1970 Expression Session: When good karma goes bad
Yeah love that! We need to get more of these rad stories out of the crew who were part of that era
"This was, as invitee Gerry Lopez wrote, “in its very essence, all that a surfer could dream of. An art show rather than a competition. Twenty top surfers expressing themselves without all the usual contest hassles and rules. Just surf to your heart’s content and pick up a check for $200.”"
Aussie surfers have been having expression sessions for decades, it's called the dole.:-))
What they were after was one of those sessions in which a group of talented surfers push each other to higher levels. But they have always been spontaneous and so beyond organisation. The story itself is all rather sad really. Dignity? What's that? Ego? Plenty to go around.
https://legless.tv/post/15531038451/no-choice-but-to-aim-and-fly-rex-huf…
rex huffman describing his ride that won the 1977 expression session.
Great piece of writing and attendant history from Matt Warshaw - who gives an argument against expression sessions - and Drew Kampion - who provides a bang on account of the 1970 Golden Breed Expression Session, including an all in brawl with the Aikau brothers
Amazing how little Hawaiian surf politics have changed over the years.
https://encyclopediaofsurfing.com/eos-blog/1970-expression-session-when-good-karma-goes-bad/