I would like to see you paddle out at Waimea Bay. Or race a guy for priority. For that matter even be able to stay in position at Haleiwa.
Have you ever taken a pounding from an overhead or double overhead wave? Ever been slammed into a coral reef? I haven't even begun to talk about the actual act of surfing yet.
Further more every sport is judged one way or another.
But those that don't know, just don't know!
I would be willing to bet you couldn't even get up on a short board on a two foot wave, Backside measurement so roughly 4 to 5 foot face.
Laird Hamilton ain’t no slouch.......
You are right he isn't. However the question wasn't Greatest Watermen. If it were I would have thrown him and Derrick Donner in their. Laird is a hell of a surfer and innovator. But it is hard to judge him without contest surfing. Also I was scrutinized for the WSL for only being 45 deep. Big Wave contest are less than that. Laird is a fit specimen as is Kelly but Laird is a bigger man.
According to Sitka Deer QB's can't be judged either there are only 32 teams in the NFL.
32 teams in the NFL, but look at all the development teams to sort out those <100 active NFL QBs. 130 NCAA div 1 schools to start. I am guessing, totally guessing, there are orders of magnitude more teenage and older males playing football than there are surfers. If you become a name college football player you were tested by many, many more players than any surfer sees in competition.
Sitka Deer there are many surf leagues. There is High schools and colleges surf teams. There is an East Coast series, West Coast Series, Brazilian Series, Hawaiian Series. Australia has their different series. My point being that there are roughly 32 elite QB's in the game. There are 45 elite surfers in the game. In the WSL there is the Championship League and Qualifying series. Just because surfing isn't a mainstream sport does not mean it isn't legitimate. Doesn't mean they are not fit athletes.
