The DarkHorse....

john - · Post by **john -** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 2:53 pm

chasinglefts wrote: No matter what the hyper-competetive international guys say, :

its interesting to note how protective people get regarding friends

rather than see the big picture of international (world wide?) kneeboarding

to the point of a jingoistic comment

none have had a bad word regarding Lloyd

from a comp perspective, a 20 year layoff then an instant potential champ does not really suggest a skill level...as Richard had noted

sorry the competative rant of a bored kneelo without waves

Beeline2.0 · Post by **Beeline2.0** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 2:58 pm

crox · Post by **crox** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 3:17 pm

The one thing you don't forget how to do is getting tubed!....its so instinctive.

Surfing vertical & burying a rail in a cutback to the standard of the top guys....thats something else

....but it made a good story

W.G. Facenda · Post by **W.G. Facenda** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 3:20 pm

Look at Bob Turnage..in the semi finals at least and this is his second contest in his life.

surfhorn · Post by **surfhorn** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 4:06 pm

Lloyd hasn't kneeboarded in 20 years but that doesn't mean he hsan't surfed in 20 years. He is an excellent, high performance longboarder and spends the winters in either Hawaii or Mexico.

Lloyd is one of the best tube riders I've ever known. And I'm not talking little head dip cover ups. I'm talking full-bore, determined behind-the-peak barrel riding. Yeah, its at times instinctual........ but with a ton of experience to back it up.

chasinglefts · Post by **chasinglefts** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 7:18 pm

its interesting to note how protective people get regarding friends

rather than see the big picture of international (world wide?) kneeboarding

to the point of a jingoistic comment

none have had a bad word regarding Lloyd

from a comp perspective, a 20 year layoff then an instant potential champ does not really suggest a skill level...as Richard had noted

sorry the competative rant of a bored kneelo without waves[/quote]

good word, had to google that one dorje.

jingoism: Jingoism is chauvinistic patriotism, usually with a hawkish political stance. In practice, it refers to sections of the general public who advocate bullying other countries or using whatever means necessary to safeguard a country's national interests.

in definition, i would be the general public in this instance, because while i have been riding waves for 20 years, i have never entered a contest of any sort, especially a world title contest. i didn't mean to suggest any chauvinistic patriotism and wasn't attempting to safeguard the national interests of the USA, American kneelos, or our oh-so-graceful leader (G.Dub). it just seemed to me that the

comments were coming from the international kneelo community, and not anyone located within these 50 united states, and it also seems to me that (at least on this forum) the international community seems to be hyper-competetive when compared to the US community(or least the kneelos that i know personally).
and as far as skill level, in my own humble personal opinion, i feel competetions as they are currently structured do not necessarily represent the actual skill level and overall ability of a waterman/waverider(wave knowledge, style, power, flow, barrel riding, and lastly, trix(which are supposed to be for kids, right

)).

so in closing, do I have anything positive to contribute to this discussion of "The Dark Horse"

nope...i just ride spoons and mats, i clearly know nothing of modern competetive kneeboarding, and i just think Lloyd Mahoney is funny, and a damn fine waverider.

i bid you a dew (adeu for you hyper-competetive international folk)

john - · Post by **john -** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:07 pm

CL...THANKS FOR YOUR PM...i think

the non american kneelos who are eagerly awaiting news from afar are wondering why others more known to them, from perusing these fine pages, are not getting their andy wahol 15 minutes of fame...thats all

that they are not american is not really the point cos i think wed like to see americans that we know of from this site hog the limelight as much as our own country men and women

when its a social gathering I will support the idea of wavepeople/waterpeople...but given it is a world comp all iI want to really here about are people like the finalists smaking lips...and Mr Baker would make a worthy lip smaking champ

Im happy to have increased the word bank...its the teacher in me

...meanwhile...back to the garden

ScottMac · Post by **ScottMac** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:16 pm

gene west · Post by **gene west** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:41 pm

1) Congratulations to everyone at the worlds! 2) Let us hope that the Worlds is really a gathering of the Tribe 3) And that our sport never becomes A whored out, profit driven entity full of big headed egocentric "professionals",trading SOUL for $$$.

KAVA · Post by **KAVA** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 12:56 am

lol @ gene

i couldnt have put it any better!

surfhorn · Post by **surfhorn** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:02 am

It was definitley a Gathering of the Tribe. I've hleped set up many events/competitions in various sports over the years and kneeboarding get togethers are definitley the cream of the crop.

As regards to Lloyd, its not scoring points in competition but the addition of an old kneeboarder back into the flock (KAVA - no sheep jokes...lol).
Plus he won a new KB in the raffle.

And I don't think we have to worry about whoring out to the corporate world. From the tone of this week's activities kneeboarding will always be a little offshoot of the surfing world.......but consisting of some of the nicest guys and gals on this planet (representatives from 15 countries participated).

RT · Post by RT » Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:34 pm

To John, former OSL compadre,

Being a dark horse was just fine with me... Lady luck smiled on me with regularity this event. Technically not my second contest ever though, I recall entering a couple of events...let's see, about 30 years ago?

Gathering of the tribes...yes, the competitive spirit was strong, but comraderie and sportsmanship were the mantras of the event. My family and I took away nothing exept positive experiences.

Look forward to the next event/gathering and seeing all again.

Bob

W.G. Facenda · Post by **W.G. Facenda** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 8:30 am

To all that didn't notice..RT made it to the 6th round of the open and 2nd in Grandmasters.All the Oxnard kneelo's are stoked for you Bob!

surfhorn · Post by **surfhorn** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 9:05 am

Bob - It was nice talking and getting to know you. And congrats on the great showing in the contest.

Next time I drive to SoCal to visit my wife's family lets hook up for a surf at Santa Clara river mouth or one of those other 'little' breaks you have there. lol

Best,

Dan

SFKneelo · Post by **SFKneelo** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 9:38 am

Bob and Randy...

Great performances starting from the trials, as well as age divisions!

I've known Randy for awhile, and, since he's moved back, hope to be keeping each other tuned up for NZ!

It was great to meet and hang out with Bob! Right before a heat

Congratulations to both!

On another note, congratulations again to Jack Beresford! He just missed the Open finals, and took 3rd in Masters. Barry kicked butt too! (obviously...

) The White Horses did well too!

Heard Randy headed to OBSF with Gavin, Gigs?, Don, and maybe others. Conditions sounded ideal. Today looks good too... if you're taking your time getting home...