BEST OF: Style Matters Entries
The inaugural Vissla Style Matters comp was a massive success and we’re so stoked so many of you entered. While we wait for the judges to narrow it down to our winners, we connected with a handful of the surfers to walk us through their rides, what style means to them and how they define it. Come dive in with us.
We’ll post a few of these over the next few days. Enjoy.
TOSH TUDOR
INHERENT BUMMER: WHO IS YOUR STYLE ICON?
TOSH: My style icon is obviously Gerry. He’s one of the biggest style icons in surfing history. As for anyone now — I would have to say Craig [Anderson]. The way he’s able to compose himself in heavy and scary situations — whether it’s doing a turn or a big air or pulling into a giant slab — he’s always so calm. I’ve always found that really incredible to watch and inspiring.
WAS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFIC ABOUT THE WAVE YOU SUBMITTED THAT ALLOWED YOU TO SHOWCASE YOUR STYLE MORE THAN OTHERS?
The wave gave me a chip-in which gave me more time to think about what to do. That wave likes to step out most of the time but fortunately that one didn’t have too bad of a step that I had to go over, so that allowed me to be able to lay back into the barrel to wash some of the speed off without catching a step. The wave was so perfect and the next section ended up just running off even more perfect. I was able to go back into normal pigdog and come out. That was a beautiful vision and a really nice wave that allowed me to choose a different line.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE STYLE?
Goes back to what I said about Craig: Staying composed in any situation on any wave. Not having any little bobbles or anything.
“Watching old surf movies that my dad used to show me of guys back in the ‘70s surfing Pipe or Ala Moana Bowls or Uluwatu and seeing that style transfer over to modern times with surfers like Craig or Mikey [February] or Balaram [Stack].”
Just being composed in heavy situations or making the wave look as beautiful as it is and not just completely demolishing it. Or pumping down the line to go do a huge air. Just riding it for what it is and looking good doing it. I think that’s defining good style.
JORDY SMITH
WHO IS YOUR STYLE ICON?
JORDY: I really like a style that’s seamless. Somebody who has that seamless way about their surfing is Tom Curren. When it comes to the judging criteria I think style gets disguised as “flow”. If you have really good flow you more than likely have really good technique. That’s something that I’ve tried to work towards my whole life — having seamless surfing. A wave like JBay is a location where you can really put that into action. That’s been my focus for the last 30 years of my surfing career.
WAS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFIC ABOUT THE WAVE YOU SUBMITTED THAT ALLOWED YOU TO SHOWCASE YOUR STYLE MORE THAN OTHERS?
The wave that I got was really late in the season — it was probably the last winter swell we were going to get over that six-foot range. It was kind of a medium one for the day. I just remember catching the wave and doing two nice turns. There was a section that was looking like it was going to barrel but I decided to go around it and with the angle I chose going around, it just set me up perfectly to get the next big turn.
“Sometimes you gotta step over 20s to collect 100s!”
I came around and did that turn and sure enough the pace and everything was perfect coming through the inside bowl. I got barreled through that car parks section and then as I came out it had a perfect wall to lay into. For me, having a wave where you can use your style on all aspects of one wave, not just through turns, but through barrels, timing, etc…that makes it special to me.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE STYLE?
I think good style is when someone makes really hard things look easy. They do it effortlessly. For me that’s great style. When you watch some of these people that dress in the fashion world, they put together colors and layers and things, and they do it in a way that looks like they’re barely trying but they pull it off. Whether it’s Andre 3000’s or your Jerry Lorenzo’s or whoever it may be.
COLE HOUSHMAND
WHO IS YOUR STYLE ICON?
COLE: From the past it’s guys like Machado and Andy. More recently I’ve taken a lot of influence from John John and old school Jordy Smith. They’re both bigger guys so I liked watching them growing up.
WAS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFIC ABOUT THE WAVE YOU SUBMITTED THAT ALLOWED YOU TO SHOWCASE YOUR STYLE MORE THAN OTHERS?
Honestly I don’t really remember that wave perfectly.
“I was actually surfing Uppers and that left came in, had almost like a horseshoe bend to it and let me just lay into it. I also try to keep my arms mellow and by my side, pleasing to the eye.”
HOW DO YOU DEFINE STYLE?
I define good style as something that’s radical but easy to watch. Easy on the eye. No extra body movement, keeping everything graceful and by your side. Making the hard things look easy. And a lot of that comes with build a good foundation with proper technique.
