A Life over the edge

I’m impressed that rock climbing becomes more a kind of general knowledge than a popular sport here in Graz. Everybody “does” it. Well, the hell for individuals, when the alternatives turn into mainstream and become commercialized. But it’s simple: wearing blinders is all you need to feel individual.

The commercialization of the surf sport – a nightmare for surf legends. The autobiographic book "Da Bull, A life over the edge" of Greg Knoll - a hell of a surfer - provides deep insights in the beginning of the big wave surf scene and the society living just for one dream: riding waves and making crazy things and nothing else (Clip from the film “riding giants”). The fifties and sixties - a time when bulky surfboards were made from redwood or balsa and a lot of spots along the coastline were not explored and documented in the way nowadays. Nostalgic, funny and impressive stories about surfing from legends. From that book you can not merely learn about the greatest surf spots along the US west coast and Hawaii, but rather about some mobbing techniques of the fifties and sixties, such as the effect of chopped fibreglass in the jockstraps of disliked guys or the effect of awaking cuddling with a rotten skunk in the sleeping bag after a long night. Well – thanks for the inspirations. Here and now politicians would discuss the raised violence of the youth and pretty funny expressions would have been defined for that practices.

The myth and spirit of surfing and other adrenalin sports has often been eulogized. So – cut to the chase: In the end the lifestyle fades beside living mentally and physically over the edge. “Da Bull – life over the edge”, a guideline for crossers.

Additional notion:
When lifestyle overcomes all niche sports – maybe there is a 2nd chance for table tennis. The renaissance of table tennis: beach table tennis.