There is a strange relationship between performance and expectation. I never tell my charges to go for broke because often you get what you go for.
Positive enthusiasm towards a powerful goal is usually the best driver but then comes a quaint thing. Expectation.
I have had many a surf session where I don’t expect much and then I catch some of my best waves.
Other days I think I am about to go Kelly Slater and I fall off like a fool and come out of the water grumpy.
Overexpectation can be a poison.
Last week, Greg Harris headed off to the Victoria Bay Quadrangular Surfing Contest with no expectation.
He has recently recovered from the same shoulder surgery as Daniel Emslie.
Years and years of distance swimming has exhausted his rotators and a surprise fall on a tiny wave at Nahoon Reef dislocated his shoulder.
It is incongruent how many injuries come from small waves and how few from big.
Harris had a Latarjet procedure in 2024 to effect the repair. This at the tender age of 52. He has been diligent with his rehabilitation and recovery.
Just like Emslie, he has been shocked into appreciation of how good his life has been in the water.
“It is incredible what surgeons can do. I try not to abuse my body and keep what is left in good working order now,” Harris said.
Feeling pleased with his recovery, he entered The Langebaan Express, a 6km open water swim.
Not pushing himself, he took it easy and found the 6,000m pleasant and the shoulder surgery performed just fine. Harris loves to swim.
He has done 4 x Robben Island to Big Bay before his shoulder surgery. This is given as 7.5km as the seagull flies but considering currents and tide it could be close to 10km.
Harris hopes to break the two-hour barrier and usually comes in at about 2.08 or 2.10.
“When you swim it is like a form of meditation. It is just you and your breath. A peaceful place to be,” he said with a contemplative smile.
The Langebaan Express gave him a bit of confidence to pick up his surfboard again.
The Vic Bay Quad in memory of John Pfaff comprises Eden, Buffalo City, Winelands and Western Province.
Harris travelled with no expectation, encouraged by Langebaan and hopeful just to see his shoulder hold out. Not much more than that.
His heart skipped a beat and mild panic tingled when the ocean stood up and roared.
The waves suddenly became uncomfortably big as Vic Bay is so often prone to do.
Well, what do you know? He suddenly found himself in a heat against defending champion Charles Reitz. Reitz is well known as a big wave monster.
The Hawaiian mantra is “Eddie would go,” Charlie would go too. You can imagine Harris and Buffalo City’s surprise when he beat Reitz — only to come up against him in the final again.
Lo and behold, Harris pulled it off a second time and beat Reitz in the final too. Granted Reitz had a bit of an off-heat and Harris posted a good one, twice in a row.
The outside take off zone at Vic Bay is a technical lip launch deep out the back and then a chunky drop through a rocky zone called the teeth.
Harris elected to play it a bit safe on the shoulder and his conservative bet paid off.
Reitz did some crash and burn while Harris got hold of his waves and surfed them well.
Reitz tumbled into fourth while Harris bagged a well deserved podium third.
Gunther Schultz, from Baleia wine country, in showroom condition of fitness and no surgeries, took second place.
Evergreen Cass Collier, big wave world champ in his day, put in a high work rate on the inside waves and secured the well deserved win.
In other age divisions, Tristan Johnson (men over 45) and Tyrell Johnson (men over 40) won their divisions. No surprise here, the Johnsons are geniuses.
My man of the moment is Harris who laid expectations aside, took the pressure off himself, trusted the process and slew a giant. Twice.
There is something to be said for David taking down Goliath, staying calm and giving it an honest shot.
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