Ring generalship is a boxing term. It means that one fighter is controlling the action while the other is basically following his lead. Ali won lots of fights using ring generalship. In a surf contest this means you want to control the action in the water (lineup), i.e., you get the best waves and dictate what the other competitors get to ride. There are many tricks to this, not all nice. I’ll give you example. I was in a heat with a young up and comer. A set came and I had position. There were 4 waves in the set. I turned for the first like I was going to take it. As soon as he pulled back, I turned around and started paddling out for the second, which I did the same again. And the third and finally took the forth. This left him without a wave for the set. I know, kinda shitty, but that’s how it goes. I had it done to me and if that youngster was smart he used it in the future. When I paddled back out I paddled under him (to the beach side) and got position on him again. I got every good wave of the heat and he got leftovers. He lost. There was a controversial heat a few years ago where Slater got an interference called on Bechen at an event at Huntington. Everyone was shocked at what Slater had done. So cut throat. Bottom line, Slater did what Bechen allowed him to do. Bechen blew it. And Slats schooled him. Anyone who is not thick skinned enough to deal with this kind of crap shouldn’t surf contests. With the Ocean Ave team, anytime we would draw each other, we would try to purposely screw each other up. We actually thought it was fun. When we drew someone from a competing team and there were two or more of us in the heat, we would tag team the other guys. And some of them would do the same to us. It’s kind of like debating. Trying to get an advantage on the other guy. And it’s not personal. It’s only a surf contest after all. Next weekend there’ll be another.
Greg is so right. To do good in contests, cut throat is the perfect word. It’s funny 'cause on the beach its all bra-bro-dude, yeah everybodys such good freinds… especially in the longboard scene. But you get in the water, the guys that are gunna do good are the ones that will paddle around the other guy in a heartbeat and get the set waves. Intimidation… thats huge also, thinking “Die F*&ker” in your head and staring at the guy like you can take him no problem… Confidence… Actually knowing you can. Thinking of it as a battle and you want to win. If you’re thinking anything else don’t even bother getting in the water, stay on the beach with all the other bro-bras. You gotta get those three waves… don’t just sit out at the top watching those minutes tick by, you gotta have a timeframe. Like ok, I need 3 waves in 15 minutes. So thats riding the wave plus paddling out. 5 min total. So if your sitting out the back after 5 minutes with a 0 wave count, then you’re behind. Suck it in and paddle inside and catch a smaller one. So many guys do not advance 'cause they missed their wave count. I have advanced out of so many heats filling up on inside scraps. And rule #1 : CONTESTS ARE A JOKE don’t ever forget it and take it too seriously… and you’ll always have a good time. -Carl
Great reply. This is this kind of stuff I’m looking for. I didn’t know it at the time but I had that pulled on me at the last contest I was in. It was very subtle though. I’ll be watching for it now. Thank you General Loehr
theere Ya go…I was in the finals at Pedro surfing a little peak in front of the spsce between felix’s and fasslers house it was rare nice little rights sunny santa cruz guys up for the contest…a hot rod sponsored santa cruz surf star was in my heat …Rodger Adams here comes a set my turn …e says aw comon can I have it ? I aquiessed an he won an I got less…at that point I realized I was not cut out for the competitive mold…its not necessarily about determining the best"surfer" but indeed about the best stratigist or “hassler” puppies love to tussle and competition is like that… the best part about that contest I will take with me to my grave …was when my younger wiser friend Gordon Guptill told me to go out and get into the cycle of the waves that was the unnerving part… I was in the cycle and I gave it to the adams kid as a gift that was never reciprocated he just thought of it as something to take … he couldnt steal from me somthing I gave to him as a gift … he lost by not reciprocating…all the other gifts I may have given him…where might he be now this Star of Aqua Tech… sitting on a leaky old honey comb at the lane? I believe by losing that heat or final or whatever, I won somthing much greater…in Waipouli…ambrose… You decide…I now strive to be in the cycle no matter what i’m doing
i too= choose to be in the cycle.look at your feet -that’s where you are. FOR MADMEN ONLY. I’m here with ya Ambrose.