EUROPE: Genesis
Freeman: September 10— Leaving Biarritz
We had plenty of film for the France sequence, so plans are made to leave. The villa is cleaned: our trash, which has been accumulating for a month in the garage, is left for the trashman in large bags that stretch twenty feet down the drive; broken lamps are glued together; the toilet which has never worked very well, is rigged so it will flush once for the landlords inspection. We hope no count is made on the China cups, as Hamilton’s birthday party took its toll. The Volkswagen is packed with boards, film, cameras and food; we kiss the girls goodbye, thank Keith for helping us with the film production (he is off for South Africa) and sadly pull away from Isabel and Biarritz on our way to Portugal.
September 11— Portugal
An hour later we have passed the frontier into Spain. In another day we cross into Portugal; Europe is amazingly compact. Lisbon is our first stop, and we stay at a beautiful hotel on the ocean for only $12 a night— for the four of us. We sleep well, and in the morning try for a surf at Guincho (10 miles north of Lisbon). After a six-foot surf, we buy fruit from a bunch of screaming female vendors who attack the VW, blurt their Portuguese sales pitches and flash toothless grins.
Traveling: the countryside is clean and free of litter, the homes are cased in bright pastel adobe, bordered with neat rows of stone-hedge fences. In four hours we Nazare, a divided city— half crowded onto a cliff above the sea, and half squeezed onto the beach below. A cable-operated railroad connects the two. We check into a hotel, then take a tour of the town, visiting the open-air market where farmers bring their chickens, wheat, eggs and fruits, and fishermen sell octopus and shell fish along with more palatable wares. We hit the beach just as the wind sighs into an evening glass-off. Mark and Bill weave through a crowd of beach sitters and paddle out. The Portuguese, though familiar with the ocean, do not use it recreationally. They gather at the water’s edge to watch. Mark and Bill proceeded to amaze the Portuguese in the six-foot surf. Some fishermen use oxen to pull the red, white and blue boats onto the sand for unloading. Then surfed out, they return to shore and are immediately surrounded by the curious Portuguese. Bill takes it in stride and casually exits stage left; leaving Mark to the question and answer session, which he laughs his way through with: “But no speaka Portuguese!”
Mark speaks to an Englishman, who says there’s surf at Sagres, a village at the southernmost corner of Portugal where the Iberian Peninsula juts back to meet the Mediterranean. Out from Nazare, the VW rips up the southern highway, across the Ponte Salazar (a bridge patterned after the Golden Gate) to the tip of Europe.
One-hundred-foot cliffs rise like stone hulks over a crescent-coved beach. Four-foot waves break across a reef. Mark and Bill pick their way down the cliff and into the sea— only to return in five minutes for wetsuits and booties— the water temperature is a chilly 55 degrees. The beach is infested with cute little crabs and aggressive sand fleas. The afternoon, sunny and blue, is spent shooting comedy in surfing in the lumpy fun surf. Afterwards, the VW radio is tuned to one of the local classical musical stations, wine is squeezed from the bota bag, and we begin our return trip to Lisbon to film the ending sequences to the European adventure.
France and Portugal are more than words to at least five of us now. They are real places with extremely real people. Inadvertently, the filming in Europe had changed all of our lives, Especially Mark’s. We had come to film Mark’s development; we had come with a script. We didn’t need it. That development became a reality. Mark’s European genesis was a turning point in his life. Now he cold look ahead to Puerto Rico and Hawaii with confidence and understanding. Mark’s experience there, and experiences of the rest of the “Waves of Change” crew, will be the subject for the next articles. Later…
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READER COMMENTS
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 7:34 AM
Bummer, just as he was starting to come right competitively. I think the tour would be poorer for not having him around next year. A year making videos might be cool, but Jordy is ultimately a competitor and needs competition to drive him to the highs he's already achieved. Let's wish him a speedy recovery.
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 9:11 AM
Ouch....great timing!!! Hope he takes it easy and makes a full recovery. He is one of the few on tour who get me excited to watch.
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 11:38 AM
sh***t I wanted Jordy on my FSteam for all season next year..... sorry but screw aritz!!! jordy is the man,,,,,,,
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 12:09 PM
sick. more video parts!
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 1:00 PM
Do those calculations take into account Bruce retiring and AI maybe taking a year out?
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 1:12 PM
Jordy, s one of those guys that everyone wants to see. His Sunset performance in serious waves was simple insane, by far the best surfer out there. He surfs Pipe everyday he's in Hawaii, but he would still have a hard time getting out of round 2 with the local talent. That being said, I am sure he will req. right on the bubble or get an injury spot because he was inside the bubble before the injury occurred. The tour needs him and Dane, maybe with another year on the WCT they can start giving Slater a run
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 2:56 PM
I did both of my knees as Jordy did last winter. Not career ending by no means. Hyperbaric chamber mention is the first sign he's on it. Worst deal will be the 'avoidance syndrome' that occurs being these injuries mess with your head and confidence big time. Good luck JS, you'll be proper, maybe they give him the Timmy R treatment and get him a medical waiver...
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 4:55 PM
wont he get an injury wildcard?
Tue Dec 9, 2008, 10:25 PM
Jordy is a cocky kook who should be kicked off the tour just like kerr ill be glad to see the man who was supposed to be world champ in his first year get blown off. Dane reynolds is the man.
Wed Dec10, 2008, 12:43 AM
He will be sweet , Dhob has secured a spot and with bruce retiring should go back to #28 so . Cambo is out , just need Dunne or Pires to faulter and Jordy will be sweet
Wed Dec10, 2008, 1:18 AM
Check the results from round one today at Pipe. Jordy looks like he is catching a luck break, a huge chunk of the guys chasing him are gone already. Has to suck for it to be out of his hands though...
Wed Dec10, 2008, 2:32 AM
hope u get better jordy! no stress you still rip!
Wed Dec10, 2008, 3:28 AM
Hard Luck Jordy. Not the greatest performance on tour this year but then again KS did not have the best rookie start. The tour would be crazy not to award a wild card. You had performed well enough to date and you rip on the North Shore. Good Luck and get well.
Wed Dec10, 2008, 4:04 AM
yeah that is great comment berto (not) u say the guy is a kook; like to see u go surf sunset the way he ripped it up. The guy deserves to be on the tour for the next year, his surfing is some of the most exciting and keeps me coming back to the screen for more.
Wed Dec10, 2008, 6:34 AM
Jordy represents for S.Africa, if he's out of the CT for next year, he'll be back soon!! he musnt waste his time with video's next year, he should go straight back onto the QS. Go Jordy, you da man!!!!
Wed Dec10, 2008, 7:54 AM
aw man! sorry this happened man, this sucks. praying for a speedy recovery so you can get back in the water!
Wed Dec10, 2008, 9:25 AM
Hey Jords, no worries...you are our champion in South Africa..legends come in time buddy and you'll get there!!!!
Wed Dec10, 2008, 9:59 AM
Berto you have no idea what you are talking about...Kook. To expect a World Title from a 20 year old in his first year is just crazy. Especially with Fanning & Co in their prime...You are right about Dane being the man, but Jordy will bring as much to the sport as any one of the world champs... Rest well Jordy, looks like your place is safe for now...
Wed Dec10, 2008, 11:37 AM
Jordy shreds. He will come right on the tour next year. Dane shreds too. Berto, you're a doosh!
Wed Dec10, 2008, 2:03 PM
We were at Sunset watching Jordy Smith when his injury occurred. The poor guy was in pain, and yet nobody came to meet him when he came out of the water (except us). He put on a brave smile despite the pain, and all I could think of was why nobody was there to help him - when it was evident from the start of the heat that 'something' was wrong. His performance prior to the injury was superb. His perfect 10 ride was a sight to behold. Get better soon, Jordy.YOu were definitely the best surfer at that O'Neill final.
Wed Dec10, 2008, 2:30 PM
Jordy was doing some Chipsesque hacks at Big Sunset but The Chips noticed that he claims more than a Brazilian. Maybe they can fix his arm when they take care of his knee. The Chips wishes him a speedy recovery and if he wants to do some real rehab he knows who to call. 23 Chips
Wed Dec10, 2008, 3:10 PM
forza jordy...youre the best...stay calm
Wed Dec10, 2008, 10:53 PM
JORDY IS IN ........EVRY ONE WHO COULD RUIN IT FOR HIM IS NOW OUT OF THE EVENT. HE WILL SLOT IN AT #27
Thu Dec11, 2008, 4:26 AM
Best Sunset performance ever. There, I said it. Think about it, seriously. Ever notice how WCT guys make Hawaiians look stiff? Well, Jordy was making everyone, including all the locals look really stiff out there. If it was Backdoor Shootout format, he woulda won no prob. Maybe this time off will give him time to meditate and relax, and stop trippin out on everyone. Jordy, people suck, surfers suck, don't be a jock, smile at people, do something different. whatevs
Thu Dec11, 2008, 10:30 AM
Does anyone know if Jordy has requalified?
Fri Dec12, 2008, 11:17 AM
Its official, Jordy Smith is on the 'CT next year at #27 suck it up haters. It would be a travesty if the likes of Jordy and Dane weren't on the tour. As for bleating about him claiming etc I would much rather watch an aggressive competitor (who claims) competing as opposed to the hearing and seeing the tiresome " I dont really care about the tour " attitude some pro's flaunt. At least BI has bowed out on his terms, respect, its not for him. But to the rest who can't muster a proffessional attitude saying you dont care is an insurance policy in case you choke - simple. Rest up, heal up and give it horns Mr Smith. Plenty more 10's to come.
Mon Dec22, 2008, 8:05 PM
Between Dane & Jordy Dane wins. Dane's missed more contests but placed higher. He surfed half the amount of QS's 2 years ago and still finished 2nd. Bottom line is Dane's better. Now. Jordy. He's better than De Souza, Flores, Stedman, Ward, Reyes, Otton, Whitaker, Bruce, Perrow, Neve, both Hobgoods, all Europeans and all Brazilians. He deserves to be on the tour. He should hit top 10 next year. Mick Fanning has to pick it up. He's too robotic him and Jordy need to take a little bit of each others surfing to mix it up. Fanning is the 2nd best surfer in the world but not creative enough like Slater. You can guess exactly what he's going to do each wave. Jordy is an X factor but just needs a little fanning machinery in him.