end up going round in circles. But here are the pics I posted in anger from last Autumn at a spot down the road - with all this wind I haven't seen it like that for a while though...

Second on the right down that lane oposite the cow shed...
Turn left by the petrol station across two fields and down the cliff

Mummy Higgs

My Apologies and well done

Didn't realise I'd got under your skin so much Mr Itsovermyhead (nice pics), apologies to all if I caused any offence and well done to Oly for "My mate mark", much respect indeed!

Merry Crimbo to you all!!

Mummy

Voting deadline

I'd love to get involved but as I run the site I don't think it's really appropriate. Just to make it clear the voting runs until midnight on Friday 15th. I voted for for 'Wobbly Barrel' by the way... I like barrels and that's an exceptional one :) don't see many in Wales though.
--
sam@surfcore

Police

I really don't want the police to find my big green body washed up on Lundy Island as the first victim of 'Video Rage'.

However the voting is out of my control, so if you want another video to win aside from the Lincs one then I'm afraid you are gonna have to work really hard for it and play the game - get your surfing friends signed up, mobilise the masses and get the videos recognised, it's good for the site and good for surfing.

If another video wins Im sure it will be fully deserved. If the Lincs one wins I'm not apologising.
Remember this is all just a bit of fun.

The Phantom

No reason to apologise

I didn't vote for the lincs film but if you win fair enough. Nothing wrong with getting your mates to vote.

Harry Sez....

Everyone at Hogworts reckons Linconshire rules!

Out of interest..

Sam, could you tell us how many people have joined the site in the last week? Or even the last 5 days?

New members

I don't want to get involved, a few more than usual - but not exactly youtube...
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sam@surfcore

Ouch..

Sam, have you got teeth marks on your tongue ;)

IOMH, lovely looking waves doesn't look British at all. Where abouts do you live?

   
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