Editors Note: Epic Moments is a series examining the most groundbreaking moments in surf history. Check out more historic moments (previously called the “Disruptors” series) here.
Date: September 7, 2011
Place: Long Beach, New York
Moment: Bobby Martinez retires from competitive surfing after unleashing a floodgate of pent-up aggression and F-bombs in a post heat interview.
Bobby Martinez isn’t your typical SoCal surfer bro. Sure, he hails from the wave sanctuary of Santa Barbara and his backside is more on point than most. But Bobby doesn’t fit the conventional mold of blonde, blue-eyed California surf hipsters. Bobby’s an outspoken fan of hip-hop; a Jesus piece tattoo dangles around his neck; he’s an outsider to surfing’s biggest corporations, instead running with alternative-lifestyle brands. And Bobby’s demeanor – an intimidating bravado on land and an undying devotion to his profession – set him apart as well. His unfiltered passion makes him like the Tupac Shakur of surfing. And similarly to Pac, Bobby is known for speaking his mind in interviews, with one post-heat rant in particular changing the course of his career forever.
In 2011, Bobby and the rest of the top 44 headed to the fickle shores of Long Beach, New York for the Quiksilver Pro. It was an unlikely location for the world’s best to duke it out, but while the early heats saw typical East Coast slop, the later rounds scored head-high beachbreak perfection. Perhaps it was the onshore conditions that set Bobby off in his post Round 2 interview or perhaps it was the controversial grading scale of the ASP judges (it was likely the latter). Bobby ended up winning the heat against Bede Durbridge but while speaking with ASP moderator Todd Kline, the Santa Barbara native released his pent-up infuriation against the tour.
“First of all, I’d like to say (and the ASP are going to fine me) ‘cuz I don’t want to be a part of this dumb f***ing wannabe tennis tour,” Bobby preaches with impassioned incoherence. “All these pro surfers want to be tennis players.”
The best part of the rant is how awkward Todd Kline gets. He smiles uncomfortably. He tries to continue the conversation normally. Bless his heart. At one point, Kline panics and asks the entirely unrelated: “[Is this] you’re first time in New York?”
“I’ve been here before,” Bobby responds. “I love this city. I’ll tell you right now, if my sponsor wasn’t here, I wouldn’t be here for this dumb contest. ASP? They f***ing…surfing’s going down the drain thanks to these people.”
And with that, Bobby Martinez retired from professional surfing.
Prior to the rant in New York, Bobby had been expressing his contempt for the ASP’s confusing and highly criticized “One World Ranking” format. “One world ranking is fuking stupid…how r people ahead of me and i dont even compete againts them! fuking stupid!” Bobby wrote via Twitter. Looking back, the experimental ranking format was illogical; ultimately, the ASP would toss it out and create today’s WSL. Had Bobby not publicly criticized the flawed system, competitive surfing may have remained in the irrational rankings rut. In a way, Bobby was a pioneer of the WSL.
And New York was the final nail in the coffin. Despite publicly vilifying the competitive side of surfing, Bobby’s rant can be viewed as a positive progression for the sport. He paved the way for criticism in professional surfing. The idea that our sport is becoming too mainstream, or a “wannabe tennis tour,” is something still discussed today, whether it’s a drunken display filled with F-bombs (Noa Deane at surfer poll) or a thoughtful composition (Dane Reynolds’ retirement letter). Surfers should be encouraged to speak their minds. And if there’s an issue with the system, competitive or otherwise, it should be addressed. The only bad thing about the whole incident was that surf fans no longer get to watch Bobby surf a few heats every month.
