S.U.R.F. Is Back! And It’s Time To Party - Stab Mag
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The lineup (Krooky's not actually this tall but graphic design is one helluva drug). All photos by Mallmic. 

S.U.R.F. Is Back! And It’s Time To Party

Drink beers, have fun and affect destiny thanks to Byron Bay Brewery & Stab.

features // Jun 16, 2022
Words by stab
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Come for the free booze, food, and live tunes, stay to vote for Byron’s most crafty, artistic and all round best surfer with the sexiest hair in the S.U.R.F. showdown. A party like no other where you’ll have the opportunity to determine the winner of $10K and a truckload of glory. 

Soli teaches Channel Islands’ shaper TJ how to hack a blank.

Featuring the OG cast of Byron Bay local semi-pro and fully-pro surfers, Ozzie Wright, Soli Bailey, Ari ‘Krooky’ Browne and Jake ‘Vinnie’ Vincent, the S.U.R.F showdown will settle the score once and for all about who Byron’s ultimate water wizard is. 

Krooky under the intense supervision of Luke Bridge in the shaping bay he built underneath his house.

Previously, Jake Vincent won S.U.R.F by a one-point margin over Soli Bailey in a highly contentious final across four different challenges. Ozzie had a busted knee and Krooky had cast a bad luck spell on himself coming last in 3 of the 4 challenges. A lot of desturbed frequencies at play so in the spirit of true karmic healing we’re doing it all again.   

Measure nunce, cut thrice. Vinnie’s work suitably prepped for glassing.

This time around, it went like this. We gave each surfer a blank and six hours to hand shape a board. They all had very little experience so it was funny. They were allowed to get help from a local shaping guru, who could offer guidance but not touch the boards.  

Ozzie and his pre-shaping perineum sunning on a rainy day.

They were then given a brush and a tin of paint because their next challenge was to turn that recently butchered foam into art. The highest form of art there is ‘surf art’. LOL.

Sol and Oz, paint party.

Next of course was hydrodynamics. Did these boards work? Surfable? Sufferable? Did the art look any good? Or was it all just like the latest latte art from another bloated barista?

Ozzie had plenty of experience with this part.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder aka you. Come decide who did it all best on Friday the 17th June. The winning surfer will take home $10,000 or 1,000,000 cents. 

And what will you take home? Nothing. But you’ll be there. 

Where it all started.

Details

  • Where: 6 Grevillea St, Byron Industrial estate (Traeger warehouse)
  • When: 5pm onwards, Friday 17th June
  • What: Drinks, surfing, food, live music
  • How: Show up, stand there 
  • Live band: Landlords
  • DJ: Haven’t locked that in yet but we know some really cool people
  • After Party: Not telling

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