Freesurf May 2023 V20N5

wahine mana

Skylar Lickle Photo: Island Eye Productions

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Sharing is caring. Geronimo Vargas and Koa Smith. Photo Brian Bielmann

Editorial

Editor / Publisher

Mike Latronic

Photo Director

Brian Bielmann

Art Director

John Weaver

Editorial Assistants

Kaea Latronic, Rebecca Parsons, Lowell Burton

Business Administration

Cora Sanchez (808) 260-9219

Executive Assistant

Nico Rostom

West Coast Distribution & Sales

Chuck Hendsch (619) 227-9128

Distribution & Advertising Inquiries (808) 260-9219

Staff Shooters

Brent Bielmann, Mike Latronic, Aukai Ng, John Weaver

Contributing Writers

Aukai Ng, Rebecca Parsons, Alexandra Kahn, Daniel Ito, Nicole Nason

Contributing Photographers

Alex Heil, Dooma Photos, Dayanidhi Das, Jason Kenworthy, Stu Soley, Mark Rodrigues, Aaron Lynton, Kurt Steinmetz, Mike Ito, Nick Gruen, Ryan Miller, Tommy Pierucki, Eric Baeseman, Ryan “Chachi” Craig, Christa Funk, Sarah Lee, Sean Evans, Tai Vandyke, Mitch McEwen

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14 Editor's Note

16 Vaihiti Inso

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28 John Bilderback 46 Red Bull Magnitude

EDITOR'S NOTE

By Mike Latronic

The mission has always been sharing surf stoke. Evolving from a professional athlete in the 1980’s and 90’s to a mixed media producer currently, my goal has always been to reflect the positive energy and simple appreciation of nature through story telling and compelling imagery. The idea is to pass that “feeling,” forward and highlight that expression of joy and healthy well-being that playing in waves can produce.

Along the way I have had the opportunity to meet and work with many professionals on both sides of the camera. Our feature profile this month is extraordinary lensman John Bilderback. JB specialized in water photography for the big national mags back in “prints heyday.” John was indeed one of the most published photographers in the biz for several decades and he absolutely revealed in his life passion. While JB’s photo accolades are many, his froth for getting the shot was just as impressive. I had the honor to work with JB for many seasons and he had such a solid work ethic and attention to detail. Even if images didn’t get published Bilderback was still intently stoked on just nailing some cool composition or capturing special moments in time. The photo depicted here, above was in fact JB’s first cover shot and of course a great moment in time for me at one of my all time favorite surf breaks. Bilderback’s stoke is revealed and were happy to share it!

Also in this edition, the world of women’s big wave surfing continues to shine with insight and images from this years Red Bull Magnitude project and on the progressive surfing side, Freesurf profiles rising star, Hawaiian wahine phenom Vaihiti Inso. Enjoy!

VAIHITI INSO

By Aukai Ng

There have been many young Hawai'i surfers rising to the limelight and all of them are proud to represent the Hawaiian islands. One such young wahine surfer, fifteen year old Vaihiti Mahana Inso is very proud of her ancestral home. Vaihiti was born and raised on the island of Oahu and grew up surfing on the South Shore. “My first early memory of surfing would have to be at Queens. I probably was always on the board when I was younger, like just a couple months old. But I think the first memory of surfing would have to be at the China Urimura contest at Queens. Both my parents entered it and for some odd reason I just grabbed the board and just paddled out to Baby Queens and just stood up out there. And ever since then I was really into surfing and I wanted all the cool cool gadgets and the cool surfboard and the cool swimsuits. Yeah, it was just the first time I really picked up a board and really wanted to do it.”

Photo Mike Latronic

A bit later the fun left and right double-ups at Kaisers is where she regularly honed her skills from “hana battah” days. Her father Rocky had surfed at this famous spot for over 50 years.“I grew up just surfing on the inside and then eventually worked my way to the outside. My dad never believed in pushing me into waves, so I always learned to either get pounded or just catch my own waves but it's always fun.”

That was just the beginning for Vaihiti. From there, Inso would venture from Kaiser to the more powerful waves at Kewalo Basin and that became her daily training ground. Then the young wahine would eventually aspire to test her skills on the North Shore at more performance spots like Rocky Point and Haleiwa. As strength and skill improved the young Hawaiian’s relationship with the ocean and surfing held much deeper

meaning to Vaihiti. As a strong young competitor Vahiti’s skills got noticed and while sponsorships and notoriety came into view, along with equipment, gadgets and goodies what really drove her spirit and was close to her heart above all else was representing Hawai'i. “Surfing is more than just a sport to me. It's our cultural practice and really when I surf I never think about money or sponsors or all the fame. I just really find the reconnection of our ancestors with the ocean and just trying to learn more about our culture and just the ocean in general.” Her connection to the ocean draws back all the way to her ancestors. The ancient Hawaiian always found the water to be not just a place for fun and enjoyment but a place of healing and a sanctuary. To Vaihiti, surfing can be relatable to all different areas of Hawaiian culture.

“I definitely think surfing is an artform. This is one of the only sports that has to do with mother nature. It's not really in your hands. You don't have a playbook or a play by play, it's just determined by nature and to me it's your connection you have with the ocean that will determine what happens. If I’m so outta sync or not in the present moment with the ocean, then the best wave will probably pass me. You really just need to be in sync with yourself in the ocean and to be honest, you can be the best surfer in the world but if you're not connected to the ocean, there's no sense of artform on it. And I think the cool thing about surfing I like to think about is Hula. In Merrie Monarch (Hula Competition) you have both Auana and Kahiko. Kahiko is very powerful, very fierce and Auana is very graceful and filled with poise. And so to me that's the art form I take inspiration from and it is just the combination of both, surfing and hula. If you're great at both, you know you're gonna be Miss Aloha Hula. And so that to me is like the art form I find in both our culture practices.

Vaihiti’s approach to a wave is something she takes seriously. While her relationship with the ocean helps determine how she should perform, on any given day she can apply the power and the flow or grace into her art-like both disciplines of hula all in one on her surfboard..

“It's funny because every time I see a good wave or even before I go out, I try to visualize what I want to do. I see a wave come and I think like, ‘Oh I want to do this move for some odd reason’ and I never do it. It's just whatever the wave (demands), I'm gonna try my best to read what the wave wants me to do. So it's almost like we're not in control, we're trying to read the wave the best we can. I feel like the ocean, the waves, it's all of our canvas. I feel like not one surfer surfs the exact same, which I think is really cool. And so that individuality is like our own different artform. We can express ourselves.”

Surfer’s don’t have the exact same style, but all endure the learning curve of wipeouts and closeouts as well as the challenge of overcoming bigger surf. Vaihiti had always dreamt of making competitive surfing her full time career but in order to do that she had to find the best high performance and heavy waves to push her skill level.

“When surfing on the North Shore, I feel like I have a lot of first experiences of feeling like I'm gonna die! Being from here you just go out and do it. But I feel the first scary moment was when I was surfing at Chuns and it was like three feet and all

Photo Aukai Ng

of a sudden these 10-15 foot sets came. They were probably like 6-8 feet but as a kid they look big. And all I remember was, ‘Oh, I was gonna die, pretty much.’ So I think that was my first experience. I made it in safe, but I just remember those building swells on the North Shore and realizing ‘oh, it can get this big.”

Vaihiti gives an interesting take on surfing bigger waves and dealing with fear.

“Honestly, I feel like the best way I've overcome fear when surfing bigger waves was just going out with friends and just knowing that you're gonna get pounded altogether but like just surviving. When you have someone you know right there, then you're less likely to think you're gonna die. Growing up surfing Kewalos, we had our little friend group and we'd all ditch our boards and just get pounded together for no reason. It's just more fun getting pounded with your friends and just praying to God before I go out (laughs).”

And indeed Vai still finds a way to have fun and makes the best out of surfing these infamous breaks on the North Shore.

“My go-to, I love Surfing Rockies, but everyone tells me I have to get out of there and go surf some real waves (laughs) so I've been surfing more at Haleiwa. I feel like I always have such a hard time over there, but I also have some of the best sessions at the same time. It is just a weird relationship, but to me that's like one of the most powerful waves. Like that wave just brings you right in the place you don't wanna be. We have a lot of contests there, so it's just good to learn about it and perform better. I also really like

Lani’s (Laniakea). That's a really fun wave and if it’s good Ehukai sandbar is fun too.”

Vaihiti surfing style, strength and repertoire are special. Even pre-teen Inso surfed with a maturity unseen by her peers and known for doing very well at contests. This young surfer is always performing well showcasing beautiful flow through hard and fast maneuvers. This typically gets her through the early round heats to make the finals at many of the amatuer events. Her introduction to competition scene is an interesting one.

“My first memory of a surf contest would have to be the Duke's OceanFest. I remember asking my mom to sign me up and I was super excited. So she signed me up and then a couple nights before I was so scared, like freaking out, but really excited because it was my first real contest. Those (other) girls were already competing a lot and I just started surfing for only like four months. So I just remember going down there to Queens and practicing everyday. So on the day of the contest, I weirdly made it to the finals after like four rounds. And it’s funny, I didn't know that they call you up from last to first on the awards podium. So then they called me up first and I thought I had won and I was freaking out about it, but then I realized I ended up getting sixth, (blushing). I just remember the whole vibe about having the whole family and friends down there and just like all the games and excitement. So I think it was a good starting point (dealing) with being nervous and then doing good and then having fun.”

“I feel like my first (big) accomplishment and situation I had to overcome started in the US Championships at Lowers Trestles, California back in 2018. In the first round I got comboed, I lost, I didn't even do a single turn, I just was slipping off my board. At that

point I wanted to work super hard for the next year and my main goal was to win the US Championships in 2019. For the following year, I won every single HSA event and I was super excited to go back to California to compete. I remember before the event I was so nervous but I was surfing every morning prior. Everybody would come up to me and be like, ‘Oh my God, you're only 12 years old, you surf so well.’ So I think hearing that gave me a little bit of a confidence boost. And then my first heat at US Champs, I had like a near perfect 10 and then like another eight or nine. And so I just was doing really well through the event and I was just having fun. But I would visualize myself winning every single night and just felt so confident. So in that final heat, I was doing really well, I was comboing everyone. But then my really good friend Oaka Wong got out of the combo situation and moved up to first. At that moment I was just happy for either one of us to win, but then in my head I was like, ‘oh my god, I actually really want this,’ This was like the biggest deal in my life haha. So I just prayed a little prayer to God for an opportunity, then with only 2 minutes left and a wave came. I just needed like a 5 and I surfed it the best I could. I made it back to the sand but we didn't know who won yet. Then all of a sudden they announced that I got a 6 point ride and I made it up to first and won. I was so happy, everyone was cheering and then I got chaired up and it was just so fun.”

Her story was a great example of how our toughest falls can turn into our biggest triumphs. Vaihiti went on to win another US Championship in 202, an NSSA regional title and even more titles in HSA. Competing in the ISA Surfing Games in Puerto Rico, Wai helped take home a gold medal for team Hawai'i. Vaihit certainly has a very bright future. Her determination is her drive to perform well and reach any goal she sets her mind to. Her confidence has really increased and any wave she encounters, she surfs it to its full potential. In Hawaiian, Vaihiti Mahana translates to sun rising over the water and she has truly lived up to her name. Vaihiti’s bright and kind-hearted personality is something that brings positivity and inspiration to everyone she encounters. When out in the ocean surfing, Little Miss Sunshine shines her light into everyone’s day. Vaihiti is proud to represent Hawai'i, but it’s certain that Hawai'i is proud of her as well.

Photo Mike Latronic

Riding the Wave of the Winter on Her Favorite Pony

Siri Masterson tows into one of the biggest waves ever ridden by a female on the Northshore of O‘ahu

by Lane Davey @LaneSki

The 2022-2023 surf season started slow and ended abruptly, but as La Nina raged for the third year in a row, the women took center stage. Around the same time that City and County lifeguard Luke Shepardson took his lunch break to surf in the heat that would later claim him the prestigious title, Northshore electrician Mike Bush towed local rancher Siri Masterson into what might be the biggest wave ever ridden by a woman on the Northshore of O'ahu.

Here is her account of the experience: "So the next one," he tells me, and I'm looking at it, and it's like a Fifth Reef monster. And Mike's going towards it, and I'm on the back of the ski shaking my head going, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no." But then he whips me in, and I'm like, "Okay, well, here we go." As soon as we come around, I say, "All right, I'm committed." Then I'm trying to get some pendulum action so that I can fade back and then try to come up to have as high of a line as possible. And then the next part gets a little fuzzy because all I really remember was going down the face of this 50-foot beautiful, glassy monster at about 50 miles per hour. And you know, I couldn't see it. So I wasn't scared like, "Oh, no." I didn't have a moment to hesitate because I was just going so fast, and then before, you know it, I was at the end of the wave. But I remember thinking to myself, “Please don't let me hit a bump, please don't let me hit a bump,” and I didn't because it was beautiful, buttery glass. It was silence—quiet in this weird way, and I was just so focused.

It was the longest drop. I didn't know where I was on the wave cause I couldn't see the bottom, and I felt like I would never get there. But I wasn't quite sure where the channel was, and I couldn't really see behind myself or what the wave was actually doing. Thank God Tyler and Jake were in the channel so at least I had a point of reference. I distinctly remember the sunlight hitting the wave and seeing what looked like a racing work of art. It formed a little bit of a kaleidoscope effect so I was entranced by the reflection on the wave because the sun was hitting it just perfectly and it helped me to see where I was going. I was trying to turn, but I wasn't effective. I was trying to pull up, but I was going so fast that my body wouldn't follow where my hands were directing me. The wave didn't let up, and I didn't want to get exploded with my feet in the straps, so in that predicament, self-preservation mode meant not being on the board. I jumped off, and when that white water caught me, I did some fun cartwheels.”

As Siri resurfaced and paddled towards the channel, she was taken back by the demeanor of her team, whose tone of reassurance had shifted to one of shock and concern. From Mike's vantage point, the wave intensified after he let her go and grew so high above her head that as he watched her fade into the face, he had only one thought "I just f----n killed Siri." Mike adds that even though he was relieved to see her make it to the end of the wave, the wipeout still looked like "I threw her out of a truck going 30 mph." Nonetheless, the team's trust and skills were reaffirmed as it all came together. Mike, who was out that day from 6:45 am to sunset said, "hands down, that was the biggest wave I saw the entire swell." It was the wave of the winter. That was the peak of the swell—the rogue wave at the zenith."

Treat yourself

Like so many other surfers who catch these spectacular waves during once-in-a-lifetime swells, Siri was so taken back by the experience that she didn't understand the magnitude of what had just happened. But in the moment that she saw the footage, she realized "it's possible." The caption below her Instagram post on Jan. 30, 2023, reveals the pivotal role relationships played in this life-changing experience, "I caught the wave of my life, supported by some of the people I love most in my life."

It all started with a trade. Siri needed some electrical work done at her house and Bush was looking for someone to teach his daughter how to ride and care for horses, so Masterson trained Katherine on the polo field, and Bush mentored Siri in the ocean, who she describes as her "favorite pony." She became like "a second mom to my daughter," says Bush, who stepped in like a father figure for Siri 5 years ago after she lost her dad. With tears streaming down her face, she laments, "when I am out in the water with Mike, I feel like I am with my dad waterskiing again." Dad's intention to reunite the family in O'ahu "the gathering place" is what brought Siri to the islands at age 17, and her first mentor was respected scholar, big wave rider, and brother, Ian Masterson. From that point, surfing became the glue that tied her immediate and extended family together.

As Siri's wave sealed the envelope of the contest season, it became a win for all Northshore residents. Despite the constant influx of aspiring international surf pros, Shepardson, Masterson, and Bush still seized the day on the biggest swell, then woke up the next morning and returned to the occupations that sustain our community. Perhaps the reason Eddie came and went this year was to choose some representatives who would remind us that he'enalu is more than just an individual pursuit, it's a kuleana we share with one another.

JOHN BILDERBACK

There are about 100 billion neurons that supposedly connect to some other 10,000 or so different neurons in some magic molecular manifestation of life and consciousness called the human brain. Compared to all other species of life here on Earth, mankind is blessed with a superior intellect. Well supposedly anyway, but the point is I don’t think I’ve ever met another human being, who utilizes all of those neurons and synapses in concert, with multiple calculations, strategies and concentration quite as well as Mr. John Bilderback. I’m sure of it. John and I hath jousted-explanation to come.

Through my teens and many of my professional years as a surfer I have had the great pleasure of working with many talented photographers and most photographers by trade are major nuclear brain welders when it comes to mad scientist photo theory and stuff.

However the frothing Mr. John Bilderback tops the list. Bilderback is a consummate photographer, musician, producer of all things kiteboarding and a fervent Freddieland afficiando.

JB and I were roommates for a stint and worked together getting “The Shot” on a daily basis when the waves were good. John was a budding cameraman and a new staffer at Surfing Magazine under the tutelage of Larry “Flame” Moore. Bildy struck me as numerically inclined and scientific with light and color, but his unique strength was a passion for water shots. Back then he did surf a bit and I recall him with a wide eyed smile once coined the word “Frepic.” This was in reference to Freddieland, which is of course is “Frepic” when Freddie’s is peeling and epic. Somewhere in the late 80’s JB installed a real life arcade game named “Joust.” Fun stuff. We roomed. We shot heaps of photos and we jousted.

The young man was dedicated and diligent and no slouch. This was back in the time when film cameras only carried 24 or 36 exposures so Bildy would literally be swimming most of the day gathering hundreds of water shots. With the evolution of digital photography John shot even more. His new book is testament to a journey well documented.

Pick up John Bilderback's "Water Shots: Twenty years , all wet" on Amazon

Intro by Mike Latronic Photos & captions by John Bilderback

MYLES

Once again I’ve rescued that film. But before my arms even reach my side, I’m off the ground, held up by a whole pack of very fired up customs agents. They too live for moments like this. And these guys are not screwing around. They take me inside to an interrogation room. Its a little white box with no window. I didn’t see any rubber gloves on the table thankfully but it took a long time to get strip searched, my background checked, Interpol consulted, and my repeating my explanation over and over.

MIKE HO

One day the swell was forecast to increase swiftly. Yuri Farrant, a legendary film maker and I were watching Sunset early and decided we might be able to get out there while it was coming up and get some good shots before it got too big. We had an easy first hour. Then the sets quickly became more and more frequent and the rip ran like a river. We got pushed further and further outside, into deeper and deeper water and soon we were out of position no matter what we did. We paddled and kicked non stop towards the point. We conceded we’d stayed out too long when we sat up briefly, and saw Mike Ho on a huge board coming way out to us in the rip. ‘What the hell you guys doing out here?’ It wasn’t really a question, and it gave me chills. That told us both, we needed to go in. Mike is the authority on all things Sunset and knows us both well. He wasn’t exactly reprimanding, but his concern sobered up whatever foolish ambition we had of getting any more shots and focused us on how the hell we were going to get in.

JASON MAJERS - WAIMEA

For me, the set was a fortunate warning. The whole rest of the day I kept one eye peeled for another set like that, positioning myself a little further out than normal and ready to dig out at any second. The surf was verifiably huge and I did not want any part of getting caught inside of a breaking 30 foot close out.

I shot and shot. In these days, going all out you might shoot three rolls of film. About a hundred photos. And that meant reloading film while you were on the ski. It was an awkward and anxious affair of towels and wing nuts. You had to somehow dry your whole housing off and then your hands, in a dripping wet wetsuit before you could expose and then reload your camera. The moment between when you pulled the spent roll of film out of the camera and the moment it was safely tucked away in something waterproof was the worst. One slip and it goes over the side and you’ve risked your life for nothing. I remember trembling just getting it into the little film can.

EDDIE

“One morning I found myself in the passenger seat of Eddie’s truck.We were taking his son Makua to school with two of his friends, Ryan Rawson, son of the legendary shaper Pat Rawson and another kid I only knew as Lobsterman, which might have been from the amount of time he spent underwater at Velzyland, I’m not sure. But it was morning time, the kids were still waking up, and as we turned onto Kamehameha Highway, we passed a bus stop. At the bus stop was a young girl in a wheelchair with an obvious disability. As we passed the boys noticed her and made some kind of joke between themselves. Eddie looked over at me with ice in his eyes. I knew that look. Somebody was about to geta lesson.”

DANE

The crowd at Velzyland was like the local legislature. The rules were made here. And basical- ly if you didn’t follow the rules - never drop in on someone, never paddle around someone, never ruin someone’s barrel by being in the way - you had to leave or get lickings, sometimes both. The Ho brothers, the Moepono brothers, Dane Kealoha, Perry, Johnny Boy, Fast Eddie, and others ran the show for years.

I immediately learned some of the surfers hated photographers. I learned how to read the crowd and spot subtle reactions to me being out there, in case I was unwelcome. Certain days were easy and fun and certain days the crowd didn’t need me making things any worse by fueling even more competition for waves. I saw many punches thrown. Occasionally I’d been told to ‘f-ing beat it’.

WAIMEA BAY

When this thing showed up and I grabbed the throttle, I sensed another ski in my periphery lighting up too. It was Hank. Hank Foto. We were aiming for the only part of this massive wall of water that hadn’t broken yet, at full speed. Now in this moment I know for certain that if I reach the top of a wave this size at this speed, I’m gonna fly high into the air, landing who knows what parts of me back on the ski, most probably dumping it in front of a potentially bigger wave that could already be breaking behind this one.

CUBA CAR

Hokulea arrived in Havana from the Eastern Caribbean and was inspected by the Cubans.We were told that the satellite phone we had onboard for emergencies was strictly off limits - no use in Cuba allowed period - and they sealed it in plastic wrap.

We really hoped we might get a call from the state department or one of Obama’s people, so we carried it around with us anyway, hidden. Braddah Barry might call.

I was starry eyed, imagining a photo for the book,The Hawaiian President standing onboard engaging with the crew, in Cuba, of all places! Talk about spanning borders, bridging cultures, connecting, it had it all. I even imagined ‘braddah Pres’ getting in the spirit and donning a traditional Polynesian malo (loin cloth) with a little presidential emblem on the front. Some little gold embroidered eagle with arrows in its talons, right on his package. Sorry I’m just a visual thinker... Anyway, the Rolling Stones were also in Cuba that week holding an historic show at the giant Havana sport stadium. It was a big week, and unfortunately when it was over the football never rang. Or beeped, or whatever it does. Barry was kinda busy I guess.

JOHNNY BOY

I could see what a fine line you walked around Johnny. Behave, be strong, ‘no ack stoopid’ and he would treat you like a brother. ‘Ack up’ on the other hand, and you’ll get donuts fast, big ones, that leave marks. Note to self: no ack stoopid.

This hill in front of the hotel looked one way towards the town, the other way towards the beachbreak and The Point, and it was in full view of a military training base, where surprisingly young men were given surprisingly big guns to play with. Off in the distance we could see a patrol of about four of these guys running on the sand with weapons and packs on their backs.

HOKULE’A

In 2016 Hokulea was nearing the halfway point of the voyage. If you get a globe and put your finger on the Hawaiian Islands, and put another finger as far away as you can go, it’s on South Africa. So this leg was a real milestone. Not only had Hokulea successfully gone halfway around the world, but beyond this point we would be heading towards home instead of away from it. Little did we realize we were closer than we thought.

In icy 50 degree water, Nainoa, Archy Kalepa and Sam Kapoi took Dr. Foster’s challenge to swim without wetsuitsjust like he did, just like our ancestors. He contended that your body would quickly acclimate to the cold and actually heighten your awareness. Things you might not have noticed before, jump out.Time was limited in 50 degree water, pulling ourselves along the sea bed in the kelp forest imagining what the very first people to do this felt.We retreated to land to process what we had seen and been taught. I tried to imagine the very first person to go in, and go underwater.We were all tied to each other, across the planet, from Hawai'i to Africa and back through that bold man or woman. Our mission never felt so on track as those hours on that coast.

FOR THE LONG RIDE...

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GERRY LOPEZ MR. PIPELINE

JUNIOR

One bowling sunny afternoon, Perry Dane and Junior Moepono were getting ready to paddle out, and Perry unloaded a 45 caliber hand gun into the sand at the water’s edge. Unsurprisingly the shots had an immediate effect on the crowd in the water. People scattered. They were paddling in every direction, some in, some out, some heading to the next break over. Some just paddled out to sea.

FELIX

I’d been told to, “Have an open mind”, by Darrick Doerner one summer when Oahu’s North Shore was predictably flat. He said, “Learn to wind- surf!” Now this was offensive at first, I was a SURFER. (Insert childish indignity towards all things not surfing...) All that gear, those guys looked like dorks, I don’t know. Then I realized it was good enough for Gerry Lopez, it was good enough for Laird Hamilton, what, I was too cool? Hardly. So I got a windsurfing wave board and taught myself to sail at Backyards, basically the equivalent of learning to drive at the race track.

PETER COLE

There were good reasons most people didn’t shoot Sunset when it was really big. One day, during the Xcel Sunset Pro, which every year always seemed to coincide with the biggest winter swells, my normal photographer’s ‘safe’ spot was closing out frequently. Huge walls of useless white energy were overwhelming the break. The slightly smaller ones really held potential for an insane shot, and they balanced the risk/ reward equation, I went out. Since this was before jet skis, the lifeguard working the contest, Terry Ahue, was using a rescue surf board, a giant thick log of a thing with handles fiberglassed down both sides. It was huge, paddled well even with two passengers on it, and was also quite a handful when you had to let it go and bail. Now at this point boogie boards were new technology for photographers. Inflatable air mats had been the standard flotation for big wave water photographers and since we couldn’t get them under a wave, we’d let them go when we got cleaned up, and then we’d float for a while and they’d drift back out to us in the strong offshores and the giant riptide running out to sea.

Photo Rob Henson

PAIGE ALMS CLAIMS VICTORY AT 3RD ANNUAL RED BULL MAGNITUDE

The unique big-wave surf contest drew top athletes from around the world, culminating with an Awards Ceremony in Waikiki

By Rebecca Parsons Surf Photos: Erik Aeder Event photos: Eleven17 Creative/Red Bull

After an action-packed three months of Hawaiʻi big-wave surfing, Red Bull Magnitude, presented in collaboration with Surfline, crowned its new champion: Maui’s Paige Alms. Red Bull Magnitude is a big wave surfing contest unlike any other. An all-women’s big wave digital surf contest with $50,000 of prize money on the line, the contest was open to any woman who could demonstrate her ability to handle waves of consequence. The contest took place in Hawai'i and ran from December 1 to February 28, providing athletes with ample opportunity to catch the best waves of the season. Red Bull provided camera teams and water safety teams at noteworthy big wave breaks such as Waimea Bay, Pe’ahi, and Outer Reefs. After the contest period was over, athletes submitted their top three waves to the judging panel. Here, the winners share what it was like participating in the event, their thoughts about the unique format, and the importance of an all-women’s surf event.

PAIGE ALMS Overall Champion

“I am so honored to take home the Red Bull Magnitude win this year! We had an amazing season of big waves, with so many incredible rides. My highlight was packing a huge one on the January 15th swell—I now know what I need to do to come out of a barrel like that!

I think the format is really cool as it allows for constant improvement and gives you more time to be really specific on the waves you want to ride.”

FELICITY PALMATEER Breakthrough Performer

“It had been two years since I’d spent a winter in Hawai'i, but I backed myself and spent three months there. I invested a lot into this last winter emotionally, physically, and financially. I came with quite a bit of head noise and with a lot of goals I wanted to achieve— goals mainly centered around my performance and not competition based. I connected with Jamie Mitchell as a mentor and those goals started to be ticked off the list. Not that I surf big waves to win, but it’s nice to be recognized through winning breakthrough performer, knowing all the effort and time that went into making last winter happen.

I love the format of the Red Bull Magnitude event. You never really know if the one-day event will happen, but with Magnitude, there’s so many swell opportunities—it’s up to you to make the decision on where you want to surf. And with the last winter we just had, there were plenty of opportunities! Also, with competing in one day events comes a lot of added pressure to perform in usually just an hour, which is not a lot of time when it comes to big waves sessions (sometimes it can take over and hour to get your first wave).

I can’t thank Red Bull enough for giving women a stand-alone opportunity within the big wave industry as we don’t have that many opportunities to compete in a year. Magnitude is such an inclusive platform to showcase our surfing and highlights just how high the level of female big wave surfing is and is continuing to go!”

IZZI GOMEZ

Best Tow

“It meant a lot to me to win anything this year. This was my first season back and first time competing in Red Bull Magnitude; I didn’t have a ton of expectations for myself. I saw the section forming up and I had to race down the line to be able to get in the right spot. I had to back door the section and it was like time stopped: it was the biggest barrel I’ve ever been in, and it will be ingrained in my memory forever!

I really like the video submission format because anyone can have an off day on the day of a one-day comp and the best surfer might not necessarily win. The fact that we can build momentum throughout the season is so key.”

SKYLAR LICKLE Best Ride

“I was really surprised to win the best ride award because there were such amazing waves ridden from a lot of the ladies. I am so happy to be recognized for this wave because it was such a special wave to me. It is by far my best wave I have ever ridden.

It’s so amazing that the Red Bull Magnitude is a virtual contest because it allows us women to be able to surf our hearts out without having the major pressure of a normal contest setting. This really makes a much safer environment because we are able to make more calculated decision without time restraints.

We are so lucky that we have Red Bull supporting us and because of this support we as women are able to take this sport to a whole other level. I am grateful to be apart of such an amazing group of inspiring women and I hope that we as women can inspire not only young females, but everyone in generations to come.”

Paige Alms, Skylar Lickle , Felicity Palmatee , Bianca Valenti, Katie McConnell

Mokulele Surf Team Rider

Diego Ferri

Photo Aukai Ng

At the end of the swell period, each surfer selected their top three waves for the judging panel. The star-studded judging panel included surfing veteran Rochelle Ballard, who served as the Competition Director and Head Judge, along with the other judges Andrea Moller, Megan Abubo and Red Bull athletes Kai Lenny and Ian Walsh.

In addition to the prize purse, Red Bull presented winners with custom trophies, made out of traditional Hawaiian kapa that was homegrown and designed by Hawaiian local artist, Page Chang of Pūkoʻa Studios.

Red Bull Magnitude Complete Results

Overall Performance:

1st - Paige Alms

2nd - Skylar Lickle

3rd - Felicity Palmateer

4th - Bianca Valenti

5th - Katie McConnell

Best Ride: Skylar Lickle

Best Tow: Izzi Gómez

Breakthrough Performer: Felicity Palmateer

People’s Choice: Anne Dos Santos

SKIP TAYLOR

By Alexandra Kahn

Pulling into WaiKai was different than I could have ever expected. While I had envisioned a golf club vibe, I had not prepared myself for the modern and, dare I say, boujee structures before me. Walking up the steps to what appeared to be the main entrance (at least preopening day), I was surprised to see many more observers and surfers than I imagined, considering the park’s future opening date. I make my way towards the bulk of people, hoping to find my host, when I hear, “Is anyone in this group, Alex?” “ME!” I exclaim and push my way to the front. I had found Skip.

For the next hour, I extensively toured the property. I visited every space. I learned about the different memberships, activities, businesses, developing plans, and the location's history. I met the individuals involved in The LineUp, as well as individuals who are helping to open most of the other surf parks across the country.

Skip was knowledgeable and passionate about his project, and contrary to what many might assume, he does not own The LineUp at WaiKai. His company, Surf Park Management (SPM), “provides consulting services and operations management for all aspects related to running a surf park.” The services offered by SPM are extensive, including retail, food and beverage, rentals, marketing, hospitality, accounting, and more. After over five years of iterations and over a decade of concepts, his vision of “an authentic waterman’s playground” was finally coming to life. However, as I learned his story, it seemed to me more of a destiny than a vision.

Starting at six, Skip fell in love with the ocean on Maui, where his family owned a home, and learned to surf at twelve. Growing up, he only spent part of his time in Maui, while he spent the rest of the year on the mainland skating, snowboarding, and later windsurfing. Despite his love of all board sports, “Surf though is the purest form to [him], and [he] would always choose surfing over any other sport in [his] life.“ Skip currently splits his time between Hood River, Oregon, and Hawai'i, working on getting The LineUp at WaiKai up and running, as well as eight other park projects. With over 25 years of experience in resort consulting, marketing, management, and programming, The LineUp seems to be a culmination of his skills and experiences.

Skip envisions the potential future of competition surfing with an area that can guarantee consistency- similar to any other extreme sports training center. “Kids can learn airs or other maneuvers in days rather than months or years. With about a dozen existing surf parks worldwide, it has already shown how quickly they can help a surfer progress,” Skip tells me.

The day I toured the facility, I had the pleasure of meeting top pro surf coach Shane Beschen, who will soon lead the Wai Kai Surf Academy. Shane. Beschen, as well as coach Scott Sanchez, who is there with Kai Lenny, sees the benefit of the static wave as a high-performance coaching tool. Lenny is there to specifically work on his laybacks that day, and only recently did Erin Brooks visit to dial in certain tricks with more consistency.

Skip, and many other surfers see the advantage of consistent waves entirely independent of weather, so the focus is solely on training and enhancing surf skills. Now that surfing is an Olympic sport, the future of competitive surfing is changing. The opening of dedicated surf pools and other training and recovery facilities worldwide are laying the foundation for what is next, and Skip is there to help lead the way.

Owen Wright announced that he is retiring from competitive surfing. “After my traumatic brain injury in 2015, my desire to prove to myself and to the world that I could still be great and overcome this life-threatening incident inspired my recovery. Now eight years later, after challenges and accomplishments, I can look back happily, knowing I achieved that goal,” he said in an Instagram post.

Bethany Hamilton and her husband Adam Dirks announced that they are pregnant with their fourth child. The couple released a video on Instagram surfing with their family to announce the pregnancy.

The Greatest Surf Movie in the Universe, a film created by Nick Pollet and narrated by Luke Hemsworth premiered in Torquay, Victoria Australia on April 3rd. The film includes a mix of life-like figurines and voice overs and appearances from Mick Fanning, Mason Ho, Matt Wilkinson, Jack Freestone, Griffin Colapinto, Craig Anderson, Ronnie Blakey, Joe Turpel, Vaughan Blakey, and Kelly Slater.

At the Our Oceans conference in Panama the United States announced that it plans to invest six billion dollars towards restoring and protecting the oceans from pollution, climate change, and other threats.

On March 26, Harry Hollmer-Cross, son of big wave surfer James Holmer-Cross, was surfing at Shipstern Bluff when he had a massive wipeout and was knocked unconscious and held underwater. CPR was administered and he was airlifted to Royal Hobart Hospital in Tasmania where it was determined that he had head trauma, ear damage, and chest issues—he will face a long road to recovery.

Authentic Brands, the owner of Volcom, made an offer to buy Boardriders and all its assets. Boardriders currently includes Billabong, Roxy, Quiksilver, DC, and RVCA, among others. It is estimated that the company is worth $2.9 billion.

The Sun Bum ‘Ambush Contest’ took place in Jamaica at the end of March.

On April 9, around 7 A.M., a 58-yearold man was attacked by a shark while surfing at Kewalo Basin. An eight-foot tiger shark was responsible for the attack and the man was taken to the hospital in serious condition.

According to Sun Bum, it’s “an ambush surf contest series that celebrates ordinary surfers everywhere.” In the end, Ellim Beckford was named the winner and walked away with a fat $1,000 check as proof.

Caity Simmers and Joao Chianca won the MEO Rip Curl Pro in Portugal. It is the first Championship Tour event win for both surfers.

Photo WSL / Poullenot

Owen Wright Photo Mike Latronic

BOARD STORIES IS

BACK!

“Board Stories” can be seen in Hawai'i on Spectrum OC16 on Ch. 16/1016 and Spectrum Surf Channel Ch. 20/1020. Spectrum OC16’s live stream is available on oc16.tv and the Spectrum TV app (to Spectrum customers in Hawai'i only), and nationally to any Spectrum customer on the Spectrum News mobile app and CTV app on Roku and Apple TV.

Hosts Pua DeSoto and Mike Latronic

On March 26, 33 swimmers were caught harassing a pod of wild dolphins at Honaunau Bay on the Big Island of Hawai'i. They are currently being investigated by federal law enforcement. In 2021, a law went into place making it illegal to swim within 50 yards of Hawaiian spinner dolphins.

On Sunday, March 19, a 62-year-old man from Utah was attacked by a shark while swimming at ‘Anaehoʻomalu Bay. According to a press release, the man was “swimming approximately 200 yards offshore when a shark bit his left hand. While trying to fight off the shark, he felt another bite behind his left knee.”

Globe International, an Australian surf and skate company, stopped producing apparel and decided to instead put all its focus into footwear—meaning their surf team members Taj Burrow and Dion Agius are currently searching for new main sponsors.

The average temperature of the ocean’s surface reached a record high this spring. According to reports from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the average temperature of the ocean’s surface has been 21.1 degrees Celsius since the beginning of April—.1 degree higher than the 21-degree Celsius record set in 2016.

TSUNAMI BURGER WITH FRIES

FISH - SWALLOW TAILS - DIAMOND TAILS - KNEEBOARDS - CONCAVE PAIPOS

Moku Rider Keiichiro Negishi

Roxy launched their Pro Surf Collection, a collection made from sustainable fabrics and high-performance designs. To create the collection, Roxy sent their best surfers to Teahupo’o to test the suits and ensure they were surf worthy.

On March 30 Miami Seaquarium, a Florida based sea life park, announced that it will be releasing Lolita. Lolita is a southern California resident killer whale that was captured in Seattle in 1970 and transferred to Seaquarium.

With just one more stop before the WSL mid-season cut, several surfers have already secured their spot above the cut line: Ryan Callinan, John John Florence, Ethan Ewing, Carissa Moore, Leonardo Fioravanti, Yago Dora, Molly Picklum, Griffin Colapinto, Caio Ibelli, Filipe Toledo, Joao Chianca, and Jack Robinson.

On March 31, two-time world champion Tyler Wright celebrated her 29th birthday.

Tyler Wright

Roxy Pro Surf Collection

Photo Brian Bielmann

Photo: Sean Stanley