Surfpolitik Matt Warshaw on the Rip Curl Search heading to San Francisco

In: Surfpolitik by Stu Nettle 31 Comments Tue 26th Apr '11

Tags: matt warshaw , rip curl search , ocean beach , surfer magazine , dion agius

On Easter Sunday, just moments before the Final of the Bells Beach competition began, Rip Curl announced the destination for this years Search competition. The chosen break? Ocean Beach, San Francisco. Despite the on-air hyperbole from Rip Curl's marketing manager, Dylan Slater, and sponsored rider, Owen Wright, the disappointment from surfers worldwide has been palpable.

Matt Warshaw is a one-time editor of SURFER Magazine, the author of seven books on surfing, and a twenty year local at Ocean Beach. I spoke to him about Rip Curl's decision and why the surf industry appears to be moving away from the Dream Tour ideals.

Swellnet: What is the best time of year for waves at Ocean Beach?
Matt Warshaw: December, January. Weather is nicest in November, though. The problem, I think, is that the event is being held on the north end of the beach, on a section that usually isn't as good as what you'd find a bit to the south, along the rest of OB's 1.5 miles of beachbreak. 

It's all really fickle. Kind of like Hossegor, but not as good. Lots of fluctuation from block to block, from tide changes. The beach picks up any/all swells, which means there will be surf for sure, but possibly crossed-up. It could be anything from clean overhead tubes to that kind of onshore-sideshore shifty crappy short-period junk surf that Dion Angus claims to prefer. It's always hard, even for pro-level guys, to get a handle on where to sit. It's very likely, as I say, that the surf will be a lot better a few blocks down the beach -- which I'm almost sure is off-limits to Rip Curl

SN: Were you aware that Rip Curl were making plans for a Search competition or were you taken by surprise?
MW: I heard rumours maybe three months ago. I did an article for SURFER last month questioning the whole 'Dream Tour' concept, and got a 'no comment' from Rip Curl about San Francisco Search, so figured it was happening. I wasn't taken by surprise, no.

SN: Many years ago I remember reading that there had never been a professional competition north of Santa Cruz and it seemed a fact that San Fran surfers were proud of: does that sentiment still exist there today?
MW: No, there were a half-dozen or so pro events here in the late '80s and '90s. The PSAA contests. In fact, it was the season-ending contest, where they crowned the champ. Maybe there are a few diehard anti-contest guys lurking around San Francisco these days, but I think most surfers up here are either stoked, or at least curious, about the Search coming to town.

SN: There has been a shift away from the Dream Tour ideals with comps in New York and Rio, do you think Rip Curl have fallen into lockstep and also gone for the bums on seats approach?
MW: I'm baffled, as to why the ASP has taken this turn. The conspiratorialist - is that a word? - in me thinks that they're trying to keep Dane Reynolds interested. Let him punt his little heart out in Long Beach, Rio, SF. Maybe get a win, finally.

An industry friend of mine says that most of the guys on tour could give a shit about perfect 'Dream Tour' waves, and that they just want to do airs all day, and have lots of cool places to go at night. "Tahiti", he said, "bores the shit out of those guys."

SN: Donning the economists hat for a moment: why do you think that the large surfwear companies are reverting to the bums on seats concept? What do you think their rationale is?
MW: All I can think of is that they're trying something different. The whole pro tour show isn't as big or profitable as they'd like, even with J-Bay, Chopes, etc, on the schedule, so they're going back to 'big-top' format. Although, to be fair, Rip Curl is saying that the San Francisco event is going to be 'small footprint' -- meaning no side shows, skate ramps, band stages, fashion shows.

I'd like to think it's going to fail. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure the US Open is a big hit, so maybe it's already a proven winner. Even though the whole Op Pro experience from the 1980s was such a bust. I guess the difference between now and the Op Pro years - apart from better riot-response teams - is that the pros themselves, at least not yet, don't seem to give much of a shit about contests being scheduled in what will almost certainly be less-than-epic waves. Less then Dreamy waves, I should say. Wonder how Rabbit feels about the new venues?

SN: Here's a hypothetical: you are placed in charge of Rip Curl marketing for a year. Do you follow the literal meaning of the Search and discover unknown waves, or do you visit well-known, yet unexpected, locations?
MW: Barra was the only event that was really true to the Search concept. Right? Where were the other contests? St Leu, Uluwatu, Chile, PR. All known breaks. I mean, take the boys to deepest, darkest Madagascar. Take 'em to that ridiculous left that won Surfing mag's Google Earth Challenge a couple of years back. There hasn't really been much 'searching' involved so far. You're just going to a slightly lesser-known break.

Anyway, I don't think viewers care all that much about if a contest venue is known and unknown. I think they care if the surf is good or crap. Finally, I think that if the ASP wants to mess around with the formula, then put some more thought into the webcast presentations -- which are better than then they were five years ago, but nowhere near as good as they could be. But that's a different subject.

Anyway, the Dream Tour concept was, and hopefully will again be, a winner. Stay true to it.

Matt Warshaw's latest book, The History of Surfing, is published by Chronicle Books.