As a armchair freerider in Wyoming, I may be speaking out my exhaust port here but...
Everything I read and see about "freeriding" now-a-days seems entirely geared toward air tricks. Blowsion videos, a/m hull builders, boobtube videos, etc. But I think focusing on actual surf riding skills minus air tricks is a great idea. Aside from ZB posting a few comments, I wonder what the other world champions and surf slam competitors think about this. Meaning, what would it look like if one of them competed in this new format and was beaten by a guy on a 91 SN, but then a month later they were at World Finals and won there? Would there be any tension or diminishing of the value of the sport? Like how freestylers dislike buoy racers, buoy racers dislike freeride, and so on and so on. It seems like things would be a little awkward if Bubba Joe riding on a beat up, non-sponsored, limited 701 beat the guy who later on wins world finals in "freeride" for doing a superman double twisty-floaty whatever move on a $30K ski? Then again, maybe a little "rocking of the boat" would be a good thing?
Regardless, just be glad you're not another 3 months out til the 12 inches of ice clear on your local lake, and your warmest water temps in August are around 60 degrees.