Maui’s Machiavellians

Maui newschool talents, Albee Layer and Matt Meola are better known for their astonishing aerial repertoires, most recently on show in the Kustom Airstrike series. But, as you’ll see in this excellent mini-documentary, they are about much more than that. Having grown up with Jaws in their backyards, it was always going to be difficult to ignore the thundering call of surfing’s original mega-wave spot. As it turns out, it’s this more than anything that provides their reason for being. “I’m really looking to find a niche away from all the mayhem and contests and who is the coolest and who is wearing what tight jeans,” says Albee. “I’m just trying to stay away from that and keep my head in surfing. My biggest goal is to stay in big waves cause all that other shit just gets processed out.” Albee and Matt have grown up surfing together, a partnership they say has been integral in getting them to where they are today. Both agree that surfing big waves has done wonders for their aerial games (watch the clip to find out why) but when it comes down to it, paddling 20 foot bombs at Jaws is what gives them their biggest buzz. “Before I paddled Jaws I thought the guys on tour was what surfing was but now I know what surfing really is. And when you’re putting your life on the line like that out there in those giant waves it makes the surfing you see on TV everyday not like an extreme sport,” says Matt. – Jed Smith Get to know Matt Meola a bit better in this recent interview.