Celebrating a history of firsts Ted
TED: Small Thing Big Idea – How surfboards connect us to nature (VIDEO)
Walking on water
For Yves, surfing is about being one with a natural phenomenon—face to face with the beauty of nature at all different intensities and tones. The ocean puts the madness of urban life and ordinary people in an environment of total vulnerability. Yves tells the story of how the raw energy of surfing began in Tahiti back in 1200 AD, and still captures the hearts of people around the world today.
The surfboard enables, the surfer creates
Anyone who has watched waves crashing has a sense of their enormous power. Surfboard design requires ergonomic thinking around all its elements in order to function: the outline, the rocker, the stringer, and the tail. The relationship between the surfer and shaper is truly symbiotic because of all the criteria that have to align and affect how the board will move in the water. Yves analyses the balance between designing for the surfer and understanding the physics of the environment.
Self-expression in a fleeting moment
Mindfulness in surfing is about developing a sense of how we orient ourselves within a foreign natural environment. Immersed in the salt-soaked water, we are active, focused, and intent on being one with the conditions. Yves talks about the irresistible draw of the ocean, the alchemical mix of blending risk with style, and finding peace in the water and on the surfboard.
