Mick Fanning stars in the new Stab in the Dark

Mick Fanning and a gang of Epoxy boards star in the new, Stab in the Dark.

Stab in the Dark returns!

The newly “retired” Mick Fanning stars in the latest edition of Stab in the Dark. The incredible concept, by Stab Magazine, takes one of the world’s best surfers and pairs them with unbranded surfboards from some of the world’s best shapers. This year, the shapers had to use some combination of stringerless EPS blanks, carbon fiber, and epoxy resin. Mick reckons he never surfs epoxy boards, so I am excited to see what happens.

Location, location, location

The locations are pretty hazy, though it is clear that Japan is certainly one of them. Some good looking waves in the teaser, though Mick is quite capable of making crap waves looks exceptional. It appears they got stuck in a huge typhoon too, which could make for incredible waves post storm. Previous editions of Stab in the Dark have scored really good waves, so holding thumbs for this one.

The World’s Best have taken part

Previous editions have featured some of the world’s best, such as Jordy Smith, Dane Reynolds and Julian Wilson. One of my favourite moments was when Jordy loved a board shaped by his old man, unknowingly, the now famous 44. (A board I have and love.) That is what makes the concept so cool, that they only find out who shaped which board right at the end. So enjoy the teaser…

Ain’t No Wave Pool – Mick Fanning and the perfect Right

We all knew it was out there, the perfect right hander just off the beach, running for ever. It had to be, the ying to Skeleton Bay’s Yang. Well here it is, with 3 time World Champ, Mick Fanning sampling it. Make no mistake, my experience of Namibia tells me this wave is way more heavy and difficult than it appears, but hell, at least its warm water. Certainly this wave just went number 1 on my destination list! Is it in Africa, Mexico or somewhere even more off the radar?

What if I told you there was an unknown sand-bottom right that is five kilometres long, breaks 20 metres off the beach, holds six foot of swell and has only been surfed by four people on the entire planet?

Would you believe me?

What if good-ol’-having-a-year-off-Mick Fanning was one of those surfers, and he told you that this wave had him haulin’ arse like an F1 driver down a strip of sand that never seemed to end.

Would you believe him?

– – –

This ain’t no fucking wave pool! This is the real world. This is The Snake.

Surfing at 1000 Frames per second – Chris Bryan

This guy is me hero! The angles he gets with a Phantom Camera, shooting 1000 frames, defy belief. If you watch anything this month, let it be this.

“I luv shooting Surfing more than anything, its not just a job, its a passion. Heres some of my favourite moments from 2016.” Chris Bryan

SURFING @ 1000 FRAMES PER SECOND 2016 from Chris Bryan on Vimeo.

Surfers in order of appearance:
Screen Shot: Anthony Walsh
Opening shot: Koa Rothman
Koa Rothman
Luke Davis
Craig Anderson
Albee Layer
Jeremy Flores
Cyclops (empty wave)
Chris Ross
Mick Fanning x 2
Laurie Towner
Matt Meola x 3
Taj Burrow x 3
John Florence x 3
Kolohe Andino
John Florence x 2
Dan Ryan (Closing shot)

2015 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Preview

We always get excited about Bells. The iconic event seems to deliver those magic moments that create legends and start World Title campaigns. The bad news is, the forecast this year is looking pretty dismal. You can almost guarantee that Day 1 will be surfed and then the long wait will begin. In fact we may see alternate venues come into play and that may well change up how your Fantasy Pick go. One pick I have for sure, Jordy Smith. He was looking in great form at Snapper till he got skunked by waves and if you remember back to small Bells last year he was killing it, till the robbery against Julian Wilson. Check the video below and relive the horror of Jordy not getting the score. I am pretty sure this footage still haunts Richie Porter late at night… (Jordy has the package, we know about the turns, but don’t forget the air game, as seen above.)

Filipe Toledo was in sublime form at Snapper and you can bet with a small wave forecast for Bells he will be deadly. Mick Fanning is another guy worth watching. Wildcard, MAson Ho, is one hell of a surfer and could just surprise some of the big seeds. Ok, thats me preview, now you go select your own team.

Tom Curren talks Style, Competitive Surfing and Jbay

The man is a legend! He redefined performance at Supertubes on his first wave ever at the point and when he paddled out for his ASP Heritage heat against Occy, he showed the World once again how good he is. Arcing turns, drawn out bottom turns and a perfect ten tube ride. It was a huge privilege to get to interview the man who inspired me to surf Jbay as a grom. His thoughts on surfing Jbay and what he thinks of Owen Wright, Matt Wilko, Joel Parkinson and of course Mick Fanning may just change your views on these surfers. So sit back, relax and listen to the master…

(Photo: Billy Ackerman – https://www.facebook.com/billy.ackerman)

Incredible Final Day at the Jbay Open

The ASP and the World can rejoice once more! Jbay is back and as usual delivered one of the best days of surfing on tour for the Finals. Even the Goofy footers can rejoice, though two naturals in the final, the semi final runs of both Matt Wilko and Owen Wright were incredible, with Wilko especially showing new levels of commitment never before seen at the famous point of Supertubes. In the end Parko was in sublime form to to beat Wilko in their semi final, but it took all his energy and he lost momentum going into the final. Mick Fanning on the other hand was surgical in his destruction of the Supertubes waves and once again showed how high his level of fitness is, cruising the final to take the win. Another highlight of the day was watching Occy and Tom Curren have a crack at the massive walls of water running down the point, with Tom getting the deepest tube of the day. The beach was more packed than ever before, I am sure the webcast numbers were huge and everyone is super stoked that Jbay is back on tour.

The Calm Before the Storm – Jbay Open Final Day Preview

It seems pretty calm on the beach at Supertubes. The sun is out, there are small perfect waves flaring down the point and there is a sense of anticipation building as the forecasted swell should arrive for Saturday. Take a look at what went down in Round 4 and I preview the 3 guys, Taj Burrow, CJ Hobgood and Freddy Patacchia, that should be super deadly if the waves go 8-10ft.

Upsets, Tears and Goofy Footed Domination at the Jbay Pro Day 3

Just look at the bemused smile on CJ Hobgood’s face after knocking out the favorite, Jordy Smith. CJ must have been wondering how he did it, but I can tell you how, he stuck to the gameplan. Jordy wanted to impress his home crowd so much he tried too hard and ultimately it hurt him. Going for the massive layback snap and going down, all he had to do was 3 more average turns and he would have got the middling 6 points he was after. The crowd sighed in disbelief and CJ was left smiling on the beach wondering how he pulled off such an incredible win against the odds.

Another Goofy who put it to the odds was in form surfer, Matt Wilko, not only beating Kelly Slater in their Round 3 match up, but putting the King in combo land. I don’t think many people called that one. Josh Kerr, Taj Burrows, Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson stuck to the Jbay script and dominated their encounters. One more upset was on the cards though, as Alejo Muniz took out World Number 2, Michel Bourez.

There was great surfing and we are now ready for Round 5 and the final day of surfing. Hopefully the swell forecasted for the weekend arrives.

Jordy Smith schools the Pro Tour on Day 1 at the Jbay Open

Thats right, Jordy Smith schooled the pro tour! Two high 9’s in 4 minutes, then snapped a leash and did the run around, while the poor goofy footers in his heat anxiously tried to compete while in combo land. Jordy popped back into the lineup and promptly caught the wave of the day, absolutely destroyed it and got a perfect 10. He clearly wants to defend his title at Jbay.

Other standouts living in Jordy’s rather large shadow, were Josh Kerr ripping and pulling the first Kerupt Flip at Jbay, Kai Otton with one of the best tubes of the day taking out Parko and Mick Fanning. Local wildcard, Dylan Lightfoot surfed super well against Kelly Slater in Round 1 and Gabriel Medina in Round 2. He did not get through, but certainly did not embarrass himself either. The experience of surfing against these guys will have been an invaluable learning experience for the young man.

WIN A R3000 Hurricane Surf Accessories pack by predicting the winner of the Jbay Open.
TO WIN CLICK HERE & follow the instructions on the picture.

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Preview 2014

I have to admit it, I am having a shocker on Fantasy Surfer so far this year. The really funny thing, is that I have not being going with my own advice and picks in these previews and of course I have been getting it right. So, for Bells I am going with my gut and this here preview.

First off, congrats to the Spartan! Michel Bourez deserves an ASP win and I even reckon he could be a World Champ! He kicked ass in West Oz with his patented forehand power hacks and heading for Bells Beach he must be one of the favorites for the event win. The man is on a roll! Another guy picking up momentum and showing some serious power in the West, was Jordy Smith. He had a shocker at Snapper, but in West Oz he was looking his mature best and you know he loves Bells. Huge power carves and a big air game will make the Saffa powerhouse a danger man. Making the finals last year and in my opinion unlucky to lose, was Nat Young. The guys backhand was crafted by the big guy in the sky for perfect right hand points and Bells will be happy to see him. The duo of Taj Burrows and Josh Kerr, both looking solid so far this year will also be worth looking at if you don’t want to splash out on your Fantasy Budget on Mick, Joel or Kelly.

In the lower tiers you might want to keep an eye on Bede Durbidge, who came out of nowhere in West Oz to make a run to the Semis. I got to say I like Travis Logie if the waves are small at Bells and you know Toledo will be a danger man for sure. Keep an eye on the wildcard from bells, Cahill Bell-Warren, who put in some big scores to win the trials.

As with any event you don’t want to ignore Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning or Joel Parkinson. That would be simply foolish…

If you wondering why you are not seeing the ASP teaser video below, its because the “New” ASP dont want to share their content with us mere mortals who blog their tour and thus you get a great video from Rip Curl instead.