Matt Meola, Innersection Winner at Komune Beach Club on the Gold Coast, Australia

Last night, at Komune Beach Club on the Gold Coast, Innersection producers Nathan Myers and Taylor Steele presented 20-year-old Hawaiian Matt Meola with a novelty-sized check for $100k. Komune sits opposite Greenmount surf house and is the one-stop social hub during the Quiksilver Pro, Gold Coast. Every night, the bar and pool-area of the up-market backpackers lodge is overrun with professional surfers and all manner of folk associated with the surfing industry. Last night, Taylor Steele and Nathan Myers hosted a party at Komune to crown the winner of their movie contest, Innersection, in which different surfers worked with their own directors, and submitted video sections in the hope of being deemed best and winning $100k. When a copy of the film first arrived in the Stab office a while back, it was agreed that Matt’s section was the pick of the bunch. There was undoubtedly other close contenders, but Matt’s had a certain, how-you-say, pizzazz to it. Huge wheelie airs out to flat landings, flips any way y’like, quick rotes and fearless turns. Craig Anderson’s section was also one of Stab‘s favs, and he very nearly won. Matt and Craig were both called to join Taylor and Nathan on a platform that stretched across Komune’s pool, behind which sections from the film were played (with admittedly poor timing and organisation). Taylor and Nathan talked about how hard it was to choose between the two and how good they both were. Both Matt and Craig looked a little nervous and unsure, though Matt’s presence was almost enough to confirm who the winner’d be before it was announced – kid didn’t fly over from Maui for nothing. Despite everyone at the event talking about how sure they were that Matt’d win, tension in the moments leading up to the announcement was palpable. The words “And the winner is… Matt Meola”, an explosion of champagne from the hands of Taylor Steele, a roar of “YEW” and the slapping of many hands, and Matt Meola was $100k richer. Matt was the smallest man in the building last night, but once the word was given, had the biggest smile and obviously, the biggest cheque. When I asked the ever-humble Craig if he was bummed, he shook his head furiously: “Nope, nope, not even, not one bit. I knew he’d win, I’m pumped for him, I’m not one bit bummed. It’s sick!”