Poll: Which Stance Are You, Goofy Or Regular?

Since the dawn of surfing time, participants have been forced to answer one simple question: Goofy or Regular? 

Left foot forward, or right foot forward? A simple enough proposition, but only before you understand the extent to which it will decide your surfing fate. Beginners, whether they’re three-years-old or 30, don’t make this decision with all the necessary info. 

They don’t realize that the Championship Tour is stacked in favor of regular-foots, and coincidentally that the best waves in the world are lefts. They don’t realize that being goofy equates to fun and creativity while being natural means maintaining the status quo. They don’t realize that their entire surfing identity will be predicated upon this one simple choice.

Although, it could be said that this question can’t be answered consciously. Most surfers would agree that you’re born either natural or goofy – much like being left or right handed – and all you can do is try to live with the consequences.  

If you were told from the outset that choosing goofy meant experiencing Skeleton Bay to its full potential, wouldn’t you?

The Men’s Championship Tour consists of 10 goofy-foots and 24 naturals. That’s just about 30%.

The Women’s Championship Tour consists of four goofy-foots and 13 naturals. That’s about 25%. 

If we’re talking about World Champions, it’s 10 goofies and 33 regulars on the men’s side, which is roughly 25% (but remember the Tour has historically been stacked against the goofies, wave-wise). Meanwhile for the women, it’s just six out of 42 Titles going to the goofies (or 14%). 

So, somewhere between 30-14% of top surfing professionals ride with their right foot forward. As a point of comparison, around 20% of the world population is believed to be left-footed. This makes a lot of sense in relation to the goofy/regular debacle, considering most surfers have their “strong” leg in the back and between 14-30% of pros surf with their left foot on the tail.

Mason is a goofy-footer in a regular-footer’s body!

Statistical projections aside, we want to settle this goofy/regular debate once and for all. If not to satisfy our own curiosity, then to help our pal Matt ‘Mayhem’ Biolos, who is trying to figure out how many goofy vs. regular versions of the new ‘Maysym’ design he should be producing for the market. 

Oh and to reiterate, if you talk the poll, you’re in the running for a brand new Maysym (one for the natural and another for a screwfoot).

So, Stab reader, please tell us…

ARE YOU GOOFY, OR ARE YOU REGULAR? (Register your stance and maybe win a Maysym)