The Thrill Is Back: Christian Fletcher - video
It's amusing to recall just how polarising Christian Fletcher was when he hit the scene in the late-80s. Elevated by aggressive marketing from his old man Herbie Fletcher, the outspoken aerialist genuinely pissed people off. So much so that in 1989 Jeff Booth wrote a letter to Surfer magazine complaining about all the attention "lesser-known surfers" were getting at the expense of "high-ranked professionals." Booth had Fletcher fixed clearly in his crosshairs, but unfortunately for him the letter backfired; the high-ranked professionals had underestimated how influential the lesser-known surfers had become.
And that's another reason reflection causes amusement; what was once so threatening swiftly became so vanilla. Before long Fletcher's scthick had spread throughout the surf world with air shows, spraypainted boards, loud guitars, and other accoutrements that came to represent the "free thinking" surfer. Ironic quote marks most definitely intentional.
But that would seem to be the lot of any movement that threatens the status quo, from Dada to punk -when the hordes show up it loses its edge.
RVCA have released their latest instalment from The Thrill Is Back Series, and yes it features Christian Fletcher. They've wrapped a bit of context around his story, scored a few quotes from surfers about what Christian meant to them etc etc. Which is interesting...sort of. However, if you wanna flash on an unadulterated version of those times, CF's clip from Wave Warrior's III - the best Wave Warriors - is shown at bottom.
Christian Fletcher in Wave Warriors III
Comments
I can understand why some may not like him, but i think he has been underrated as far a his influence on modern surfing goes, he was way ahead of his time sure at times sure his surfing style can look awkward and clunky at times but the actual turns and airs he was doing (even his tube riding) 25-30+ years ago are as good as what guys are doing today, watch that vid, every air he does is different and unique while these days even the airs many of the pros do al look the same.
Yeah, not only just ahead of his time but forging new ground. Great to see.
It's funny how conservative the surfing establishment is (any establishment I guess). Broke away from the conservative clubbies in Oz only to set up their own unwritten rules and norms. Now show some respect to us old rebels by giving us our waves after work and on weekends....
I was only a young fella riding a lid in the days of Christian Fletcher but I sure heard about him. The horror at the disrespect he apparently showed was there for all to hear. Being young little shits, we all thought he was awesome. Amazing that some of what he was doing back then that is still considered cutting edge on the world tour.
Ya gotta love the disrespectful few who push the world forward, before their progression gets sucked into the mainstream and they get spat out.
I never got spat out, but was never disrespectful;)
I grew up in a surfing family, my old man loved it! Anyway, last year, in-between study and work I decided to go buy a new surfboard, to fill in my spare time. I went into a board shop in Australia, and I walked out of the surf-shop with one of Christian's old boards. It has his logo on the bottom and was made out by the shaper to Christian. I rode it a few times, but my father keeps saying it will probably be a collectible. It's funny how a surfer's board ends all the way down in Australia from California. He shreds, big-time!
This is amazing to see this story today, because on Friday, just on dark, I met Christian by chance, after Round 1 of the Quiky Pro at Snapper, I had just got back to my car to find a board just lying on the grass behind it, wild looking board, concaved deck and bottom with 6 deep channels with quad fins, no one anywhere, I'm worried and scared to just drive away, I thought, I'll place it under a tree in the garden and was looking in my car for pen and paper to put a note on the windscreen when I hear this "thanks for not taking my board dude", these two guys rock up, are you kidding, this guy was really apologetic about forgetting to put the board in their 4WD after surfing it, he introduced me to Christian, "no way" I said "it is too", in the late 80's a friend brought back Wave Warriors III from the states, we used to watch it before going surfing as well as after, "The thrill is back" I'm still blown away by this chance meeting, it was the highlight of my day, that's for sure. Dave
I never got it.
Sure he's a good surfer with a unique approach to life but.....that never stopped me from getting a guts ache watching that style or hearing again about how rebellious he was.
Born into a surfing family and never had to do anything , anything at all , but go surfing.
And surf he did....how is this rebellious ?
Quite a silver spooner I thought.
Actually more rebellious to be a young Aussie blue collar bloke and turn your back on the career train to back yourself , follow your dream and attempt to go surfing for a living - even in the late eighties.
I remember a story about his brother getting Told not to get his hair cut by his mother , as it was part of his image , then he got his hair cut anyway and brought his hair home in a bag for his mum to freak out over.
Yes, that is some Z grade rebellion and it's still more than Christian ever did.
Took drugs and lived without fear of failure due to being perpetually supported by your parents .....whoa, radical !!!
I kind of agree with you, i guess he was rebellious in the sense he didn't try to fit into a mould to be a pro surfer and surfed how he wanted, but i agree it seems in a way he is just one of those kids that comes from a fairly well off family, gets supported by them but acts all rebellious.
Would this make Christian the first guy to be a professional free surfer???
Looking back he even used his image and different things to market himself or his father market him.
Show us your highlight reel blowin,....crickets
Rh -taxi .....look up " what's your idea of a good surf " on the forums, posted by Floyd if you want to see what I look like surfing.
I've never made out to be anything I'm not , an average surfer with a questionable style...so no highlight reels for me.
Try google if the search deal isn't working.
But I'm not the one being broadcast as a Soul Surf Rebel by my mummy and daddy either.
So I don't enjoy Christian's rank style - he's a big boy , he'll handle it.
Unless you're Kelly, you'll always have detractors, I have.
Actually even Kelly, the best surfer of all time , has his haters.
It's called the real world.
Not sure where the idea he was a rebel came from but I don't see that his personal situation matters compared to his contribution to surfing. Mid to late 80s a long floater was considered impressive. I remember an early 90s ASL having a little feature with Carroll on how to do a backside floater. Think the photos were from bells but might have been kirra. That was it, everyone was amped on a style of surfing that had hardly changed in 20 years. On rail on the wave.
With his surfing Fletcher stuck his finger up to that and had an attitude to match. Why float along the top of a section when you can boost over it and keep going. Skaters had shown how to do that for years but the mainstream of surfing resisted because that's not surfing. Fletcher's surfing said bugger that. His attitude was you old pricks can keep your boring clean cut approach to the wave and to surfing and he was a little shit about it. Not rebellious, anything but with his family connections, just disrespectful to the elders. And they didn't like it at all. The young kids loved it. And now, both airs and carves are required to win a title, to be considered a complete competitive surfer. Although there's still a conservative macho element that won't accept this "new" wave.
Unless I'm over egging his contribution, his approach had a lot to do with that happening. And of course his family support helped because we got to see him because of that. Makes no difference to the change in surfing he brought about. It's what he did and how the establishment reacted that counts I reckon.
For sure Benski.
As I said initially, he's a good surfer and he definitely contributed to the progression of the sport.
But for me personally , I found his style repulsive and the marketing missed its Mark.
He was an eighties version of Joe Crimo.
PS I was one of the kids at the time, made no difference.
PPS. I still love a good floater.
Watching Owen Wright lip sliding across entire sections at Winki - shit hot.
Or Andy Irons on his backhand .
Andy Irons forehand, backhand any which way.
I don't get into the whole 'Forever Andy' thing but boy that cat could surf anything.
Christian can be quite a polarising person but I believe these days he still walks the walk.
Haha me too. Because I can do one. Never going to be launching unless I dust off my old esky lid.
Actually when he was young AI impressed me with some of his big airs over sections too.
Still walks the walk.....Papa Gila !
I'd say Mr Fletcher has been barrelled more times than anyone would care to count.
From what I've heard he sure gets his share at deserts.
Half his luck.
PS Don't go telling anyone I said I like floaters.
Very uncool apparently.
We need blokes like Fletcher every few years. They get everyone thinking and push the boundaries. Brash maybe, innovative definitely. There is no such thing as 'cool' or 'uncool' for these blokes, by definition. And you don't have to like them also.
If becoming so jaded with being california royalty you become a tattoed toothless meth head to be a rebel I guess better to hang on the mainstream. Air pioneer fo sure, grew up with a very well connected daddy owning a house infront of pipeline so should be able to ride a tube. Mostly spoilt seppo antics. Gotta say I think his brother gets a pretty smooth ride for much the same reasons with endless invites to all the big wave events over somewhat more deserving surfers,(he did get towed into that monster but otherwise not really a huge standout) but it's all about connections and their dad has them, that's how it works in the surf industry and the USA particularly.
I wish you'd post more often mate you always seem to put things back into perspective. Nice work!
Duttsy is a huge CF fan apparently ha ha
Hah! That's why the boys sell Astrodeck at the factory, yeah? All about the spondulicks!
Perspective or otherwise, I still don't see what his family has to do with his contribution to surfing or anything that matters really. Sounds all a bit tall poppy and bitter to me. 'Yeah he was a good surfer but he had money and his whole family surfed well, so...you know.'
From what I can see, surfing today would look different today if he hadn't been around. Not too many have that distinction. What does his family connections and wealth matter to that? Is he somehow inauthentic because his dad had money?
Not talking down his contribution.
Zoltan Torkas made a contribution to the progress of the sport also.
I am saying I found neither of them inspirational.
And that the selling point left me cold.
Wouldn't say I'm bitter about it.
Not in the way I'm bitter about the shrinking size / increasing price of Mars Bars.
No comparison really.
I just thought cf was a tool, sure he can pop an air but so could archie in the same era with way less outspoken knobism. Hardly tall poppy, don't you have to be sucessful to be chopped down? Just another trustfunder by the side of the road 30 odd years since he did anything great. Surfing world is full of them, mostly just with less "family support" than Christian
Best air I ever saw on a wave ( fletcher teahupoo code black ) not landed but style in the face of oblivion .
Second best , but best paddle in ( A.I . - Shippies , step hop in the tube ) . [ first wave he caught there ????? ]
I thought jeff booth was ok until he said some derogatory word about me . What ever happened to him ? CF may have outshined him in a way
LOL mr caml!
yeah ldean hey i wanna know if you are who i guess u are , yep its true eh booths nowhere to be seen but c -fletchs still touring . and ps you were right about those swells at jaws, i had read lairds book and been sold a dummy cos they said too much north wasnt good , but i see now
Christian's son Grayson next level Gnar Like's Bolthrower just like his dad.Rad surfer as well.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="
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silver spoon or not who cares, im jealous. dude was miles ahead of everybody in the progression stakes, ganky style or whatever, CF was rad.
Greyson is so sick right now, who does he hang with on the north shore ya think? JJF
New breed of gnar, feeding off the sicknesss
Wasn't all the Fletcher v industry 'rebellion' thing all seppo-based? Over here, he was just another tattooed bum in the sea (apologies to Chopper). And compared to the other pro Sepps of the time - Booth, Robinson, pre-big wave Snips, Farnsworth (who?!) - more amenable to the Aussie surfer. I mean, he drank beer and didn't comb his hair for starters!
I always thought him and Archy got their on-land 'schtick' from Jason Jessee anyways. Well, influence is a kinder word.
Richie Collins was a mad bastard though. Blades, Webs, ol' time religion, bad hair...and he shaped his own sticks!
Who was our version of that in the pro ranks of the time? Mr X?
Richie Collins was/is radical!
You forgot the inimitable Gary Clisby.
Mr X was awesome, Six fin any one?
Didn't Jordy ride one?
Swellnet used to have some footage?
Anyway, it's here at the start of this clip:
Know the fletcher clan personally and i have nothing but nice things to say about them.
They have all made fantastic contributions to surfing.
Well Aus had branno and that other guy with all the tatts who used to do wide stanced airs,davo maybe? not quite the same league really, esp after the "stabbing" in a kings cross toilet. I agree Mr x ripped, took on pipeline, Web gloves,pioneer quad fin rider from memory, no credit given for that, wonder what happened to him. Think i,m going to put "gripping stuff" on the vcr and walk down memo lane (still a cracker of a soundtrack)
Fuck Gripping Stuff, Winton made his own films too. Rad Movez! 1 and 2!!
What happened to Richie Collins? He ripped and his label was Wave Tools from memory. Not many recent pros shaping their own equipment
Dave Mac same time? Terry Richo even?
CF: " if it's green and sticky,..it's fucken great!"
The thrill AND Scagnetti's back
So Christian, do you think you've got a drug problem?......
"No ! ..But I've got a fucken alcohol problem !
old comrades.
https://juicemagazine.com/home/christian-fletcher-2/
https://juicemagazine.com/home/jason-jessee-2/
and how to conduct an interview.
https://juicemagazine.com/home/greyson-fletcher/
Cool it Shats - that's concrete? Wow...radical.
Saw this kid today, probably about 19, had a Christian Fletcher t-shirt on, design was like a one-eyed death's head.
The influence lives on.
Pro skateboarding , more characters than 5 seasons of game of thrones
Pro surfing, more jocks than a bonds commercial.
Haha inzider spot on.<iframe width="420" height="315" src="
frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><iframe width="560" height="315" src="
frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Like a barrel of monkey's and this is only two of them make"s Wilko seem like a Neo conservative.