Lockdown chat with Jordy Smith, Travis Logie & Wok – #TheLockdown Ep4

The Podcast

The 3 Amigos in Lockdown

I was not sure what to expect when I chatted with Travis Logie about getting the three best buds on the same podcast during lockdown, but needless to say it was an epic chat. These 3 grew up together in Durban and now live in California and Hawaii. Jordy Smith has become one of the best surfers on the planet, Travis has ended his Pro surf career and become the WSL Commissioner and Warwick Wok Wright was never really a pro, though he beat a few, but now a successful interior designer and married in Hawaii.

A Special Chat

Wok’s Mom called me up after the premier and told me how special it was to get the three together and talking. A sentiment shared by the boys at the end of our talk – it went on for just over an hour – and the stories, flashbacks and laughs were real. It was incredible to get some real insight to their relationships, how they met and of course their time together on the tour.

Groms Listen up!

On a more serious note, the gents serve up some real, hard advice for aspiring SA surfers with big dreams of qualifying. These three, yes even Wok, made some serious damage on the QS and their stories and and advise should be heeded.

Hawaii the best place to be in lockdown!

This was the common consensus during the chat and checking out Jordy’s Instagram account will leave you in no doubt. Wok has adopted a flock of ducks and is practicing for being a daddy.

I hope you enjoyed the show and please remember to subscribe to the Youtube Channel – HERE

Huge thank you to Monster Energy for the support!

Volcom presents “The Backyard”

The North Shore Dream

As long as I have surfed, the North Shore has been the dream destination for any surfer. At the pinnacle of that dream is the a frame reef at Pipeline and Backdoor. Straddling the sands of this two wave dream is the legendary, Volcom House.

The Volcom team spend each winter here, right on the beach in front of the proving ground. They also have some of most hardened locals at Pipe and Backdoor. So, when they decide to drop an edit from the North Shore season, you know its going to be good.

At Pipeline there is flora, fauna, ocean and stone. At this point, the Volcom house is practically part of the reef at Pipeline. Between the team, the house, the family, the legacy, the legends, the peanut gallery, the respect, the parties, the Pipe Pro and the barbecues, you’d be hard pressed not to acknowledge the presence the Volcom Stone has on the North Shore, particularly at Pipe. I mean, one of the houses was built by the one and only Gerry Lopez!

Watch the Volcom Video

So sit back, try to relax and watch the team charging some rather spectacular waves.

The Return of John John Florence – Watch “Space”

John John Florence is back, sort of…

Surf fans around the planet had been languishing in the hopes that the prodigal son of surfing would return soon. The good news is that he has, if even just hy releasing some unseen footage. John John Florence is still injured, though rumors are rife we will see his return for Europe.

What makes him so good?

It was only when I started watching, Space, that I realised how much I had missed watching Mr Florence surf. He brings a certain wild freedom to the tour, a sense of abandon and noir that no other surf does. The video is dramatic, but it should be. John John’s surfing is dramatic, while at the same time incredibly relaxed. Simply put, the “Championship” tour has not quite been the same without him.

Watch “Space” Now

Watch John John Florence at his best right now, right here:

Space from John John Florence on Vimeo.

Made by Parallalel Sea – John John’s production company.

Distance Between Dreams – New Ian Walsh Film

I met Ian Walsh a few years back in Cape Town. He was out for the Dungeons event and ended up on a few missions with myself and the local crew. He struck me as such a nice guy, very relaxed and always keen for a good time. In the interim, he has become one of the leading big wave chargers and on the mega swells at jaws, he is always a standout. I can wait to see his film!

In Distance Between Dreams, the most historic year in big wave surfing comes to life through the eyes of iconic surfer, Ian Walsh, as he sets mind and body in motion to redefine the upper limits of what’s considered ‘rideable.’ With massive El Niño powered swells building across the Pacific, Ian, Shaun, D.K. and Luke Walsh band together in a way that only brothers can to progress surfing to unimaginable heights.

Coming December 2016. http://DistanceBetweenDreams.com

Starring:
Ian Walsh
Shane Dorian
John John Florence
Greg Long
DK Walsh, Shaun Walsh & Luke Walsh

A Film By: Rob Bruce

John John versus Jordy – Surf Video Battle

Ok, so John John drops the second video in his new Twelve series with Hurley and I watch it and it blows my mind. From huge waves, to doing massive punts in big waves to surfing Pipeline, he rips it all. By the end I actually said to my mate, I wonder when Jordy Smith is going to drop a boss edit like this again and true as all hell, a few days later he drops a new web video, with some insanely progressive power surfing. Pound for pound these two videos will get you frothing for your next surf (Or maybe not frothing as you realise how far ahead these two gents are!) Either way, prepare yourself for 20 minutes of radical surfing from my two favorite surfers to watch…

Hurley Presents -Twelve– A New Series From John John Florence (2 of 7) from Alex Wang on Vimeo.

Jordy Smith in Collecting Dust. from Jordy Smith on Vimeo.

Boogie Man – Andre Botha slays monsters on the North Shore

When you meet Andre Botha, your first impression is a very quiet and almost distant person, then as you spend more time with him you realise he is not distant, simply focussed on the next heaving mass of water he plans on entombing himself in. The guy feeds off heavy water. On a long day at Donkey Bay, where everyone else is taking the 3km walk back as slow as possible, Andre spent the day running back up the point and charging right back down again. In this video he spends as much time on the foam ball in serious Hawaiian waves as possible, literally the only thing that knows the feeling he does must be the corn kernel caught in your drunken nights projectile vomit, he gets spit out that hard, that often. Its just terrifying madness and thats why he is called, the Boogie Man.

Boogie Man from Andre Botha on Vimeo.

Absolutely Flawless Pipeline – 2016 Volcom Pipe Pro Day 2

Light trade off shores, groomed lines, jumping whales and perfect pits greeted surfers on Day 2 of the Volcom Pipe Pro 2016. For those of us on the opposite end of the earth, it meant another sleepless night as we watched in awe as tube after magnificent tube were ridden. It was a truly flawless day at Pipeline with a few gems at the Backdoor. Stand out surfers were Bruce Irons, Chris Ward, Jack Robinson and of course the man who has won this event more than any other, John Florence.

In a nail biter heat, Bruce Irons (HAW) jumped from third place to first with just forty seconds left on the clock. Sitting on the Backdoor side, Irons pulled into one of the biggest right-hand barrels of the day and navigated an exit as an explosion of cheers erupted from the beach crowd. With a 9.40 score, Irons secured the heat win and a slot into Round 4.
“The conditions are as good as it gets,” said the Kauai surfer. “It’s definitely probably one of the best days of winter. Lefts, rights, 8-10 feet offshore, what more do you want?”

Carnage at Jaws – Best Wipeouts

El Nino continues to give the Pacific the best big wave run in history and Jaws continues to give some bloody big hidings! Lucky for us mere mortals, the guys at Pure Digital Maui are on site to capture the carnage! Look out for our own Safa guys, with James Taylor and Simon “Coach” Lowe getting proper pounded.

Crazy Conditions On First Day, Wed. Jan. 27, 2016, Of Recent Giant El Nino Swell With Plenty Jaws Peahi Maui Wipeouts HD. Solid heavy rising swell through the day with the biggest sets (20+ft Hawaiian) going unridden & the the biggest set of the day coming in at end of the day with no one out. http://www.facebook.com/PureDigitalMedia

Record Breaking Jaws Surf – 4k Video

On Friday the game was changed at Jaws with one of the biggest and most perfect swells ever ridden in surfing. A huge crowd of chargers took it on, with a solid crew of Safa chargers, like Josh Redman in the mix. (Check him in the video.) Aaron Gold from the North Shore is being credited with possibly the biggest wave ever paddled into. Below is the video, with no music, which is actually super rad as you get a feel for what it is like up on the cliff watching live.

Peahi Paddle Session 2016 SONY 4K, Aaron Gold Paddles Into Biggest Wave Ever Paddled Into @ Peahi. Shane Dorian & Ian Walsh Were Also Stand Outs. http://www.facebook.com/PureDigitalMedia

View from a Blue Moon – The surf movie everyone wants to watch!

Probably the most anticipated surf film in history. View from a Blue Moon is the latest project from John Florence and Blake Kueny and the talk is that it will change the game as far as surf cinema is concerned. John os one of the most electrifying surfers on the planet and he also takes his film parts very seriously. Added bonus is that a lot of SA appears in the film with both the West Coast and East coast featuring, as well as John’s SA surf guide, Frank Solomon. I for one cannot wait to see the full film.

See the sport of surfing as it’s never been captured before in John Florence and Blake Vincent Kueny’s second signature release, in association with award-winning film studio, Brain Farm. The first surf film shot entirely in 4K, View From a Blue Moon (http://ViewFromABlueMoon.com) follows the world’s most dynamic surfer John Florence and his closest friends from his home on the North Shore of Oahu to his favorite surfing destinations around the globe. From the dreamy blue perfection of the South Pacific to the darkest uncharted waters of Africa (and everywhere in between), Florence faces a broad spectrum of emotions as he continues to seal his legacy as one of the most gifted surfers ever. And while the young Hawaiian is pulled in increasingly different directions, there is no form of pressure that will keep him from his ultimate goal — to redefine what is possible in the ocean.

View From A Blue Moon will be digitally released through iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, M-Go, Vimeo On Demand, and other digital platforms as well as DVD/Blu-ray on December 1 with worldwide premieres taking place on November 11 and 12. Pre-order is available now through Vimeo On Demand and DVD/Blu-ray on http://shop.brainfarmcinema.com.

A Film By John Florence & Blake Vincent Kueny
In Association With Brain Farm
With support from Hurley and Monster Energy
Coming December 1st
http://ViewFromABlueMoon.com
#viewfromabluemoon