It may not sound so strange that within 10 days of each other the highest aerial and one of the most incredible waves in history are surfed by two veterans if we are talking about a sport that is dominated by a bald guy who is 48 years old.

But the reality is that if you look at all the sports on the planet (leaving aside perhaps golf and chess) the standard being set by those over 45 is quite rare.

This is what young people should be doing, and to a large extent they are doing it (see Medina, John John, Chumbo and Kai Lenny), but the events of the last few weeks leave one wondering. What is going on?

Related note: Peter Mel surfed the wave of the decade yesterday at Mavericks

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Kelly, 48, is seen competing in the Pipe Masters and now in the Triple Crown with the rest of the kids. But OK, let's leave Kelly, who is the freak, aside... Nathan Fletcher, who is 46, who was a judge at Stab High, won the award for the most monstrous aerial, but then came home and did that crazy aerial at Pipeline that many say is the highest in history.

Meanwhile, Tom Curren himself, who is 56, last week took this big hit somewhere in California.

 

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Could it be that 2020 taught us that we are on the move and we have to take advantage of every minute of freedom that life gives us?

It seems like a good explanation, or maybe it's just a coincidence.