Stab Magazine | 3 Minutes Worth Of Reasons To Reacquaint Yourself With Riley Laing

Live Now: Chapter 11 Mini-Documentary With Dane Reynolds

742 Views

3 Minutes Worth Of Reasons To Reacquaint Yourself With Riley Laing

The very best from the first 18 years of his life in ‘Underage’.

cinema // Oct 20, 2016
Words by Edit: Shane
Reading Time: 2 minutes

His name was getting thrown around a few years back when footage emerged of the then 13 year-old tearing down the Shipsterns staircase. Since then, we’ve seen a number of edits drop featuring Riley Laing, each one superseding the previous, as his surfing gained maturity over the years. Now, after recently stepping over the 18 year milestone of life, Riley thought he’d call up his pal Shane Fletcher to dig through the drives and put together a reel of high performance material that never saw the light of day. If ‘Underage’ is a snapshot of what young Riley is about, then we’re looking forward to what his adult equivalent can put together. 

So Riley, what’s ‘Underage’ all about besides a young man surfing exceptionally well? Basically this is my hard drive clean-out. I just turned 18 and kind of wanted to start afresh so I asked Shaneo (Shane Fletcher) to help me go back through some random footage from this year and we’ve scrambled this up.”

Where’s it shot? It’s really just a mash up from a bunch of stuff. I had random clips from back in May. You know, the standard stray days around home. There’s some Indo plus a strike to South Australia just before my 18th. I didn’t really plan it as a project at all.

How about that wild ride at Super’s (Indonesia)? (Laughs) mate. I’d got one just before it and then that thing popped up. I was next to this Brazilian but he didn’t want it. It didn’t look that big or anything but I got it and I guess it just hit the reef perfect. I’d been wanting to get a deep one so I kicked-stalled but then it stretched out and I thought I’d blown it (laughs). But I didn’t wanna jump off and get flogged. So I just held on and waited for my board to fall through the shocky and hopefully break my fall a bit. But then it just kept letting me run. I was that baffled I made it and next minute my arms where up near my head (laughs). Shaneo tried to cut the claim out (laughs). I got a barrel and was stoked with it, roast me all you want.

Anything else worth mentioning around the life and tales of Mr Laing? I guess people still think I’m a grom who tries to surf Shippies, I’m hoping this edit shows that I want to do more than just chase big waves. I really want to try travel a bunch more now that I’m 18. Obviously try to get good waves, but also see some places on the backends. Just soak it all in you know? Cruise around, take some photos, meet people, learn as much as I can. I don’t really want to chase the comp thing just now. I have some ideas for film projects I’d love to try and do but I guess I just have to wait and see what opens up and get as busy as I can. I’ll probably be torched by this time next year (laughs).

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Watch: What Happens When A Brand Takes Its Youth Team To A CT Event?

A: Good things, typically.

Mar 29, 2024

Full Frame: Scandinavia Is Surfing’s Next Frontier

A 30-hour drive, bathymetric maps, and 10 years of searching yield surfing's newest discovery.

Mar 29, 2024

Watch: João Chianca Had A Remarkable Hawaii Season Before His Injury

Plus an update on his condition.

Mar 28, 2024

Pittar’d And Feathered

Do the WSL judges deserve the internet's wrath? We asked the man of the hour.

Mar 28, 2024

Robbo, Pickles, And Tyler Wright Become The Underdogs Breakfast At Uninspiring Winkipop

The foreboding blade sharpens and inconsistent judging prevails on Day Two in Torquay.

Mar 27, 2024

“I Don’t Always Win Heats, But When I Do, I Try To Beat John John”

Slater shines and the axe begins its descent on Day 01 at Bells.

Mar 26, 2024

Back Against The Wall: The Ramzi Boukhiam Redemption

Morocco's first CT surfer on speaking six languages, having no coach, and snatching Fil Toledo's…

Mar 25, 2024

Will Kirra, Babies or JJF Stop a GOAT Winning at Bells?

Bluesky BOAG advice from a Superman specialist and former Trials winner.

Mar 25, 2024

Bells Preview: The WSL’s Victorian Sword Dancing Equinox Ritual

Will a Brazilian crack the Top 10 at Bells?

Mar 25, 2024

69 Shin Bones Later + the Anticlimactic State of Big Wave Record-Breaking

Lucas Chumbo might have surfed the biggest wave ever this year. But how will we…

Mar 23, 2024

Watch: ‘Fresh and Fried’ Ft the Quik Kids

How taxing is it to tackle the Gold Coast’s Triple Crown in a single day,…

Mar 23, 2024

The Popular Vote: The People’s Stab In The Dark With Kolohe Andino Champion

Which board looked best — to you —under Kolohe's talons?

Mar 22, 2024

Six Key Learnings From Portugal

Three CT events in, what do we know? 

Mar 21, 2024

‘Zipper’ Is Going On Tour, Here’s Where You Can Watch It  

Dates, times + locations for the Venice, Encinitas, Sydney + Byron premieres.  

Mar 20, 2024

Dane Reynolds On His Future, His Past, And Chapter 11’s Raison D’être

Our 9-minute plunge into the collective psyche of Ventura's pillar(s).

Mar 20, 2024

From ‘Blue Ribbon Cross Country Runner’ to Vogue – How Steph Again Is Back With A Rip Curl Remix

Everything we know about the she-GOATs sponsorship boomerang.

Mar 18, 2024

Stab Interview: Darren Handley Explains Why You Can’t Buy The Winning Stab In The Dark Model

And his decades-long standoff with Slater.

Mar 17, 2024

Griff Embraces Portugal’s Eternal Time Loop To Vanquish Medina + Ewing, Defay Delays The Inevitable

A redeeming closing act at Supertubos.

Mar 16, 2024
Advertisement