Today’s Herald’s front page has a beautiful story about our seven-time surfing world champion, Layne Beachley. It’s about how she decided, a few years back, that she was not going to surf for the sake of titles. She would brush off the nastiness of her rivals and instead be friendly, happy and constantly improve herself as a person and a surfer.
She’s done all that.
“This one is the most satisfying,” Beachley said yesterday after winning her seventh world title.
“It’s been more of a soulful journey. It’s one of the most emotional experiences I’ve ever had. It’s so rewarding, so surreal.”
“I’m shocked to have won it again,” she said. “I haven’t placed the same expectations and pressures on myself. I’ve just wanted to surf for surfing’s sake. To have won a world title with that pure kind of attitude, I can’t explain how good that is.”
Pure. What a rarely used word that is. The pleasure in Layne’s journey, for people like me, who can but sit on the sidelines and watch, is knowing that her victory is a triumph of heart and pleasure. I’ve never been one for the ‘whatever it takes’ mentality of getting ahead and achieving. If progress (in any field) costs us happiness it’s not worth it. Even less so if we sacrifice our souls to do it. While I’m slightly perturbed that the focus of this story is less on this athletic feat than the journey, and question whether that’s something that betrays the sexism of sport reportage, who cares? The human interest angle is pretty big here. Layne’s shown that you can do what you want to do and be ourselves, but still win. It’s made me feel joyful all day.
4 responses so far ↓
Mickey Commercial // Dec 12, 2006 at 6:19 pm
I agree, aside from it being the seventh time, the obvious relaxed attitude with which it was won was a nice change.
Shaun // Dec 12, 2006 at 7:50 pm
Nice people do finish first. Good on ya Layne.
Five // Dec 13, 2006 at 7:00 am
Insouciance is a refreshing attitude – much better than grim aggression, which is the demeanour of so many in sport and life these days.
Bennoss // Dec 13, 2006 at 9:23 am
Beautifully put five.
People like Layne are the reason i get out of bed in the morning.
Knowing that there are those who are so humble about so much victory and at the same time able see the same beauty and ‘pureness’ in every wave she rides gives me hope to overcome the shite which sometimes is life.