OUTSIDE CORNER SURF SHOP
BILLABONG • RVCA • VISSLA
VOLCOM • SISSTREVOLUTION
OCEAN SOUL • LILI KOI
BLOOD+BONE • BALIANAS
INDOSOLE • MUNDAKA
LIIVE • FCS • FK SURF • SUNTIME
SOLEI • SALTY CREW • STAYCOOL
NETWORK SURF • DOOPA • EUNOIA
KATIAK • STICKYBUMPS
SURFMUD • SIX SCENTS
IG : outsidecorner.bali.
Website : www.outsidecorner.co
Address : Jalan Labuansait No.89A
Uluwatu - Bali
SURFTIME INSPIRATION # 135
GREAT WRITERS AND THE SEA
“The sea is everything. It covers seven tenths of the terrestrial globe. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert, where man is never lonely, for he feels life stirring on all sides. The sea is only the embodiment of a supernatural and wonderful existence. It is nothing but love and emotion; it is the Living Infinite. The sea does not belong to despots. Upon its surface men can instill unjust laws, fight and tear on another to pieces and be carried away with terrestrial horrors. But at below its surface, their reign ceases. Their influence is quenched. Their power disappears. Oh sir, Live, lie in the bosom of the waters. There is only independence. There I am free”.
― Jules Verne, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
COVER: Bronson Meydi has earned the pride of Indonesia with his World Junior Championship title. It is up to him now to follow Rio Waida’s sterling example and lead a new generation into the future. Hopefully, this is only the beginning of a new era of Indonesian world class talent. Photography by Pete Frieden
Bronson Meydi, World Junior Champion. Photography by Pete Frieden
Three stages of maturity as Bronson throws his weight around on the Eastside. Photography by Pete Frieden
Despite Bronson Meydi having just won his historic World Junior Title, he has been carrying around the label of Indonesia’s “next big thing” or “the future of ” for years now. Growing up with front row access to Sumbawa’s world-class waves combined with unique talent and athleticism certainly helps, but it is no guarantee. It takes a life changing event to make it to the goal line. Enter Rizal Tandjung, who, taking a pre-teen Bronson under his wing provided just that. “Aside from being a great surfer, Bronson has always been considered a member of our family,” Says Rizal. The Tandjung clan had adopted Meydi in 2008 and brought him to Bali. “My oldest son Varun and Bronson always try to push each other in and out of the water and I love to film the boys surfing these days as it is like a mini pro junior contest whenever they surf together. But they are also best friends and are like brothers. I think this family stability creates opportunity for all progressive young surfers”
Today, at 19 years old, Bronson’s no longer a grom and like so many who do not, he appears to have grown into the reputation and proven to his believers that he is indeed the real deal. . His style and poise stand out in big barreling waves as much as his consistency and creativity with inverted aerials in smaller surf. He’s working on the total package and it’s always exciting to see young talent turn into a standout surfer as an adult. As was witnessed at the recent WSL Abu Dhabi Wave Pool Championship Tour event, Bronson’s first. His debut for a wildcard was spectacular when you think he was the darling of the warmup sessions and that in his first heat he kept the pressure on former World Champion Italo Ferreira and missed defeating him by 1.70 points. In the end Bronson’s performance was considered a shot across the bow to the top pro’s. Even another former world champion, Felipe Toledo was heard saying “That kid surfs like me”.
It was the whiplash speed and control of his aerials that won the day at the World Titles. Keramas being the perfect training ground leading up to the triumph. Bronson Meydi, breaking the sound barrier at a break that is synonymous with his name.
Photography by Antonio Vargas
The thing is, Meydi didn’t grab all of this attention just because he’s been winning contests since childhood. He’s been turning the heads of everybody who visits Indonesia for years now with his free sessions. Slater, Fanning, or just about any of the world’s most famous competitive surfers know Meydi well from their visits and have taken notice of his ability, which says a lot of the young Indonesian. “He’s a real talent” Says three time world Champion Mick Fanning, “And I should know one when I see one”.
“In the beginning, when we wanted to bring Bronson over from Sumbawa, I talked to his mom and his dad for a long time. And first of all on our mind, it was because I saw the potential of Bronson to come to Bali and to get educated here in better schools. It wasn’t just about trophies, it was about maximizing his potential” Says Rizal of the decision to take Meydi under his wing all those years ago. “His parents agreed that a talent like Bronson needs to get out of Lakey Peak for more opportunities to present themselves”.
When it comes to the importance of a media presence, most surfers spend months and sometimes even years collecting clips. Not Bronson. “Bronson is next level,” says Max DeSantis, a local Bali filmmaker who has been working with Bronson for some time. “We get so many clips so fast that would be A+ for any other surfer, and we didn’t even think to use them. It’s crazy, I honestly think Bronson could film five edits in five months. He’s that good. Bronson is one of the most progressive surfers in the world right now. It’s as though someone is controlling him with a PlayStation while playing Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer video game.
Clearly, it’s not a matter of if, but when Meydi will join Rio Waida as the second surfer from Indonesia to qualify for the Championship Tour. Still, a massive test looms in the future. The grinding proccess of qualifying for the CT through the Qualifying Series has eaten surfers alive more than once. But as Rizal has oberved, “Bronson burns with heaven’s fire, and I believe he’s gonna give ‘em all hell”. For Indonesia and Bronson, fingers crossed, may it be so.
Left: “I think this family stability we created is made for opportunity for all progressive young surfers” - Rizal TandjungPhotography by Pete Frieden
Right: Sinar Tandjung and Bronson Meydi. Early days. Photo: Tandjung Archives
“He’s a real talent” Says three time world Champion Mick Fanning, “And I should know one when I see one”. Bronson Meydi, flying and poised to take the next step on the qualifying series. Photography by Pete Frieden
TEAM PLAYERS: TIME
WELL SPENT WITH THE ISLAND BREWING TEAM
Assembling a surf team for a company that doesn’t sell surf products takes knowing how to find a balance between super cool and super talented. Island Brewing hit the jackpot with Bruno Santos. Here reveling in the proof as one of the heaviest barrel rider reputations on earth. Photography by Leo Neves
Because at sunset, after that first cold gulp after a long day of surfing with friends, the history of beer feels as important to surfing as the waves themselves. Ok, maybe not that important, but it’s undeniable that the stuff is entwined with the history of surfing. And human civilization when you really think about it. Some anthropologists believe that man moved away from a hunter–gatherer existence to a settled agriculture-based existence largely to grow enough grain to brew large amounts of beer. This appears to be unproven to non-drinkers, but the thought that beer would have been a powerful motivation to Neolithic humans would be no surprise. Virtually the entire animal kingdom, from insects to elephants, from fruit bats to monkeys, shows a clear predilection for the consumption of booze. It is reasonable to believe that we and other animals evolved according to advantages alcoholic beverages can confer. Fruit, when ripe, gives off an alluring scent that tells animals and humans that it is full of sugar and ready to eat. Ripe fruit can become quite alcoholic when natural yeasts begin to consume the sugars. Animals get the benefit of the food value of the fruit, but undoubtedly also find a value in the physiological effects of
consuming alcohol or they wouldn’t do it. Just like humans. One of the great turning points for ancient humanity was the discovery of a method by which sugar could actually be created and fermented into alcohol in the absence of honey or fruit. This technique was the start of what we now call brewing. Thank heavens.
As best as man is able to determine, brewing emerged more than 5,000 years ago in the grasslands of southern Babylonia, between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Rich alluvial soils supported wild grain plants, and the people there gathered them for food and to make beer. How was the discovery made? Grain left out in the rain will sprout, starting the malting process and developing enzymes inside the seeds. Someone coming upon a sprouting grain store probably went to make bread out of the grain before all of the nutritious starch was lost to the growing plants. Upon heating, the starches, now full of enzymes, liquefied into sugars. And once people had sugars, they knew what to do with them and Oktoberfests and the like were born.
In another match made in heaven for Island Brewing sponsorship, Betet “Da Guy” Merta’s reputation for being the most connected “guide to the stars” on Bali, combined with a perennial talent that just won’t quit, makes perfect sense. Betet. Keramas. Repeat. Photography by Pete Frieden
So then the Sumerians settled upon the plains, creating a civilization, the world’s first, in Lower Mesopotamia. They began to grow the grains, making them into a form of bread called bappir. In the oldest written recipe known to archeologists, they praised the goddess Ninkasi, whose name means “lady who fills the mouth.” Brewer to the gods, Ninkasi taught mankind to make beer too, which they called kas. In a hymn to the goddess, they described her as “the one who waters the malt set on the ground … you are the one who bakes the bappir-malt in the great oven…. You are the one who soaks the malt in a jar … the waves rise, the waves fall.” (Therefore creating the first surfing reference in beer history).
Finally Ninkasi is the one who “pours the fragrant beer in the lahtanvessel, which is like the Tigris and Euphrates joined.” Those are rivers by the way. Rivers of water, not beer, as sad as that is. Anyway, the resulting
sugary bread was soaked in water, spontaneously fermented, and then strained. And so beer became part of the day-to-day life of mankind. Beer was healthy, pleasantly mood-altering, and full of nutrients and calories, and to obtain it, people created settled agriculture. At Godin Tepe, in the Zagros Mountains of modern Iran, the evidence remains. Shards of pottery from the Sumerian era are studded with calcium oxalate, a deposit from grain also known as “beer stone.” The Sumerian written character for beer is a pictogram of a type of jar, wide at the base and narrowing at the neck. Any homebrewer today would recognize it. And come to think of it, so should most surfers, considering what it means to us. So enough with the history lesson, get out there and make some history yourself. Surfing history, we mean, not beer. As history has proved, there’ll always be plenty of beer around.
In the spiritual division, it was savvy move to call on Mega Semadhi to the brand. Bringing class, warmth and island belonging was a sincere move to capture an ambassador of the modern Balinese way of surfing life. Mega, as always, be it wave or celebration, maintaining the joy within the storm on Lombok. Photography by Pete Frieden
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world class talent, this guy fully represents the sincere alternative Canguu groove. Accomplished on any craft, here he gets involved with one of our a black sand beachbreaks to the north. Photography by Simon Dobby
Frieden ' s Bangko Bangko Takedown
"The most fundamental kind of love, which underlies all types of love, is brotherly love. The sense of responsibility, care and respect, for the life of that other human being who is part you, and the wish, no matter the strife, to further his life."
—Erich
Fromm, German social psychologist and psychoanalyst, 1900-1980
There are many reckoned forces in this world. Many things we do not understand. There are many things we take for granted. One such thing is brotherly love, a love that helps to keep our lives intact. There isn’t anything stronger than love in this world. But brotherly love stands as a whole different type of love. Through the ages, mystics, sages, singers and poets have all
RYUKI Waida
expressed the ballad and call to love. As humans, we have searched endlessly for the experience of love through the outer senses. Great nations have come and gone under the guise of love for their people. Religions have flourished and perished while claiming the true path to love. And so, we, the people of this planet, may have missed the simplicity of love. One of the most important qualities of brotherly love is the fact that despite what has happened in life so far, each brother looks past all the bad and still shares an unbreakable bond. Each are willing to drop whatever they are doing to help the other when they are in need. This inseparable bond created between two people that show the very qualities of being Human .That is how brotherly love works. Brotherly love is based on the concept that the both of you are one.
RIO Waida
There’s that thing about the Waida Brothers. That mutual respect. And that they are both tremendously physically fit. The direct result of straight up discipline. And though brother Rio is on the CT, Ryuki too casts his own shadow and is usually found on the biggest sets. Here Ryuki is found setting up the wave of the day at Desert Point.
RYUKI
Backside and frontside, with both brothers possessing world class abilities and style, whenever the Waida brothers surf together there are sure to be both spectators and fireworks. Especially in long, perfect lefthand waves. And watching them go head to head in back to back waves is always a thrill. Ryuki and Rio, here at Bangko Bangko, entertaining the boys in the channel.
RYUKI
RIO
There is always that aura that surrounds a WCT surfer when he is out in a free session with civilians. A sort of unspoken feeling of spectacle every time the hero takes off. Part expectation, part envy and all respect, witnessing Rio do his thing at Desert Point is always an unforgettable experience. Don’t call it training, just call it hardcore surfing talent at work.
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
Jasper Glossop, 12yrs
Homegrounds: Padma Beach
Surftime call: Jasper has been surfing since age 3, so by the time he hit Padang Padang at 8 years old he already had 5 years of hardcore surfing under his belt. And it shows in how seriously he takes barrels on. Helmet firmly in place, this 12-year-old kid draws lines as daring as anyone in the crowded line-up of our premiere wave on Bali. And he loves it the bigger the better. Just think what this courageous kid is going to be doing by the time he’s 16. Outrageous.
Photography by Eze Zaccardi
Darma Wisesa, 12 yrs
Homegrounds: Legian Beach
Surftime Call: This young man can be seen on any day whipping his aerials around like his board is glued to his feet. Taking a risky, almost dangerous approach to every wave he rides, Darma is the kind of surfer that just exudes progression mixed with passion. If he stays focused and on those Sharpeye boards, the sky is the limit if he wants to follow Bronson and Rio into the big time.
Photography by Antonio Vargas
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
Kai Gutierrez, 12 yrs
Homegrounds: Berawa Beach
Surftime Call: The style that Kai employs is that rare combination of classic and new. His folded tube stance feels like a phone call from an old friend combined with the razor-sharp lines of any WCT surfer. Heaven only knows where he got this eye pleasing style, but when he applies his modern power to it, it is a joy to witness. The kind of surfer guys like to watch as they paddle back out into the line-up. And man, that is really saying something.
Photography by Federico Vanno Liquid Barrel
Homegrounds:
Surftime Call: Kya is the best young female surfer in Indonesia. Anyone that his witnessed her power surfing in big Mentawai lefts or super-secret heavy rights in Sumbawa, knows that the WCT is in her future if she wants it. Powerful, composed and mature on the face of a wave, with the right support and a hungry desire within, this young lady has what it takes. The only question is, will she take it?
Kya Heuer, 15 yrs
Kandui Lefts
Photography by Def Mentawai
Homegrounds: Kuta Beach
Surftime Call: What is most appealing about Nala is her intelligent approach to the wave. As if, on take-off, she has already decided what she is going to do with what the entire wave is going to do. And the fact that she surfs as if no one is watching, seemingly interested in no one’s opinion of her surfing other than her own, makes her an unpredictable and exciting surfer to consider. Watching her develop into her adult power is going to impossible not to pay attention to.
Nala Rabik, 15yrs
Photography by Antonio Vargas
Imari Hearn, 16 yrs
Homegrounds: Uluwatu
Surftime call: Imari has been impressive for years, growing in strength and power. But one can never help but notice the glee she always brings to her surfing. Even when facing competition in hammering Lagundri Bay as she is pictured here. Commitment seems to her hallmark. That and her ability to bring grace to the face of any wave she surfs by bringing an undeniable joy to the act.
Photography by Tim Hain
The sheer numbers of unknown talent in the water during peak season, even if the waves are small, can be intimidating to the first time visitor. Here an unknown soldier lays it down and off the
charts at Rocky Point.
PALADINO PORTFOLIO
Erin Brooks with board and body paralleling the hues of the North Shore’s late afternoons.
Cam Richards opting for flight above the Ehukai Sandbar.
Contest or no, the competition in the water forces wild performances on every wave. Finn McGill raising the bar at small backdoor.
The power and speed of the waves of North Shore can leave you hanging in places you just don’t belong.
A long way from his Moroccan home, Ramzi Boukhiam temporarily paints the sky.
With it’s narrow, private beachfront, the North Shore is not conducive to spectators. But those that live there bear witness to the finest surfing in the world. Jackson Bunch in a golden Ballet at evening Pupukea.
HAVANA BLUES:
A stream of consciousness about a Cuban surf trip gone by
Photography by Dylan Lucas Gordon • Words by Jared Mell
HAVANA BLUES:
Cuban cigars, checkers and chess. Her laughter, a melody against the back drop of Havana’s crumbling facades, echoed in my mind. The sea’s salt mingled with diesel fumes from vintage cars. Sweat trickled down my neck as I sipped a cold beer waiting for the others to arrive. Cuba, “Patria o Muerte, Venceremos”. Homeland or death, we will win.
The locals watched with curious eyes, their faces etched with stories of revolution and resilience. Old men played dominoes under the shade of ceiba trees, their cigars casting spirals of smoke into the humid air. Children laughed, splashing in the shallows, their joy untainted by the island’s scars.
We loaded up the old Chevy bus. No expectations, most of us had never met each other before. The driver looked like had been left behind from the Soviet Union. With the potential of surf with over 3,000 miles of coastline we headed off.
The surf was fickle, waves rising and falling with the moon’s whim. Some days, the ocean lay still, a mirror reflecting our restlessness. Other times, it roared to life, challenging us to ride its wild, untamed energy. Wiping out, tumbling beneath the surface, I felt both the ocean’s wrath and its embrace, a baptism in turquoise depths.
HAVANA BLUES:
An evening, a power outage plunging the city into darkness. We gathered around a bonfire on the beach, the flames dancing in her eyes as she spoke of dreams and distant shores. The taste of salt on her lips, mingled with the sweetness of stolen mangoes, lingered long after the embers died.
Venturing into the city’s heart, where music spilled from every doorway. The strum of guitars, the beat of drums and the soulful wail of trumpets created a symphony of life. In dimly lit bars, we danced with strangers who became friends, our bodies moving to the rhythm of salsa, our spirits lifted by rum and revelry.
An afternoon, a sudden downpour trapped us in a small café. The rain hammered the corrugated roof, creating a cacophony that drowned our words. We sat in comfortable silence, the storm outside mirroring the tempest within, as we pondered the transient nature of our journey.
As days blurred into nights, the line between reality and dream faded. The island’s magic seeped into our consciousness, its history becoming part of our narrative. We spoke of Che and Hemingway, of revolutions fought and stories penned, feeling the weight of their legacies in the humid air.
Leaving Cuba was like waking from a vivid dream, the memories lingering like the aftertaste of strong coffee. The scent of the sea, the warmth of her touch, the rhythm of the island’s heartbeat—all etched into the fabric of my being. The journey ended, but its essence remained, a reminder of a place where time stands still, and life is painted in bold, unfiltered strokes.
From the archives of Pete Frieden comes the proof that radical surfing is nothing new. As a matter of fact, very few surfers on earth can even hope to reach these zenith performance instants from our glorious past. Go ahead, go on…you try it.
Kelly Slater, Jeffries Baai, Suid Afrika.
Andy Irons, Silabu Bay, Indonesia.
Cory Lopez, Rocky Point, United States.
Bruce Irons, Capbreton, France.
Tom Curren, Jeffries Baai, Suid Afrika.
Darryl “Flea” Virostko, Kāneʻohe Waimea, United States.
Mikala Jones, Keramas, Indonesia.
Shane Dorian, Off-the-wall, United States.
Photography by Oneill • Text by Matt George
On his latest sojourn through Bali, freesurfer Ian Crane took the time to sit down with me and talk about love, the importance of the final Snapt movie, Caity Simmer’s cosmic connection and what it means to be a freesurfer in the modern age.
IAN CRANE On Snapt5: “I came to Bali to film for the new Snapt5 movie and to see all the friends I have made over the years here. Surfing on the Eastside of the island is where I got my best clips. This time of year, that’s where it’s at in Bali. I put in a good dent in what I need for a killer section. I have been in the last two Snapt movies. But they haven’t been my best showings. This year I want to show my absolute best. The Snapt project is really prestigious for me. For everyone I reckon. I think it’s a collection of the best singular waves that have been ridden in the world right now. And Chucky (Logan “Chucky” Dulian, the creator of the Snapt series) is claiming that this is the last chapter. The last one. So yeah, to be a part of it is really important to me. Everybody is really hustling super hard to be in it. It’s like being the world championship of surfing’s greatest hits. To be in Snapt5 is an achievement. Global Top Gun sh*t. And I’m all in”.
On Authenticity: “On a scale of one to ten, I think that the projects and clips I do show the real me at about a scale of seven. That’s pretty good. You gotta balance the real deal with your private life. But the surfing? That is all me. I love surfing so much and I am proud of my natural enthusiasm and I think really shines through”.
On the best part of being a freesurfer: “I don’t know if I can pinpoint it but I love the traveling and seeing places for what they are and experiencing the waves and food and fun and the people and the connections with the universe. A lot of the time you get the waves as good as they get and you really don’t wanna go back, but then you go someplace and its average and then that’s when you meet cool people. And it turns into the best trip on earth. Something special. Falling in love with a place like Bali, stuff like that. What I love the most about what I do is to get to connect with these places. Adventure or disaster. It’s all the life I chose”.
On the meaning of self-promotions: “The hard thing to show in clips are the things you emotionally appreciate the most in life. How do you do that in a movie without boring people with an interview they are just going to fast forward past or narration that they just turn down and put on some shitty music over. It’s a tough thing to express in today’s world, the meaning of it all. There is no patience for it, no interest in it. And they certainly don’t want to watch some guy making a statement twice. Fast forward for sure. When on the other hand if you just a have a bunch of bangers and throw in some fast music, they will watch it a hundred times. Displaying meaning is almost impossible today. But inspiring people to rip is easy. And you live with that”.
On Exploitation: “I really, really don’t want to exploit the places I go. I just wire the clips to more showcase my surfing and fulfil my professional obligations and personal goals. There’s nothing wrong in that. So, blowing a place up? I do my best not to. And I work with like-minded people on that issue. I mean, why ruin it? Go get your own. I just get so cringed out when I see people blogging and blowing out spots and places and people. And not actually connecting with the people and places that they are just raping and pillaging for likes. I don’t want to be that guy. But it’s such a fine line. That’s the work that I am in, documenting surfing and showing off beautiful places in the world. But I mean who wants to be the downfall of anything? It’s almost impossible not to, but I know I try harder than most”.
On Maps to Nowhere: “Maps to nowhere is the coolest thing you can do in surfing. Just going way out of your way to see if you can find what we dream of. See if its real. Try to pin point the day and show up to some secret wave based on a hunch and there is no one around. It’s as cool a concept as there is in surfing. Those are the trips that you are just oh my god, I can’t believe I am here and it’s weird because I wouldn’t be here unless I was a pro surfer and this is my job. But it feels like writing my own book. Or making a time capsule of the coolest sh*t I will ever do in my life”.
On his own surfing: “I try to achieve power. How hard I can push everything. How high I can go. F*cking hit sh*t hard and carve stuff and turn as hard as I can. But it all has to flow or it looks too forced. You know, I have surf trip boards that I stash away for great surf trips only. Mostly high performance shortboards. Super refined. Also, a lot of alternative boards, anything Matt Biolos comes up with. He always has a steady flow of new ideas and models and I am lucky enough to have been with those LOST guys forever. And I am a willing crash test dummy. It’s a perfect arrangement. And I stay on top of the technology in surfing too. Materials are just as big a part of boards as the shapes are. You have to stay on top of all the latest glassing and ideas. All kinds of gismos and gadgets and glassing that I love. So, I am lucky to have a giant quiver. But even if I wasn’t a pro, I would make sure having a lot of boards was a priority. That keeps you fresh and creative.
And I like to think of myself as a creative human. That really helps when it comes to having fun in the water, that creativity. Because I don’t worry about contests, I am unconfined. Like being out of jail when it comes to creativity and travel and board selection. The fun is in those extra sensations, and not the same six-foot thruster every time. You need that unpredictability of life. And your boards should be part of that”.
On Longboards: “I ride longboards when I feel like it. That’s something I love about a big board, a longboard, it’s a re-start. Tiny waves, it’s just so much fun to feel that original slide that tuned you into being a lifelong surfer in the first place. Why so serious all the time? Feel it, man. It’s a break from just trying to rip your face off and surf as hard as possible. Bare minimum of just riding a wave That downtime fun. Because paddling out on a short board doesn’t always make you feel better. Try it sometime, you’ll see”.
On Sponsor pressure: “The clock is always ticking. How do I get to the next contract that keeps me living this incredible life of freedom and excitement and love? Those are big goals I have achieved; now how do I keep them? Freesurfing is content. Content is our currency. If you are not producing content then there is no exchange of currency with your sponsors. Which is funny. It’s sort of like doing taxes. Add it up at the end of the year and hope you get a rebate. And let’s face it, we are salesman. Like everybody hates to think about being a salesman, but as free as we freesurfers are, we either inspire people to buy our sponsors product or we don’t’ get the commission. But being a salesman doesn’t mean you have to be an asshole. I think the key is to stay authentic as possible. It’s a business and you are the business. Your abilities and your way of getting things done. I mean, let’s face it, it is a day job. It’s just an incredible day job. Right now, I am making creative, hard ripping surf movies. Tomorrow will take care of itself and take care of the sponsors. For now. I don’t want to put time stamp on it. I am just going hard as long as I can. I mean…look at Kelly”.
On Caity Simmers: “I first met Caity in Oceanside. Now there is a true surfer. Head to toe. And those Maps to Nowhere sessions she had with Soli Bailey in those barrels was one of those magic times in surf history. It’s just iconic sh*t for women everywhere. The best female surfing ever and that is going to be forever. I guarantee you that iconic sh*t happens when these waves come from thousands of miles away and they are full of energy and then when a surfer gets on the face of them there is mutual shared energy that transforms them both. Guaranteed. So, think of this energy exchange when Caity rode those barrels the way she did. I guarantee you that without surfing those waves she would never have become world champion. That most incredible performance ever by a woman, that opportunity that the ocean gave her and that she shared with it…that energy they shared… and she rolls out of that with all that energy and then she puts on the best show ever at Pipeline and wins that and all this energy is what led to her being a world champion. One she shared those incredible waves with the Ocean, and rode them the way she did and absorbed all that positive, incredible performance energy, a world title was inevitable”.
On Being in Love: “For most it takes courage to admit you’re in love, but it’s easy for me. Being in love is fantastic. I am getting married to my girl. But it’s more than that. I mean, she is my home. If she was with me right here and now in Bali? I wouldn’t need to go home. She is the base camp for all my adventures. And now that we are getting married, the adventures are ours. Now that I am engaged, yah, its big life change. But I don’t think it’s a big surf change. I think it’s even more motivating to surf better and stronger and make my woman proud. The power of love, man, bring it on. I think it makes you better surfer. But I know it makes you a better human, for sure”.
On the Future of Freesurfing: “It’s all about how to stay valid and authentic and stay valuable. Like Kai Lenny and Mason Ho. That is really their authentic self. Whatever lane they are in they made that themselves with themselves. So naturally themselves. So, ya, authenticity and truth are the best way to go. We can all spot a fake. So, for freesurfer’s it’s more about finding yourself, I guess. And being who you are without having to defeat anybody else. That’s the future right there, at least I hope it is. Freesurfing is certainly not an easy career path, but if you can pull it off while remaining true to yourself and put that out there, well then…you’re the man”.
SURFING’S GREATEST CONVERSATIONS: DARREN HANDLEY
The man behind DHD surfboards talks designing for world champs, why Stephanie Gilmore is the greatest surfer in the world and why it feels so good to hold the Australian men’s 100 meter track record year after year.
By Matt George
What was the the greatest surfboard ever made?
The first thing that comes to my mind is the Simon Anderson board that he made for Kelly Slater that Kelly won so many events on. Simon could never repeat that board, after like thirty attempts, no matter how hard he tried. And why that is relevant is because Simon invented the thruster and changed the performance forever and so did Kelly on that board. Kelly won so many events on that board and I was with Simon alot during those times and I would see Simon trying to duplicate it, but there was something about that one board, that single board, that you just could not copy. Like something was stopping it from being copied. It was that handmade and I reckon it had a magic in it that made it a once in a lifetime board.
Who is the the greatest surfer in the world?
Sometimes it’s hard for me to go past Stephanie Gilmore. I have known her from such a young age and her heart is so pure and you know what’s she’s done for women’s surfing is unbelievable, so I am going to have to go with Stephanie Gilmore. Her style and grace you know? She’s just beautiful to watch, she surfs with such ease and flow. Just knowing what she is like as a person really reflects on what she does on a wave. That connection with the wave, that Curren Connection. You know? And that final where she got her eighth world title. One of the great achievements in competitive surfing, winning all those heats in one day, climbing up to the top. How you surf is how you are, I reckon. You know a guy like Mick Fanning worked really hard to get to his level, where Steph was just born to be the surfer she is. Born to be that specific surfer.
Who is the Greatest shaper in the world?
Who I looked up to the most, who I wanted to be, even though I only met him once and I did not know what to say and I was like a little kid in the candy store, was Al Merrick. His aura, his eye, his lines, his boards were just so much better than what I ever saw in the early days of my shaping. Just perfectly balanced boards. I just thought he was an incredible sculptor. Every chance I got I would look at one of his boards. And I just thought wow, look at the way he does that. Al Merrick for sure. And I did tell his son Britt Merrick this a couple years back and how I was nervous to even to talk to his Dad. Ha! So Britt invited me dinner with his Dad to get over it. And oh my God, back then I was just too scared. I wouldn’t know what to say. So I never did get that dinner, but if I ever get the chance again, I’ll take it. Especially now that I have a few more designs and few World Champions under my belt. I will always think he was way above everyone in that stage of the performance era, that refinement of the thruster especially for Curren and Kelly and Lisa. What a team. You know, the first question I would ask Al Merrick at dinner would be simple. What’s the secret?
Where are the the greatest waves to ride for your board designs?
I would say both the Gold Coast and Kelly Slater’s wave pools. The Gold Coast is obvious, but you know Kelly decided to design his original wave pool off Kirra point here on the Gold coast. And when I went up to Abu Dhabi to first surf his new wave pool, I was like, oh my god, this is a lot like surfing Kirra. And Kirra was the spot where I first started basing a lot of my designs on. Kirra, Snapper Rocks and Duranbah. You know, waves that have a lot of curve in the face. And that’s why I believe my boards go well on the CT because most the locations have those serious curves on the face. And its only in the last three to five years that I have started designing boards that are going better in small, more common conditions. More weaker, slower, less dramatic waves. The points here are so crowded that we chase the beach breaks now and that influences my common wave boards. So yeah, Kirra and Kelly’s.
What is greatest thing for you?
Just growing up and helping all these kids realize their dreams. Watching them become world champions on my boards. That is so rewarding. Not the boards so much as what they do for the surfers themselves. That is one thing I will take to my grave. That feeling like I achieved something very human. Human to human contact with a surfboard in between. To me growing up on the Gold Coast, first it was the waves, how good they were and how uncrowded they seemed when I was young, and now its just about helping these young people achieve and realize potential and becoming the best they could ever be. Surfing and waves and the boards we ride them on are an ultimate blessing and I reckon that’s the other greatest thing on earth.
Why is Australia the greatest surfing country?
It’s our blue water and the people that are in it. And our she’ll be right, mate philosophy. You know that whole mate-dom world. That’s what can make an Aussie, inside his heart whether he expresses it or not, both humble and proud at the same time and that is a magic place to be in your mind.
What is the greatest maneuver being done on waves today?
It’s obviously what John John and Ethan Ewing can do on a rail. How they hold it. I can really relate to that. I think the whole world does. Either that or they envy it.
What is the greatest live surfing perfomance you have ever seen?
The first thing that comes to mind is sitting on the big groin at Kirra as a kid and watching Michael Peterson’s magic. You know that there are just some places in the world where one surfer has defined the Who is the greatest master of the computer designed surfboard proplace forever and that would be Michael and Kirra. Like Gerry Lopez and Pipeline. It was just the legendary single fin surfing of a legendary surfer surfing in a legendary way.
Darren Handley, dreaming of new glide ratios while digging on the action in the water from the Uluwatu cliff. Portrait by Matt George
Despite your reputation for shaping for World Champions, who is the greatest freesurfer in the world?
Dave Rastovich. Easy. Just to study his natural flow and joy of it all. The way he articulates his surfing, the way he is water aware and moving his feet and adapting to different boards and different grooves. And the lines he creates on the face of a wave are so sincere. I think his surfing and his thoughts are that of a great teacher. And yet as good as he is, his surfing always reflects a sense of play. That play that drew us all to the waves in the first place. Bringing the joy of it all. Very cool.
What is the greatest Greatest surfing contest on earth?
It’s between Pipeline and Bells Beach. But I have won sixteen Bells titles with my surfers at Bells. So there’s that.
What is the greatest thing about your Australian National Track records?
Ha! Yeah. Ok. Well, it’s just about staying involved with my body
physically and doing it at a high level. But I also find being a champion in something is very valuable in my shaping. Because in my way I can relate to the champions I make boards for. And they have said that they can relate to me because of it. It’s not an ego trip. It’s a mutual respect trip. It works.
What is the greatest about the future of surfing
I think its gonna have to be wave pools. And the main reason being that surfing is growing in such a rapid rate that there will be even less waves than are available now. There’s already not enough to go around, which is an interesting topic that needs to be addressed sooner than later. And I would love to have Kelly’s pool in my back yard, I might become the best shaper in the world, ha! Like having an F1 track out the back. But seriously, I say wave pools in the hope that they may relieve some of the pressures of our crowded surf all over the world. And surfing could use that right about now, that pressure relief, I reckon.
Darren Handley, testing a prototype at his beloved Kirra. Photo Swilly
DHD team rider and 8 time World Champion Stephanie Gilmore gathering feedback in Sumatra. Photography by Pete Frieden
COMMITMENT
DEVOTION
INTENT
AWARENESS
Previous Spread: On any given day the locals at Keramas can blow your mind. It’s all a matter of just how much they want to. Mustofa Jackson, hammering home the point at Keramas.
Photography by Pete Frieden
This Page: Despite its name and its treacherous shallows, Nusa Lembongan’s Lacerations can still take on a fun vibe on a small day. Especially when there is a tourist raft providing a front row seat for local performances. Perennial standout Agus Frimanto playing it up at his homegrounds of our sister island.
Photography by Agustin Elejalde
COMMITMENT
DEVOTION
INTENT
AWARENESS
Previous Spread: Two aspects of the wild aerials being done these days as interpreted by two of our best locals on the island. Westin Hirst, right, experimenting with height regulations and left, the venerable Ketut Agus, controlling the centrifugal forces that come with such attempts. Like astronauts, both surfers on gravity defying journeys, pushing into the outer limits, ignoring the impossible by instead re-defining that which will become achievable.
Photography by Antonio Vargas
This Page: Could it be that watchful eyes of the spirits of the Wayang present the gifts of many classic moments to our mortal local surfers?
Koldo Ilumbe celebrating the blessings of the innermost limits of pure joy.
Photography by Pete Frieden
SORE BLACK, 350K
SHORT WITH TIE CT. LINEN 02 SOIL, 350K
RASH VESH LOGO NAVY, 420K
BOARDSHORT BALIANAS POLENG, 520K
BLOUSE BUTTON 002 CT. LINEN 01 CREAM, 400K
BALIANAS PASIFICO LEMON, 275K
FIVE PANEL HAT WHITE FLAMINGO, 250K
T-SHIRT MERMAID BROWN, 275K
BACKPACK BASIC LOGO BLACK, 450K
ALAMAYAH: SUMBA DREAMING
Sumba is known as the forgotten island. The word Sumba literally translates to “No interference”, “Native”, “Original” and holds one of the last megalithic cultures on the planet. With the eternal search for an untouched society increasingly difficult to find, a lot of people are unaware that one of the last sanctities of purism is only a 50 minute flight from Bali. The culture, traditions and megalithic burials still used to this day date back to the BC era and are just as relevant in society today. Alamayah is situated in the heart of this and has a passion to provide guests with one of the purest cultural immersions found anywhere in the world. The hotel sits in one of the most remote, culturally preserved and traditional areas in Indonesia. Alamayah’s vision has been to create a gateway for tourists to come and explore the raw and rugged traditional beauty of Sumba, whilst experiencing a 100% locally built and operated world class luxury hotel. Alamayah is the first and only luxury private villa and boutique hotel on the island of Sumba and disputably one of the best in Indonesia, it provides the epitome of lavish and sumptuous accommodation. Alamayah has taken tourism back to the roots and established why people travel in the first place. Being completely built and operated by the beautiful Sumbanese people, its intentions and philosophy are based around so-
cial sustainability and cultural preservation. Alamayah’s model focuses purely on education, supporting both life and career-based skills for the local people. We believe sustainability starts with the people. Inspired by the spirit of luxury, Alamayah facilitates everything you would need to fully immerse yourself comfortably within the Sumbanese culture and landscape. Your private guest captain will customise each day to suite your needs. Your knowledgeable tour guides will take you to see the stunning private beaches, sacred caves, waterfalls or village immersion by mode of trekking, mountain e-biking, horse back, boat, jet ski or your private driver. Swim at the beautiful white beaches with our horses and you will most likely be accompanied by a herd of the local water buffalo as well. Your adventurous spirit will be ignited by our local Sumbanese staff which gives an even stronger sense of connection to the local people. Within the hotel you will find all the comforts of any luxury hotel which includes hot and cold baths, steam room, spa, gym, fully stocked bar, pool, swim up bar and in house restaurant. Alamayah works as a brush that paints everlasting and humbling memories in the minds and hearts of our guests and continues to bloom even after our guests return home. A holiday where travellers can finally breathe in freedom.
CROSSTOWN TRAFFIC
So Hard To Get Through To You
Despite the dreamy wave, it’s not all sunshine and unicorns for the visiting Bules at the Desert Point interchange. More often than not they find themselves jockeying for the inside rail in moments as hairy as the Kentucky derby. Still, surfers like Zeke Szekely, stuck in the middle here, know that success is just a matter of hanging on after others have let go.
Photography by Pete Frieden
