The way I judge success rate is to work out a percentage for successfully completed waves compared to waves where the surfer wipes out or finishes with an incomplete manoeuvre. With this tabulated information, I am then able to provide feedback to the training surfers, making them aware of their consistency in numerical terms, something that can be compared before commencing other training sessions, and targets can be set to try to improve their success rate next time.

Surfers I coach in Australia, like Adrian Buchan [ 1999 World Grommet Champion ], Shaun Cansdell [ 1999 under 16 years World Grommet Champion], and Laurina MacGrath [ 2000 Women's World Grommet Champion ] - rarely fall off their surfboards. Their attitude is something akin to - It's as if it were a sin to fall. If you do see them wiping-out, it's only after they have fought hard to stay on their surfboards. In my opinion, this underlying commitment to remaining balanced in all conditions and on a daily basis, is the foundation of their considerable competitive success.

Underpinning a high success rate is good surfing technique [ check out surfcoach.com's training cards in this and the Perfecting Surf Moves section ] and good wave usage decisions made while riding waves. Unfortunately, many surfers are convinced that they are the next Kelly Slater, with them daily busting airs and sliding the tail, most often performed with a very small success rate. The magazines and video producers push this futuristic surfing style, but don't disclose how many attempts were made by the featured surfers trying the manoeuvre before they recorded a successful execution.

Don't get me wrong, Slater has been great for the sport, pushing performance levels to new heights, but there is a "dark side" to his influence. That is, the success of many surfers is being compromised by the too-early emphasis on future moves, when the basics such as solid bottom turns and compressed finishes are not strong enough to contribute to successful completions of these moves.

Success rate is an essential component to competitive success. In this environment, a surfer is forced to surf with success to achieve high scores from the judges. Of special note is when a surfer is under pressure. You know, you need a 5 point ride with 3 minutes to go. If that winning wave comes through, you have to have the habitual skill of finishing waves in control for any chance of receiving the score needed from the judges. Pressure will cause you to fall unless you have belief that you won't.