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Gerry Lopez: surfer-extraordinaire and Kiting (comment)

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Gerry Lopez: surfer-extraordinaire and Kiting (comment)

Postby liv2surf » Sun May 04, 2008 8:37 pm

Yesterday evening, still with that surfed-out glow after a 3h wave session near Santa Cruz, CA on my 7m (wind averaging 32 during session - WINDY), I attended a lecture by surfer-extraordinaire Gerry Lopez at UCSC about his new book "SURF IS WHERE YOU FIND IT".

Historically well-informed surfers and kiters coming from a surf background will recognize Gerry Lopez as among the most influential surfers of the 20th century (or see Wikipedia page). Gerry Lopez was one of the first guys to charge at Pipeline, Mr Pipeline back in the 70's and 80's (perhaps), important contributor to modern surfboard design and an early pioneer of surfing in Indonesia etc etc. He now has partly traded his surfboard for snowboards (although he still surfs and still rips).

After various introductory remarks, Gerry's readings from his new book and slide show of pictures from the book (with comments), Gerry took questions from the audience. When asked by an audience member "you have been heavily involved with surfing and snowboarding, what is next for you". He replied (and I paraphrase), 'maybe I'd like to try kiting'. This was in a room with 300 surfers and no kiters that I recognized (so he was not indulging the desires of the audience).

I know for me wave kiting has been part of an evolution of surf-like board sports including 35y of real surfing and 15y of snowboarding and now 5y of wave kiting. I guess what impressed me about his comment is that Gerry --one of my heros from my surfing roots beginning in the early 70's-- indicated that he apparently recognizes that kiting is one of the surfing sports (surf is where you find it) that is ranks in his mind as being worthy of trying, along with with real surfing and snowboarding.
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Last edited by liv2surf on Sun May 04, 2008 9:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: surfer-extraordinaire Gerry Lopez and Kiting (comment)

Postby surfboy1968 » Sun May 04, 2008 9:10 pm

Nice :thumb:

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Re: Gerry Lopez: surfer-extraordinaire and Kiting (comment)

Postby Alan » Sun May 04, 2008 11:27 pm

He is a very good windsurfer in the waves also, smooth style, flow. Old guys rule!

Alan

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Re: Gerry Lopez: surfer-extraordinaire and Kiting (comment)

Postby MonkeyAir » Mon May 05, 2008 4:11 am

Very cool!!
He is one of my heroes as well.

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Re: Gerry Lopez: surfer-extraordinaire and Kiting (comment)

Postby kiterfreak » Mon May 05, 2008 3:29 pm

I used to had my back side of my room door full of Gerry photos in the surf. So natural!!

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Re: Gerry Lopez: surfer-extraordinaire and Kiting (comment)

Postby Jimbud » Mon May 05, 2008 3:40 pm

He is going to be in Colorado this week. We are looking forward to seeing him there.

I will bring it up if I get the opportunity.

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Re: Gerry Lopez: surfer-extraordinaire and Kiting (comment)

Postby pluvious2002 » Mon May 05, 2008 3:46 pm

Gerry Lopez is definitely one of the greats, with a smooth as butter style, totally unassuming, charged like hell without looking like he wanted to beat somebody up. The wave after him (and, it seems, every subsequent wave) was more aggro, less soul. Too bad, cause I thought Lopez (and others) were the absolute coolest for their laid bad, big ball brand of surfing and shredding.

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Re: Gerry Lopez: surfer-extraordinaire and Kiting (comment)

Postby blowhard » Mon May 05, 2008 4:44 pm

I personally saw Gerry shred a 25'+ wave at his wave spot just south of here
with our regular kite pals :thumb:
I sure hope to see him at the sail spot
what a ripper!!!

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Re: Gerry Lopez: surfer-extraordinaire and Kiting (comment)

Postby srod » Mon May 05, 2008 9:54 pm

Execllent, we can relax now. Our sport is considered cool...

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Re: Gerry Lopez: surfer-extraordinaire and Kiting (comment)

Postby Nico » Tue May 06, 2008 5:04 am

Gerry Lopez is a true champion of this world.
What makes him so are his humility, style and utter selflessness, characteristics that are rarely found nowadays.
For me he is the father of pipeline and synonymous to the lightning bolt brand (deceased).
He also has kept his ears and eyes open, stayed tuned with times, and is prepared to try out new derivative sports (snowboarding, windsurf, .... kiting?), because he knows you are never too old or too smart to learn something more.
I wish many more people could be inspired by this man, it would make the world and water a better place.
Nico


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