| Surflegender Lyckönskar Sveriges Landslag |
 Om lite mer än en månad är det dags för Världsmästerskapen i Surfing i Peru. Vi kommer att finnas på plats med ett landslag bestående av 7 tävlande killar och 2 tjejer. Sveriges Team Captain, Grant "Ratman" Rutter, tyckte att laget behövde lite pepp och hörde av sig till några gamla polare, som svarade med varsin hälsning... Hi Ratman, Hope ya get some waves, barrells eh, that sounds interesting. Here's a few words for team; I'm very impressed to hear that a Swedish National Surf Team is being prepared for the World Championship. I truly believe the development of the sport of surfing in the Scandanavian region will find inspiration in the fact that Sweden will be represented at the international level. As a former National Coach for Surfing Australia I witnessed many historic and inspirational moments, such as in 1992 when a three person national team marched under the German Surfing Federation banner at the ISA World Championships in Lacanau, France. Word of this involvement reached far and wide, and of course, as part of the international charter of ISA, it assisted greatly in developing the global family of surfing. So please do not take lightly this moment when you will carry your national colours onto the global stage. This is not a novelty, this is real, it is the natural growth of sport at the most grassroot level. And most of all, have a lot of fun, enjoy the experience, train hard, support each other, and savour the occasion when you carry the responsibility of representing your beloved Sweden. All the best, Wayne Rabbit Bartholomew Dear Swedish Surf Team, All I can say is that I hope you realize what you are getting yourself into when you start to surf, make no mistake, it's a drug, no different to any other really, except that it is a healthy one. However even a healthy addiction can become a problem if you don't keep it in perspective, or at least try, don't forget family, work, friends, it's amazing how much you appreciate surf when for one reason or another it is denied. From my experience it is useless to try and kick the habit, you might as well give up, after the hook is set you are a goner, you are caught and will be doing it or trying to do it until the day you die, surfing is a state of mind! Sometimes you feel your age, the mind knows what to do but the actual physical is more difficult after a period out of the water, it takes time to wake up and respond quick enough, I was not quick enough getting to my feet, I fell and the wave passed me by. At 63 I find I make alot more mistakes than I used to, especially on take off but in other respects the surfing experience is more fulfilling, I can appreciate where I was at One Man's, in a protected lee of a big bluff with only nature, a pair of Osprey and the four surfers, it's not a bad addiction to have compared to all the other attractions and diversions of life. Pull in, go hard as long as you can. Nat Young |
