Outside

GG surfing at an advanced level

"The funny thing about mats is that they're the easiest thing to surf
on a basic level, but they're the hardest thing to surf on an advanced
level. It takes 10 years of experience before you can drive them
anywhere near their potential..."  George Greenough

Two points I would like to make regarding the statement above by Mr. Greenough

First, It's super fun the whole time! 

Second, I am so stoked to look forward to the future. Not only in my own mat riding which no doubt has a ways to go but in the groundswell of mat riders I am beginning to see form "outside".

Matting may have always been the "fly fishing of surfing". Surfers would see it and while a few would jump right in, most would pass and stay on the standard craft of the day. 

I think more media exposure is going to change all that. You may start seeing people at the beach riding mats that you don't even know! 

We need to look at the development of board surfing as a model of one way to manage the growth of the sport.  

We can welcome new comers and share the joy in the ocean experience. We can honor the mat riders and the mat makers of the past while encouraging innovation in the present

or

we can have sportswear companies tell us that the most important thing it that we all ride the same mat as their sponsored pro rides at Teahupoo while wearing the latest in mat surfing fashions. 

My point being that if we stick close to the experience we can grow and change without mat riding being exploited as just another profitable niche market.

Aloha