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John Florence, Macaronis, Mentawais

“John Florence did a bunch of crazy stuff,” Ryan Callinan said of his fellow technician following the Kustom Airstrike, which just docked after 10 days in the Mentawais. “Some big alleyoops and a couple of full-rotations. He’s gnarly. That was the first time I’d met him and surfed with him. He’s super cool. Watching him in real life, he’s so consistent. I reckon he’s the best or at least top three guy in the world right now.”

Obviously Ryan ain’t the only person who John is leaving an impression on right now. Claims of “The new Dane/Andy/Kelly” are too easy – John is his own man and his own surfer. But one thing’s for sure – his relaxed-looking approach to surfing is at odds with his drive: “I think John was there just to have fun but mainly to win,” continues Ryan. “And, not for the money. Just to actually win. He was really competitive, which kinda surprised me. If someone did something crazy, he had to better it, next couple of waves. He just won Brazil and won $100k, and he’s probably paid pretty well for being at the top of the world tour, so I guess he maybe doesn’t need the money as bad as the other guys.”

‘The money’ Ryan’s referring to is the $50k that Kustom are gifting whoever’s deemed to have done the trip’s best air. With a field of Matt Meola, Albee Layer, Chippa Wilson, Ryan and John, it’ll be a tough one. Especially considering airs like the one above were the standard of the trip.

Photographer profile

Nate Lawrence

Nathan Lawrence, 29, surfs with more power than a lot of the pros he shoots. Don’t let him tell you otherwise – Stab spies have seen firsthand. He throws stones, we tells ya, the kind that break bones! Nate’s tough – he loves shooting in Canada, out in the cold, with the bears. In fact, Nate’s favourite-ever photo is an empty barrel shot that he took. But, he does enjoy shooting surfers, and one of his favourites is based on personality. “I really like shooting with Chippa (Chris Wilson). Mostly because he’s such a great human.” So, what makes good photography to Nate? Perhaps not a certain image, but more everything else that comes with it: “Being able to be in the right spot at the right time and capture that split second of raw, unfiltered emotion.”

More photos from Nate Lawrence