PASSION COMES IN WAVES
OUTSIDE CORNER SURF SHOP
SHARPEYE
SURFTIME INSPIRATION # 137
In honor of the 2025 Rip Curl Cup, Surftime asked Bali’s resident surfing artist Gene Kreyd for a spontaneous take on a surf spot he has been calling home for many years:
“I’ve been surfing Padang since 1985. I first came to Bali to experience the Padang Padang tube and the Bali vibe. I met so many great lifelong friends surfing this wave. Having beers on the beach after the surf and watching the sunset. So many beautiful experiences. I was blessed to have so many amazing, mind-altering rides over the years. And even though I don’t surf as much like before, I am still in love with the Queen of the Coast. The world changed big time, and so has Bali, but “The song Remains The Same”. The Padang Padang magic is as strong as ever. Mystical, beautiful, and timeless. This sacred place will be in our hearts forever. I really enjoy the contests at Padang Padang and watching some of the world best tube riders get barreled. The 2025 event was unreal. Padang Padang generously offers the gifts from the Gods whenever it breaks”.
- Gene Kreyd -
For more art please see @genekreyd
COVER: Westen Hirst, despite his young age, surfing his way to the winners podium at the Rip Curl Cup with the aplomb of a master.
Photography by Griffiths
Padang Padang, mixed media, By Gene Kreyd
BALI’S NEXT GENERATION CLAIM THE CROWN
Westen Hirst and Jasmine Studer
Triumph at the Queen of the Bukit
Photography by Nate Lawrence and Joey Griffiths • Words by Trent Cohune
“It’s on when it’s on,” as the saying goes here in Bali. Surf competitions, as we know, can be a long and gruelling process, dragging on for days waiting for Mother Nature to produce adequate conditions. That agonizing wait is exactly what the locals endured through the month of July, which was meant to host the local trials for the Rip Curl Cup at Padang Padang. The Indian Ocean lay dormant as Indonesia’s best young surfers from across the archipelago waited on the cliffs of the Bukit for a chance to prove themselves on the global stage. The trial window was their shot, a moment to showcase a lifetime of love for one of the planet’s most iconic and technical tuberiding waves. But Mother Nature didn’t deliver. It was in fact, not on, and the fate of these young hopefuls hung in the balance as the opening ceremony kicked off on August 3rd. That is until local legend and two-time Padang Cup champion Mega Semadhi stepped up. In a move that could only come from a spiritual man like him, he relinquished his top seed to give the younger generation their shot. A selfless act to nurture Indonesia’s surfing future. It’s moments like these, small and quiet, that bring meaning to surfing in Bali. These moments reveal a generosity, a selflessness, that makes this Island and the Rip Curl Cup unlike anything else on earth.
The recipe for an international surf competition is intricate. But when it all comes together it’s magic. The forecast was a gift from the Gods. Eight foot sets, offshore winds and a tide that played nice all day. The Rip Curl judges tower on top of the cliff buzzed with a different kind of energy. Not the cutthroat, elbows-out intensity you’d expect from a world-class event, but something lighter, more joyful. Surfers milled about the tower, cups of Java in hand, mingling with a loose, easy vibe as photographers draped sarongs over their cameras to shield them from the fierce Bali heat. Far more vibrant than any corporate boardroom’s staged diversity could ever muster, the field was a living mosaic of surfers who’d come from all corners of the earth to answer Padang’s call. Mason Ho, like a kid in a candy store, weighing a board in each arm like a swordsman choosing his blade, that trademark glimmer in his eye. He’d screamed when he’d found the one.
Left: Despite the younger generation nipping at his heels, Made Winada Adi Putra still kept his masterclass intact.
Right: Forever gratitude.
Top: The Wonder kids. Winners Westen Hirst and Jasmine Studer
Bottom: Jasmine Studer, confident and stylish, on her way to the win.
Balaram Stack from New York, staggering in after a twenty nine hour flight ordeal, suitcases still in tow, paddled straight into his heat without seeing the ocean. Others from California, Hawaii, Australia, Indonesia and Bali’s own Bukit Peninsula. It seemed a lineup handpicked by the ocean itself.
And oh, did the ocean deliver. A monster set closed out the line-up to start the day, sending a jet ski and its driver tumbling like a toy in a washing machine. A raw reminder of who’s boss. Hectic? Sure. But it was a foreshadowing of what mere mortals we were about to witness. One hell of a day of surfing. From sun-up to sundown the Indian Ocean churned out waves that were equal parts beautiful and brutal. Ivan Florence rode the wave of the day, buried so deep that the film crew gave up, only for him to thread a seemingly impossible foamball section and get spit out to a chorus of gasps and cheers. Jim Banks, at 56, surfing like he was half his age, proving time’s just a number when your soul’s tethered to the ocean. It was that kind of day, every heat raising the bar, every set adding to the tension.
As the sun dipped low the story of the day came into focus. And the Bukit’s own began to shine. 16 year old’s Jasmine Tudor and Westen Hirst, carried a fire that hinted at a new generation ready to claim Padang Padang’s crown. They didn’t just compete, they dominated. The crowd felt it, the judges knew it and the ocean seemed to nod in approval. These weren’t just wins, they were a statement. Padang Padang is their home and they were here to pay their respects. Watching them hoist their first place trophies, you couldn’t help but feel the torch being passed. Not just from Mega Semadhi’s selfless act, but from a whole lineage of Balinese surfers who’ve paved the way before them. Indonesia’s next generation isn’t on the way, they’ve arrived. Just like those quiet acts of generosity that define this island, the 2025 Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang showed the world what Bali’s always known. The heart of surfing beats strongest where kindness is practiced daily.
Left: Even under tremendous pressure, Former Champion Garut Widiarta maintains his wild composure.
Right: Landon McNamara band and the opening ceremonies, always the party of the year
Top: Ivan Florence in deep and driving on the highest scoring wave of the day. It almost took the crown.
Bottom: Tosh Tudor’s elegant lines were a real touch of class.
As the ultimate representative of the spirit of the break, Mega Semadhi stepped aside to make room for the next generation. And in the legends heat offered this gratitude to the wave and the event that, for decades now, has defined the most high performance surfing our island has to offer.
Logan “Chucky” Dulian, putting his body where his film is.
INSIDE SNAPT 5: THE FINAL CUT
THE RISE AND FALL AND RISE OF FILMMAKER LOGAN “CHUCKY” DULIEN
Photography
Courtesy of Snapt 5
In today’s online surf media glutted world, it is not often that an honest voice arises. With endless surf clips at our beckon and call it seems as if everybody is just having a hell of a good time out there without having to offer any perspective or context on the vanguard performances of our sport. The meaning of it. It’s almost inhuman in a way. Scrolled. Disposable. Designed to simply be consumed without any nutritional value in regards to the soul of surfing. But now and then a saving grace occurs. That feature surf film that comes along. One created with concept and forethought. The one that barnstorms around to live audiences and inspires mass gatherings on big screens that swerve our attention away from our phones and back to the visual wonder that surfing is. Where we as a tribe can look on together and hoot ourselves hoarse at just how great surfing makes us all feel. How much it means to us. And see just how outrageous what we do in the ocean really is. And so it is with the arrival of SNAPT 5, the final installment of filmmaker Logan “Chucky” Dulien’s SNAPT series. Something he calls a celebration of surf culture in “Its rawest, most unfilitered form”. Far from the confines of the WSL CT repetitive pageantry, this film is where you are going to see the greatest surfing on earth today offered without restraint. Featuring “wild animal” rides from surfers such as Mason Ho, Harry Bryant, Noa Deane, Jack Robinson, Clay Marzo, Ian Crane and so many more.
I recently caught up with the Filmmaker on the cliffs of Uluwatu. He was packing up for his flight back to the US Open where he would be premiering his film in front of the largest live audience ever assembled for a surf movie on thenight of August 2nd 2025. Dulien professed that his film is an “hour long rip-fest designed to set you free”. He was in a thoughtful mood and the following conversation offered not only the inside scoop on the making of these films, but on the deep meaning of what these movies have meant in not only his personal life, but to the lives of the featured surfers and the surfing industry itself. “Surfing is a hell of a ride,” said Dulien, “and if you look at it the right way, this movie is a thermometer reading on the current level of all our stoke and on the very health of our sport”.
The Nickname
Logan “Chucky” Dulien: I got the nickname from a …LOST movie. In it, Jason Kenworthy was calling out a guy, some kind of tweaker dude that was out at lowers, and he kept telling him to go back out at Trestles and do a 360 chuck. I thought it was the most hilarious thing. I think it was in the film What’s Really going Wrong. Yeah, so I just started calling everybody Chuck, they way you call someone dude, and it boomeranged back on me. And it turned into Chucky and I just ran with it. The funny thing was that some people thought it was based on that Chucky doll, you know, that horror movie? So Matt Biolos texted me, he’s like, how’d you get that nickname? It’s from that Chucky movie, right? And I’m like, no actually, it’s from one of your movies. And I’ve always wondered what he thought of that.
On The Education Of Chucky
Hell no, I didn’t go to film school. No, no, here it is. I started surfing super late at 14 years old. And I got a job in the parking lot at the Frog House surf shop in Newport Beach making sure that cars didn’t park there on the weekends to go surfing. It’s like the lowest end of the totem pole job that they had. Oh my God. But that was like where I had to start because I could barely stand up on a surfboard at that time. But I had just moved into the neighborhood and it was like, I wanted to feel a part of something. Like a lot of surfers, I came from a broken home and I wanted to belong to something again. And yeah, from there, things started happening pretty fast. Still 14, I became the Frog House surf team manager of surfers way older than me. Todd Miller and those guys. But really I think I was promoted because this new generation of young super good surfers were hanging out at my house. Because I had a single dad and four good looking sisters and a new pad right on the beach. So it was the perfect setup for all the boys that came from out of town and out of the country to come hang. And if you have four sisters and each of those sisters have three hot friends…imagine how many girls are over at that house at all times with no parental guidance. And with River Jetties in my front yard, you start to get the picture, right? And that how my Rolodex started filling up with the surf stars that became my friends, you know? Within a year, I got hooked up by Volcom as a sort of team manager there and that was when the film bug started to hit me. Like I had some pretty gnarly friends. Like Andy and these guys coming to stay with me, and we’d go to Newport Harbor High School with my sisters, go to the football games or whatever, and the boys would invite all the girls to the parties at my house. Things just escalated from there. And the pad just became like an global Headquarters of who’s who in the new generation. It was like an Embassy with beer. So my Dad told me I had a to get a real job at the very least and so I scored a job with SMP as a team manager and that got me to Australia. And boom, things took off. I am 18 now, and I am hanging with Mick Fanning and Taj Burrow and Joel and Asher Pacey and it’s that Rolodex thing, you know? And then SMP went out of business and that was when it hit me. I am going to get a camera. Just like Taylor Steele.
The New Career…On Autofocus
So I went out and bought this f*cking camera. A Canon GL1 or some sh*t and I don’t know if it’s a good one or a bad one, or whatever. But the salesman just told me it was what everybody was using to make crappy porno’s and I thought surf clips were close enough to that. So I walked out of there with it and just hit autofocus and started gettin’ it on. And I didn’t even know how to film, but I knew where all my friends were and the sessions just started coming down hard. And if you watch my footage, the horizon’s off, the tripod’s shaky. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. But I know that the talent in front of me is just so damn good. It completely made up for how bad a filmer I was. And I had no plan whatsoever, I was just up against the big guys gathering footage.
“Hell no, I didn’t go to film school. No, no, here it is. I started surfing super late at 14 years old. And I got a job in the parking lot at the Frog House surf shop in Newport Beach making sure that cars didn’t park there on the weekends to go surfing. It’s like the lowest end of the totem pole job that they had. Oh my God. But that was like where I had to start”.
Like at the time you had Taylor Steele in his prime, Jack McCoy obviously doing his thing. You had Matty Gye making all the Taj movies, Bill Ballard’s making his movies, Josh Palmer’s making the Kill movies, and then you got the iconic …Lost movies. I mean, surf films were at a peak. So where did I fit in? Nowhere. But that was the blessing because I was just under the radar. There was no pressure for what I was doing. No one felt threatened by me. So I could set up tripod next to anybody and hit the red button and hope the autofocus was on. And the superstars felt the same way. Un-threatened. So they let me in the inside the global party and the rest is history.
The Why
It’s strictly…I mean, this might sound corny, but this is all, all these SNAPT films, is because I love surfing that much. It changed my life. That’s all I cared about. I wanted to make something that wanted to make kids and people excited to go surf. If I could put out a movie or a project that would make people want to watch it before they paddled out, then it was a win. That’s all that mattered, including myself. I wanted to watch my own sh*t as much as anybody. I wanted to watch Andy to a song that I picked to get me psyched to go surf. I wanted to put Taj in and watch these guys to music I wanted, edit it to how I liked it before I paddled out. And I think this is why the SNAPT movies worked. Because I think they are perfectly imperfect. So it was kind of punk. People gravitated towards it because it wasn’t corporate. It was so wrong that it was good. Yeah. I eat and breathe these films and this sh*t consumes me. Like, if we have a trivia game about my surf films, please, don’t even try, I figure I’d do pretty good.
The Death Threats
But to be honest, it’s weird. Because when people refer to me as a filmmaker… I honestly don’t really consider myself a filmmaker. Because at the end of the day, I am and just going off of what I feel in my gut. Like, okay, this guy’s a gnarly surfer. I don’t care if he’s sponsored. I like to actually get behind a lot of guys that don’t have backing, that don’t have sponsors. To me, it’s easy to grab the guys that are in the spotlight. But if I can see talent that I feel belongs in the spotlight, then I am gonna put him in the spotlight. I feel like this has been a real strength of mine, being able to identify future talent. Guys I know the world will want to see. Like with Asher Pacey. No one had known who Asher Pacey was. But you integrate him into the movies with guys like Andy and Taj and all of a sudden you have a really cool movie of diverse styles and personal attitudes. It’s that eye for talent, for selecting who belongs. Because whether I like it or not, to be in Snapt 5 has become very prestigious. I mean people are taking it really seriously. No sh*t. I mean, I got a death threat recently because a certain name of a certain filmer wasn’t on the official poster of the movie. A f*cking death threat. Oh my God. That’s where I’m thinking it’s time to kick out. You know what I mean? Like, this sh*t’s gotten way, way out of hand.
The Formula
I’m not gonna lie. It’s straight up, and I’ll give credit where credit’s due. The formula is super simple. It‘s called Taylor Steele. And I also loved the …LOST movies. Where they were the first ones I saw that really showed the darker surf culture at its true form. As far as like, dude, we’re not, this is not fucking rainbows and sunshine and trophies all the time. Surfers can be crazy, angry people. Those …LOST films cut loose. Randall and all that Chris Ward stuff. Those guys really rolled the f*cking dice. If those …LOST guys put that stuff out now, could you imagine? It’d be impossible. Today’s robots would be so confused. With their ice baths and nutritionists and sh*t. Their coaches would sh*t a brick.
The Moneyball
I was self-funded at first. That Gl-1 broke my back. But as SNAPT grew I started fishing in different waters. I had Flight Center for travel…and… like when I got Vitamin Water and then got it into that photo of Andy and Kelly before their big battle at Pipe, at the Red Bull house, where they’re looking at each other like martians? You know, Steve Sherman’s famous photo? You look on the counter, there’s a Vitamin Water bottle right there. Because I had Vitamin Water crates being dropped off at all the Red Bull houses. Real underground promotion, you know? Ha! You’d get shot for that today. But anyway, funding a film career takes a suicide approach, you jump first and look for a soft place to land later.
The Red Carpet
When you learn how to surf six months into the game, and you’re hanging out with Andy Irons, right off the bat, it’s like, you gotta imagine, I always compare it, like, to, you know, Andy Irons, to me, is like the equivalent to Kobe Bryant. Okay, so when you meet a f*cking Kobe Bryant six months into getting into a sport, it’s really hard to, at that point, be starstruck when you’re introduced to other superstars. When you’re around talent of that level at such a early phase of getting into that sport, if that makes sense. But the thing is, when Andy would come and stay at my house, Andy wasn’t getting the red carpet treatment that the other guys were getting. I remember that. No one was dialing out the red carpet for him. Andy would show up, he’d have no ride from the airport and he needed a place to sleep, man. And a few other guys like that too. So I’d end up doing those airport runs, whether, you know, I got money or not, to pick those guys up. But at the end of the day, like, Andy didn’t mind that there were hot girls from Newport High hanging out at the pad too.
The Junkie
It’s weird, right? Because I made Snap 1 in 2002, right after that, I went straight into Snap 2. And then I left making the Snap movies for 15 years. 15 years of a lot of highs and lows, man.
Getting completely addicted to f*cking Oxycontin and all that stuff, like a lot of my friends did. I mean, I’m completely public about this. I have been the whole time. I was a f*cking junkie. There it is. I was in and out of rehabs. Yes. The whole deal. And my life wasn’t working out at all. But by the grace of Mason Ho and by my love for surfing, I made it to the other side. It happened…ok, I was about 30 days clean at one point and wondering what to do with my life and I walked into my buddy’s house and there was Mason Ho. And I didn’t know him that well and he was such a hero of mine and such a…force. And I was still in pretty bad shape and feeling ashamed about it. But Mason looked at me…just straight in the eye, and he says to me…
“So Chucky, when are we making Snapt 3?”.
And I’ve never touched drugs since.
Chucky’s Back
So when I came back to my senses and got clean for good, you know, all the guys, they were so happy to hear from me and stoked to support me and then from that point, Chucky’s back, you know? So Snap 3 was really the resurrection project to prove that A, I could still spot talent and B, I could still make a movie after 15 years in the hole. Because the whole game had changed. There was social media. Oh yes. And footage was on memory cards, not cassette tapes. Ha! Sh*t like that. Yeah. So it was at that point I was thinking like, okay, who’s next? Like…and it’s hard to say this considering the curcumstances…but Andy’s gone, right? And I don’t want to say anymore about that here… other than I loved him and that was a giant loss to all of us and surfing itself. Enough said. So… I’d been watching this Jack Robinson kid and he was the closest I’d seen to surfing at Andy Irons level.
“So I went out and bought this camera. And I don’t know if it’s a good one or a bad one, or whatever. But the salesman just told me it was what everybody was using to make crappy porno’s and I thought surf clips were close enough to that. So I walked out of there with it and just hit autofocus and started gettin’ it on”.
“It’s strictly…I mean, this might sound corny, but this is all, all these SNAPT films, is because I love surfing that much. It changed my life. That’s all I cared about. I wanted to make something that wanted to make kids and people excited to go surf. If I could put out a movie or a project that would make people want to watch it before they paddled out, then it was a win”.
And Jack and I hit it off really good and I was like, Jack’s in SNAPT 3 no matter what. Because at that point, Jack was starting to struggle on the QS. He was getting kind of shined. He wasn’t winning everything. Pressure, man. But I didn’t care, the guy ripped. So he was a real inspiration to charge forward with SNAPT 3 along with Mason, The Moniz brothers, Bobby Martinez, all those surfers in that thing. So thanks to real surfers and real surfing, the redemption, the recovery, and the resurrection of my soul was underway.
The Vultures
Look, I don’t wanna sound like a grumpy old Dad at this point, but I am 46. I wanna enjoy surfing for surfing sake and I don’t like the direction that the surf industry’s going. I feel like a lot of the brands, now that they are conglomerates, are taking of the surfers, the filmers, and people like myself who contribute to surfing for the passion of it. The lifestyle of it. The culture of it. The belonging to it. Yeah, some of us, we make a little money here and there, but not because we’re surfing to sell sh*t. We’re selling so we can go surf. And I’m doing this to get people enthusiastic to go surf, to watch their favorite surfers that could stoke their own surfing, get them excited to surf. But there’s a lot of suit and ties that have come in and I feel like they’re destroying the culture. To me they’re culture vultures. You know? Because forget the end of the day, for these vultures it’s all about the money from the beginning of the day. And soulfully? Real surfers are paying the bill.
The Fountain Of Youth
Look, man, surfing is the fountain of youth and we all know it. You felt it when you took off on your first wave. I know you did. And we all need to hold on to that. It’s like, these movies will come and go, sure, but you know, in the end, surfing is about a love of friendships and a wild relationship with the ocean and that’s it. And you hear that everybody’s searching for the fountain of youth out there, but the truth is that it’s staring you in the face every time you take off on a wave. And that’s what we should all be looking for right there.
The Pivot
Snapt 5 is the last one. The grand finale. And anyone else is welcome to keep carrying the flag. Because I’m gonna pivot in a different direction. Now Robbie Crawford, who is the real genius behind this, he wanted to create visual experiences to watch surfing in a way that we’ve never watched surfing before. And it’s insane. And we’ve already been doing it. We have the proof of concept. Alot of people have been wondering, why are these two at these wave pools so much? Well…when it comes out, you’re gonna be able to see surfing in a perspective and in a way and in a philosophy that you’ve never seen before. Robbie and I can guarantee you that. And…well…I guess you will have to just wait and see.
CARELESS WHISPERS: PART ONE Our sacred secrets. How hard they are to keep.
Photography by Ojan
Lorenco Borges De Souza, reaping the harvest of hard-won travel, secrets or not.
Surfing is avarice by nature. Once a new, exciting wave is discovered somewhere in the world by an intrepid few, other surfers pounce upon it like a virus. Then, once the host is fully exposed, surfers from all over the world migrate to the site. Their numbers multiply exponentially, eventually killing the original uncrowded experience. Death by overpopulation. Then comes the next new discovery. And the surfers jump hosts again, leaving an overrun husk in their wake once again. To witness what surfers, supposedly a peace-loving, green group of Ocean enthusiasts, leave behind, one need only visit Lagundri Bay on the island of Nias off West Sumatra. Once a dream wave set like a pearl in a pristine, shimmering bay, Nias is now referred to as “The Surf Ghetto.” Dodge City with palm trees. A world turned upside down by the influx of visiting western Surfers. Local culture is buried under the weight of beachfront hawking vendors, warung restaurants, homestays, even a rumored a brothel. In the water, it’s worse. Overcrowding has led to fierce territoriality from the local surfers, who once could only watch, but who now have reached a high level of skill on the cast-off surfboards left behind by the western visitors. Fist fights in the lineup are common. Not even a tsunami could change this state of affairs. With a bay like a catcher’s mitt for waves, when that greatest of waves came steaming in like a fastball in 2004, it wiped the whole operation from the face of the earth. Sympathetic, surf-minded non-profits saw it as a chance to begin again, the right way this time. But this was not to be. It only took one short year, with the help of the returning western surfers, to build it right back up into the sweatsoaked mess it had been. Fueled by greed for the western buck and by the transient high of surfing. Its perfect wave continually pumping like a motherlode mine where everyone could extract their own desires. (see Careless whispers part two for the conclusion of this story).
CARELESS WHISPERS: PART TWO
Our sacred secrets. How hard they are to keep.
Photography by Scarreefphotos
There are other tragedies around the globe. In Mexico, Puerto Escondido is a deadly crime zone where a surfing cartel has taken control. Murders are common. “Cloud Nine” on Suriago Island in the Philippines is an environmental and cultural disaster. Costa Rica sags under the yoke of expat over-development, pollution and corruption. The destruction of our very own Bingin and the Bukit is glaringly obvious. The list goes tediously on. But does it have to be this way? Is it actually possible to keep our sacred secrets? Is it too much to ask?
Perhaps not. Perhaps it is high time to look for different approaches. Here’s one: Let’s fight money with money. At each new discovery let’s assign a financial value to each individual wave. Each wave that breaks. Each wave that is ridden. That way the benefits of that wave can be easily measured and counted and understood when it comes to the benefit of not only the people who surf it, but the culture that surrounds it. By giving each individual wave a financial value, just like the views of a national park, then these waves could be considered a financial resource. And if you want respect for anything, human or not, make it worth money. Then the infrastructure that inevitably will move in would be forced to reckon with the actual waves not as just an attractor of bulging wallets, but as the actual primary generator of that income. In this model, the respect, protection and guardianship of the actual individual waves, would trickle down into a culture of care, respect and decency for not only the waves themselves, but for the culture that springs up around them. Environmentally, philosophically and geographically, the waves themselves would become the economic driver. And it that way, their pristine presence could be preserved and allowed to create the correct frequency of philosophy on shore.
Just a thought. Do you have a better idea?
Left: Nasi Nick. Big chances mean big results.
Right Top: Connor finding himself in perfect sync.
Right Bottom: Surf Guide Roy, taking his shot.
Connor, traversing the evening shadows.
PERTAMA: THE RIO WAIDA MOVIE
Nusa Cana’s Telling His Real Story
It’s a rare move within the surfing industry when a sponsor sets out to make a high quality, dramatic short film about one of their team riders. And not just a clip of his latest action in the water, but a very personal profile of what makes a certain surfer click. His very personal story, his motivations, his inner thoughts. But that is exactly what Nusa Cana, Indonesia’s leading rum company, set out to do with Pertama, the Rio Waida movie. Sparing no expense, Nusa Cana, who are also “bringing back the forgotten story of Indonesian rum”, wanted to highlight the rise of Rio Waida as a metaphor for their own company’s rise within its industry. And provide a re-invigorated passion for the beauty of Indonesia and its surfers. And indeed, something very special happened. Shooting between Australia, Bali and Abu Dhabi with four RED cameras and the best shooters behind the lenses, not only is the footage of this film remarkable, but a strong sense of purpose comes through. Never done before, here is an electrifying fourteen minutes that documents the inner workings of a local surfer’s mind. His struggles as a boy, his challenges as a man and the pride which motivates it all. Not your typical chaosand-aerials clip, this film is worthy of a much larger screen. Which is why Nusa Cana is planning on a number of lush premieres at some of the best venues on the island and beyond. “This film has a much broader reach than just Indonesia” says executive producer Andre Congues, “it’s designed to inspire far beyond just the surfing world. This is an inside look at the sport we all love, and yet it also can inspire anyone that has had the courage to follow their dreams”. Dreams indeed, with its ghostly drone mastery and super-slow-motion shots that seem to quiet the frenetic surfing media world and allow a viewer to inspect the almost ballet-like beauty of a world class surfer like Rio Waida at the top of his game. From director Matt George and maestro cinematographer Fabian Von Holzen comes a different vision. One that goes beyond just the visuals of fast paced surfing put to music. Based on a series of personal interviews, the narration is provided by Rio Waida himself, lending the film a profound presence. Finally, here is a film that is dedicated to an Indonesian surfer from the inside out. A film made in Indonesia, from an Indonesian company, all about an Indonesian surfer. Certainly, a film event not to miss. “Nusa Cana will be premiering Pertama towards the end of September”, says Congues, “and we look forward to sharing something I think we as surfers can all be proud of ”.
Rio Waida, during the early days of his hero’s journey that eventually led to the world stage of pro surfing. Portrait by Matt George
Pete Friden
by
Three reasons why Rio has risen to the challenge of the world tour. This surfer lights up line-ups wherever he goes. Despite his reputation for disciplined training, Rio still manages to surf with unbridled joy.
Photography
Photography by Antonio Vargas
Photography by Antonio Vargas
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
SATRIA,10 yrs
Surftime Call: “This kid’s courage and competency index is already off the charts. And when you consider that at his size he is surfing heavy waves that are six times over head, this qualifies him as an authentic phenomenon. A joy to watch and oozing confidence whether in a jersey or not, Satria is on a trajectory to the stars.
Homesurf: Canggu
Photography by Skids
THEO RADCLIFFe,17 yrs
Homesurf: Canggu
Surftime Call: “When watching Theo surf, you are immediately aware of how perfectly balanced he is. At all times, composed and connected and in perfect form. Take a good look at this photo and witness a surfer whose technique and timing is flawless.
Applying his momentum into meaningful maneuvers, Leo is a surfer to keep an eye on as he rockets into the future
Photography by Antonio Vargas
RYDER GRIFFIN, 13 YRS
Homesurf: Legian
Surftime Call: “What is most impressive about Ryder Griffin is that he puts maximum effort into every wave he surfs. From take off to kick out he surfs with intent. Hunting down the moments on a wave that will give him the best chance to use the speed he generates. This is a smart surfer that knows how to read a wave and look his best on it”.
Photography by Antonio Vargas
Surftime call: “Power comes to mind when Lily Naylor chooses a wave. With her low, rotational style, her power is evident in every move. This smooth goofyfoot throws huge amounts of spray with every turn and uses her keen judgement to set up her bottom turns for maximum effect of the top. Lily is going push the boundaries of female performance for years to come”.
Surftime Call: “Here is a very stylish surfer. And what a great thing that is to bring to a wave. Though her maneuvers are strong, Marshanda seems to bring an elegance to each and every one. And there is also something wonderful in a surfer that brings graceful hands to the table. A dancer’s hands. Marshanda and her style is a welcome sight, making her a winner on every wave she surfs” Photography by Antonio Vargas
Marshanda Nikijuluw, 15 yrs Homesurf: Halfway Beach
Surftime call: “Like her older brother Ryder, Arya Griffin puts strength and drive into her surfing. This regular foot goes full throttle on every wave, surfing well beyond her years. Her hallmark is down the line speed, which allows her surprisingly explosive maneuvers for someone so young. It must run in the family”.
Photography by Manu
It all comes down to belief. Everything. Every day. And those who believe in themselves, regardless of whatever their dreams may be, will forever hold the advantage over those who timidly shrug their shoulders and let their dreams pass them by. Dreams of being a big pro surfer have never been bigger in history. Nor as easy to achieve. Today, since it has been proven that there is real adult money in the game, young surfers have never had so much support. Parents, coaches, training, companies, the internet, it’s all there to help. But there seems to be two divisions in both the men’s and the women’s ranks. There are a few greats, then there are a bunch of surfers who are just trying real hard. Two paths to success. The journeyman and the phenom. The thing is, which division you are going to be in is settled very early in the game. That is one of the most fascinating or heartbreaking things about our sport. That designation. Everyone can see it. You are either the second coming or you are going to be a midfielder. In the case of Dylan Wilcoxen, of course, there is no question. This young man is a surfing phenomenon. Now the question of whether or not he will become a competitive surfing great, a multiple world champion, is unfair at this point. He’s still just a 16 year old kid. But being able to win both a QS 6000 and a Pro Junior title in a couple of back-to-back days does speak volumes. “I’m so stoked to have taken both wins,” says Dylan, “If you told me before that I would win both, I would’ve said no way. I’m just so stoked, go team Mentawai! Thanks to everyone for the support.”
It seems in Dylan’s case that winning means being unafraid to lose. As for his future, it is not in the stars to decide our destiny, but that which is within ourselves. (And that which comes with a little help from your friends).
JON PYZEL IS SHAPING HISTORY
Photography by Pyzel Archives
One of the more talented surfer/shapers, Jon Pyzel buries a rail in his front yard. Obviously being a good surfer yourself is a huge advantage when you are designing boards for the best surfer in the world.
Jon Pyzel’s pedigree runs much deeper than just being the shaper for the best surfer on the planet. You gotta go back a bit. As a teen surfer kid in Santa Barbara, Jon Pyzel was close witness to the birth of the 80’s Tommy Curren era and Al Merrick’s subsequent global design dominance. A powerful influence that caused Jon to pivot his dreams from a pro surfing career to an underground shaping career. At first mentored by shaper Matt Moore of the famed Rincon Designs surf shop (that was within sight of California’s best point break), Jon upped stakes when he moved to the North Shore in 1992. It was there, now mentored by maestro shaper Jeff Bushman and possessing a keen interest in modernizing the Hawaiian designs that came before his time, that Jon Pyzel developed a reputation as a shaper for the future. As it happened, John John Florence and his family lived right next door. A lifelong friendship with the Florence family grew and soon Jon Pyzel was shaping boards for the blond young man who would someday become the best surfer in the world. With the ultimate test pilot securely in his corner, Jon Pyzel’s career, matching that of his young charge, skyrocketed onto the world stage. A collaboration that has since led both to International fame, three World Titles, an Olympic appearance and a 2016 win at the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational contest at Waimea Bay.
And yet through all this meteoric rise, Jon Pyzel has remained a very plain spoken man, open with his opinions, well thought of and totally dedicated to his friends and family. Today he splits his time between Bali and Hawaii, still innovating and seeking the ultimate surfboard. We caught up with Jon at home on the North Shore for this very candid conversation with one of the most significant shapers in the world today
What what was the greatest surfboard ever made…so far. The greatest surfboard ever made so far… it was Tommy Curren’s California Thruster shaped by Al Merrick. I mean you could say that first Simon Anderson Thruster, but that wasn’t necessarily the exact board I would note in in my world. Now you have to tip your hat to Dick Brewer’s boards too. I mean, if you really look carefully at some of the things that Dick Brewer has done… I mean he was putting concaves in the bottom of boards while everyone else was still making rolled bottoms… but Brewer’s boards had full concaves, which is exactly what we use for all of our modern short boards these days. Pretty much some version of that. And it’s pretty crazy if you look at the Sunset guns that Brewer was building in the 70’s. Those boards were so advanced design wise. The hydrodynamic designs of those boards are something that we use in in all of our boards today. So this Brewer thought…ummmm, yeah…but I can’t pinpoint an exact board of Brewer’s like I can with Al Merrick’s Tommy board.
We know you think about Tommy with that Al Merrick board, but what surfer do you associate with Brewers historic boards? Reno Abellira for sure. That guy…And Owl Chapman was another one actually. You know Owl is still shaping those boards today and they are in high demand. I mean, sure, I wasn’t there in the 70’s, but I have studied it. It wasn’t something I was seeing happening, but I learned that it once happened. And that it was important to the evolution of design. I remember just tripping out looking at some of these old Brewer’s and I’m like, wait a minute. Like putting a straight edge across them and these things got a quarter-inch of concave running through the whole bottom. Incredibly futuristic. What those guys were doing back then was really pushing it into the future. Our future. That time frame was the history’s most dynamic in design changes. Like we don’t do that now, right? Like we change the rocker by a quarter-inch and that’s f*cking huge. But these 70’s guys were chopping two feet off their boards and changing everything about them. So can I say two greatest boards?
John John Florence, with his unmistakeable power and grace, has got to be the best test pilot in the world today.
The Al Merrick and somewhere in there would be one of Dick Brewer’s. Somebody owns it. I know it’s still around, I can feel it. Or I guess you could just go grab one of Owl’s. He’s shaping one right now down the street.
Who was the Greatest surfer that ever lived.
I just feel like Tom Curren is pretty hard to beat. He was just so good and connected and stylish and he had that mystique. That thing you can’t put your finger on. That…genius? And if you just look at everybody’s lineage up to the best surfers of today, they’re all still celebrating and praising Tommy and studying him. Even John John. Hell yes, for sure. You talk to all the top guys and Tommy is always in the conversation. They will definitely put him in their wheelhouse. And let’s face it, that J-Bay wave of Tommy’s never get’s old. And you can’t really say that about too many single rides throughout history. I just think Tommy was so influential to everyone style wise, creative wise…and he was an incredible test pilot. Probably the best test pilot in history when you think about it. Fine tuning and figuring out Simon’s Thruster with Al Merrick. Yeah, and that relationship that he had with Al and the way that everything just came together… there was a real magic there. For both of them. Al got to benefit so much from that, having somebody of that caliber to shape for and then for Tom the exact same thing. Having somebody that could could help him realize what he wanted to do on a wave and where he wanted to go on a wave. Tom is now in his 60’s and is still an influential surfer, still somebody everybody loves to see ride a wave. So think of it this way when it comes to influence. There are millions of surfers today that have been watching Tommy since they were 13 years old and are still loving how he surfs. That’s a…wow…a huge span of influence on the sport right there.
Who is the greatest shaper ever?
I think I have made that point pretty clear already. Ha!
What is the greatest wave on earth?
For me, I think about great waves as test tracks. A place you can test all aspects of a board. So for high performance boards, I am going to say perfect six foot Rincon. That’s a perfectly paced, perfectly rippable wave that you can ride fast or slow and really feel and analyze a board. There is even places where it pauses and you can collect yourself and your thoughts and then keep going. Ok, obviously there’s way better waves than Rincon in the world for sure. I mean, there’s a reason I live on the North Shore, right? But as far as just like paddling out somewhere and testing a board and catching a wave and feeling that length of ride and the different speeds and different sections and doing twenty five turns and twenty five cutbacks and being able to feel it and think about it when your are riding?…I am going to say Rincon for me.
Who has been the greatest thinking mind in surfing?
I think Derek Hynd would be in that conversation. I mean he’s out there, and always has been, but that’s what it takes to break through to the other side. Yeah, he’s interesting. He wrote a lot of interesting stuff and did those power rankings with a level of honesty and analysis that no one since has even touched. And he was one of the first coaches and he got real results. And remember he was ranked 7th in the world at one time so his surfing is legit. Remember those sliding 360’s he would do? And then he lost his eye in that surf accident, but he just kept going, kept it up, kept his perspectives. And don’t forget he and Sonny Miller came up with The Search concept. That took brains. And he was involved in the the high offices of Rip Curl’s whole trip as what we would call today a “Creative”. He just did a real good job of dissecting surfing. The whole culture. And we needed that at the time. And he is still out there, pushing it on his finless tangent. So yeah. A real thinker. And I think we’re lucky to have him.
When can surfing be seen at it’s greatest?
When it is done with what looks like effortless flow and ocean connection and beauty and power and just really holding rail turns and taking them all the way. And airs? They’re cool if done right. If done with meaning. I love a big giant air well executed, but seeing a guy do like three air reverses on one wave doesn’t float my boat, you know what I mean? Let’s see some turns and carves that you can hear from the beach.
What is the greatest thing about Kelly Slater?
His ability to surf so well and so hard and so often for his entire life. The greatest thing about Kelly is his dedication to being a surfer. That’s it. Aside from the whole superstar thing, this guy is an inspiration as just a day to day surfer. Despite the trophies, a real surfer, a stoked surfer, from the ground up.
Who is Greatest the greatest female surfer ever?
Lisa Anderson. She was just so cool and she didn’t really care about whether it was women’s or Men’s surfing. She just wanted to rip. She was like punk rock in boardshorts. She wasn’t there to be a cute girl surfer. She was there to f*cking kick anybody’s ass, male or female. Like Tommy with the guys, I think that every female surfer today has Lisa in their DNA of influence. She’s a Godmother to what’s going on today with all these incredible female performances.
What do you think is the world’s greatest contest?
The Backdoor shootout. It’s the real deal. It invariably gets the best waves at Pipeline of the season. And then they they have this format that’s just amazing. There not heats, it’s more like watching everybody’s best short session of the year. Most times I even forget who wins. Who cares? Everybody rips in that contest, full bore. C’mon, it’s hard to beat that. I understand what the WSL is doing with the tour grind, but it’s great to be reminded of how unique surfing is and how great a contest can really be with a little freedom thrown in.
Who’s the greatest barrel rider you’ve ever seen?
John John. What makes him so great, other than changing everything with the double arm drag, which let’s face it, has allowed guys to stay in the barrel forever, what makes him so special is his comfort way back and deep in a barrel. He’s way back there and still thinking and still choosing lines and just making it out of impossible situations because he is back in there not losing his sh*t. Instead, he’s really composed and calm and thinking about how to exit and never giving up on it. Like, if he doesn’t make a barrel, it’s not a wipe-out, it’s just that the wave decided to stop him. I believe that. It’s a kind of mastery that allows him to do the same thing in 30 foot surf. The kind of mastery that makes the rest of us just go…Holy Sh*t, that was impossible.
What is the greatest thing about John John today?
His curiosity. It drives everything he does He always wants to learn more. About so many things. He’s on a journey of discovery on so many levels and he’s absorbing it all. It’s like watching someone become enlightened. I mean…he really tries his best to think about stuff at it’s highest level. To him, “good enough” isn’t. I really admire that in him. And his capability. He just does so much with so much capability. The sailing, the films, the family, the surfing, the bees…ha!. He is the most competent World Champion we have ever had. And I hope the next generation takes note and understands that and hops on board with that kind of life.
What is the greatest advice you could give to a backyard shaper?
Can I answer this one with a story? I am at Trestles for the finals, right? And I am standing there with Chris Borst watching Caity Simmers win the World Title. And I guess you could say Borst has a reputation as a backyard shaper, but he’s also this super cool rad skater guy. And so we are watching the finals and I knew at the time that a lot of shapers were trying to get Caity to switch from Borst’s boards to to their boards, just trying to shamelessly sling boards at her. And I mention to him that I have always been in the same situation with John John. That guys are always skukling around trying to get him to try their boards. And then that finals day my guy won the world title and Borst’s girl won the world title and we’re standing there not sure what to say to each other. So I just got him a beer and said welcome to the club. You just got a world championship, dude, and you won a world title with a surfboard you made with your hands and I am stoked for you. You did the job, man! It was a great moment for him. So… I guess my advice to backyard shapers is to keep shaping the best you can for your surfers and just tell everybody else to f*ck off.
What is your greatest hope for the future?
That no matter how much we punish it…that the ocean will always win.
Jon and John. A partnership for the ages.
Taina
Kian
Jack
In Memory of Biawak
Bronson
SPACE RACE
SATELLITE SURFING WITH RIP CURL’S NEW SUPERWATCH
As reviewed by Mason Loggie
I am not Gabriel Medina or Mick Fanning or any of the superstars that are being shown in advertising for Rip Curl. I am just like you. The average surfer here in Bali. And I was tasked with putting the new Rip Curl GPS 3 Tide Watch through its paces while traveling and surfing in Indonesia. Of all the tide watches I have owned and used, I can confidently say that this thing is the best surf watch I’ve ever owned. It’s not just hype. Once you get the basics figured out, this watch is dialed in.
The GPS surf tracking is accurate. It logs every session, every wave, every paddle-out, and it shows your top speed and distance surfed. As promised. The auto-surf detection actually works. No messing around in the water trying to get it to work. And the tide data? Absolutely phenomenal for Indonesia. From Uluwatu to Desert Point, the tide info has been spot-on.
So you sync it with the Rip Curl app. This is heaven. Plus, you can see what other surfers around the world are doing in real time, check out who’s scoring waves in other parts of the world. I find I’ve tested it properly here in Indo, and I’m sold. This feature makes me want to be in the water more than I already do.
A bonus feature: The step counter. I didn’t expect to care about this, but it’s awesome for keeping tabs on my daily movement when I’m not surfing. Whether I’m skating, walking to grab a nasi goreng, or just cruising around, it’s a low-key motivation boost if you’re into fitness and staying active.
The battery life has been solid, extremely solid, especially considering how much tech is packed into this thing. A single charge lasts me multiple surf sessions, plus weeks of regular use. I have only charged the watch a single time in the last 10 days, and it has not left my wrist.
I think Rip Curl really nailed it with the GPS 3. It’s stylish, durable, and functional. If you are someone who wants to track their ocean time with legit accuracy, this watch delivers.
I’ve tested it properly here in Indonesia, and I’m sold. Highly recommended.
DYNAMIC HEARTFELT
JOURNEY MEMORIES
Left: A portrait of Bingin during its better days. Long live Bingin. Photography by Mick Curley
Right: Kya Heuer, putting Mentawai upbringing to good use on the island of the Gods.
Photography by Joey Griffiths
DYNAMIC
HEARTFELT
JOURNEY
MEMORIES
If we had only known just how unstable the
Left: Mattia Morri, a masterful surfer with a master’s style, cuts loose on a fun day at the sandbar.
Photography by Antonio Vargas
Right:
cliffs of the bukit were to become.
Photography by MG
GALLERY
DYNAMIC HEARTFELT
JOURNEY MEMORIES
Left: Good times at the Rip Curl Cup opening ceremonies. Always a day of community bonding across the cultures.
Photography by Nate Lawrence
Right: This has been Kalani Ryan’s year, turning heads with his progressive surfing whenever he paddles out. A gifted barrel rider, here he peeks out from the hollows of Desert Point for an audience of three.
Photography by Pete Frieden
GALLERY
DYNAMIC
HEARTFELT
JOURNEY
MEMORIES
Left: Westen Hirst, feeling the power of Padang Padang at the Rip Curl Cup. His confidence on this day was frightening. And it took him to the top of the podium.
Photography by Joey Griffiths
Right: Teddy Billie, burying it as deep as it will go at the Canggu right. His fin bending performances have been electric. Power is back in style.
Photography by Antonio Vargas
6TH ANNUAL ULUWATU SINGLE FIN CLASSIC
Uluwatu proved once again why it stands as one of the world’s most iconic surf arenas, as the 6th Annual Single Fin Classic turned the cliffs into a festival of surf, music, and community. Over the weekend, fans, surfers, and locals came together to celebrate the timeless spirit of surfing, with flawless waves and an electric atmosphere from start to finish. The energy kicked off with Friday’s opening ceremony before rolling straight into two days of non-stop action. From sunrise to sunset, the reef came alive with clean, powerful sets that tested both style and grit. Spectators lined the cliffs, cheering every drop, carve, and wipeout, while Single Fin’s decks became a hub of music, laughter, and stories shared between heats. The stoke carried through each moment, blending competition with the unmistakable laid-back vibe of Uluwatu.
The highlight of the weekend, as always, was the surfing itself. The Masters division saw Joe De Santis claim the win with smooth, powerful lines, while Finn Murphy announced himself as one to watch with a dominant performance in the Juniors. In the Men’s, Joey Keogh rose to the occasion with a mix of precision and flair to take the crown. The Women’s title went to Siena Hanna, whose stylish surfing and composure won over both judges and the crowd.
But beyond the champions, the Single Fin Classic was about more than titles. It was a gathering of generations, from local legends to young groms, all sharing waves, stories, and stoke. Each evening, as the sun dropped behind the Indian Ocean, the celebration continued with music and good times on the cliff, embodying what makes the event so special.
The 6th Uluwatu Single Fin Classic wasn’t just a competition — it was a tribute to surfing’s culture and community. Until next year!
Joey Keogh Joey Keogh, Mens Champ
Joe De Santis, Masters Champ
Siena Hanna, Womens Champ
Finn Murphy, Juniors Champ
RIP CURL ULUWATU: A TRIBUTE TO SURFING HERITAGE AND THE SEARCH
Nestled less than a kilometer from Padang Padang, the spiritual heart of Indonesian surfing, Rip Curl Uluwatu isn’t just a store; it’s a statement. Inspired by The Search, this flagship space celebrates Rip Curl’s deep roots in the Bukit and beyond. Step inside and you’ll feel the soul of surfing: teakwood interiors, murals by local artists, and walls lined with boards from the pioneers to today’s world champions.
At its core lies a dedicated Rip Curl museum, a tribute to 22 years of the iconic Rip Curl Cup and countless Search trips that shaped Indonesia’s surf history. It’s more than retail; it’s a home base for the community, a venue for athlete film screenings, and a canvas for Balinese art and culture.
Exclusive to Uluwatu? The chance to meet legends like former CT winner Dean Morrison in the boardroom and immerse yourself in virtual experiences of the Search and Padang Cup. Every corner tells a story meant to inspire your next adventure. Whether it’s chasing waves across the archipelago or backing Indonesia’s rising surf stars.
This is more than shopping. This is Rip Curl Uluwatu. The past, present, and future of surfing under one roof.
RIDE THE WAVE, FEEL THE FLOW, STAY IN THE MOMENT
In Canggu, movement is more than motion, it’s the heartbeat of the island. At Holiday Inn Resort Bali Canggu, Where Movement Meets the Moment is a way of life, where the rhythm of the waves and the glow of each sunset shape your stay.
Just a three-minute walk from the iconic Batu Bolong Beach, you’re perfectly placed to paddle out at first light or watch the surf roll in from the shore. After the ride, retreat to your sanctuary, with warm wood tones, plush bedding, a private balcony, and ocean-inspired design that carries the calm of the coast indoors. Couples and friends gather at the rooftop pool bar to toast Bali’s legendary sunsets with 180-degree Indian Ocean views, while families enjoy the Family Suite and the “Kids Stay & Eat Free” promise.
Here, energy flows easily. Start your morning with a surf, explore Canggu’s vibrant streets by day, and unwind with yoga, boxing, or simply a crafted cocktail as evening falls. Whether you’re chasing the thrill of the swell or savouring the stillness that follows, this is where the island’s rhythm becomes your own.
canggu.holidayinnresorts.com | @holidayinnbalicanggu reservation.hircanggu@ihg.com | +62 0361 201 9900
Tommy Sobry at the Rip Curl Cup, looking for a soft place to land while giving new meaning to a flyaway kickout. Photography by Joey Griffiths
