What to do on your World Tour break: Snowboarding!

It was a wild old year for surfers on the world tour. And in particular, Mick Fanning and John Florence, who both had so much press through the biz end of the year, it’s remarkable either of them held it together. Mick, of course, wrestled a shark at J-Bay in July and from that point, simply could not avoid the press. John on the other hand, announced his new film, View From A Blue Moon (also in July), before embarking on the most aggressive promo run ever seen for a surf film. Which really paid off, given VFABM become the highest-grossing surf movie of all time. So after such a year, with so much attention, and so much surf surf surf, what the cuss does one do to reclaim a little sanity, and take a break before the circus goes on tour again?

Snowboarding!

Mick has been cleaving powder in Japan’s Hakuba, with a crew that includes Matt Wilkinson, Surfing photog Corey Wilson and more. Aside from getting offers from local bars for free nights of beers and burgers, Mick’s Nagano sojourn looks like just what he needed after such a year. It’s kinda perfect because a) The cold keeps crowds indoors in the evening, b) the bars are small and likely filled with a only small percentage of people that’d recognise him and c) snowboarding requires the wearing of googles and mask all day. Hello, anonymity. There’s no gram videos to suggest whether or not Mick’s savvy on snow, but his setback stance would suggest a very surf style of riding.

Rather than heading for Japan, John Florence shot over to British Columbia for a white Christmas. Mr Florence, girlfriend Lauryn, ma Alex, brother Ivan, pal Koa Rothman and his gal gal Michelle dug on Canada’s fabulous Revelstoke Mountain. John’s physiotherapist, Mark Kozuki, once told Stab that John has “really, really high level body awareness. He’s just naturally wired.” So, it isn’t hard to imagine the prince being rather handy when clipped in. Head over here to watch a video of him drawing a line.

Other surfers who went snowboarding? The totally huge team of Jack Freestone, Alana Blanchard, Mitch Coleborn (and wife), Mitch Crews, Kelia Moniz, Dane Zaun, Bruna Schmitz, Ola and Monyca Eleogram, Quincy Davis, Eric Tomlinson and more went riding at the more popular Mammoth Mountain. Yowser! After qualifying for the World Tour in 2016, Mr Freestone especially deserves the holiday.

Sources suggest that even Kelly Slater will ride the white thunder at some point before heading to Snapper. In the meantime, he’s been getting standup barrels on Maui.

If you’re going riding, don’t fall into the trap of wearing all the wild fluoro shit that hire shops are so often partial to. Goggles in particular are something you shouldn’t skimp on, and these Electric numbers are about as good as it gets. Stab likes these because they’ll keep everything clear, no matter how heavily it’s dumping: