Stab Magazine | How A Shaper Mick Fanning Never Heard Of Got Second In Stab In The Dark

Episode 3 of EAST with Harry Bryant is LIVE, presented by Kona Big Wave and Vans.

974 Views

How A Shaper Mick Fanning Never Heard Of Got Second In Stab In The Dark

Say hello to Pukas’ Axel Lorentz.

news // Apr 17, 2019
Words by stab
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Quietly ensconced in a Basque Country shaping bay, Frenchman Axel Lorentz is one of those rare breeds in the surf biz that prefers to let his work speak for itself. First picking up a planer in 1997, he ran his own factory for years before jumping onto the Pukas team in 2012. 

“You can tell that it ́s a guy who loves his job,” says big-wave hellman Natxo Gonzalez. 

His boards can be found under the feet of Twiggy, Gonzalez, Kepa Acero, and countless other Euro surf stars and underground chargers, but unless you call the Basque region home, you’re probably not too familiar with his name. 

“He has never been one to attract attention to himself, but can shape anything, anytime, for anyone,” testifies Matt “Mayhem” Biolos.

That may be about to change as Lorentz was Mick Fanning’s runner-up pick for Stab In The Dark. True to Lorentz’s character, Fanning didn’t even know who he was until it was unveiled to him. 

Shaping a high-performance stiletto he calls his DARK design, the board literally flies. During Fanning’s test runs he reached a top speed of 38.4km/h…the fastest of any board tested.

“I lowered the exit rocker and made the rails more parallel. The more parallel they are, the fastest the board goes,” Lorentz explains.

The board isn’t built for groveling or crap surf, it’s made for ripping by someone that rips…if that makes sense. Lorentz can pretty much make anything, and when he settles into his groove, from big-wave guns to high-performance shortboards to everything in between, the man’s magic when it comes to whittling foam.

All surfboards in this year’s Stab in the Dark were made with proprietary, eco-friendly blends approved by Sustainable Surf.  

Here’s how to enter:

Click the link at the bottom of this page. It will take you to a Survey that’ll ask four things.

1. Take a screenshot of your Stab in the Dark receipt and upload it.*

2. Answer whether or not you’re a member of Awayco (Awayco members will be entered twice into the raffle). Sign up for Awayco here. 

3. Enter the email that corresponds with your Awayco profile.

4. Tell us which local spot you think your Mick Fanning Stab in the Dark replica will fly best.

You have two weeks to enter, and you can watch Stab in the Dark starring Mick Fanning by tapping any of the links below.

iTunes

Amazon

Google Play  

Vimeo

Dynamic Link

Xbox

Your Stab in the Dark Replica awaits, here.

 

 

*To qualify, you can also upload an Electric Acid Surfboard Test receipt (bought or rented!) or a Stab High Pay-Per-View receipt. If you’ve bought two or all three, upload them all. 

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

Want To Win One Of Harry Bryant’s EAST Boards?

We’re giving away 10 pink and blue boards to Stab Premium members.

Oct 9, 2026

SEOTY: Australia’s #1 QS Surfer vs. The Sydney Pipeline

Whether it's the original Banzai or a knock-off, Kobi Clements is not afraid.

Oct 7, 2026

How Ashton Pickle Won Harry Bryant’s EAST, Presented By Kona Big Wave

What actually happened last weekend in NYC?

Oct 6, 2026

How Tom Curren Accidentally Baptized Japan’s Most Fabled Big Wave Spot

And why Kelly Slater missed out on naming rights.

Oct 5, 2026

DEFECT: In Conversation | StabMic Ep. 33

Dane Reynolds, Hunter Martinez, and Jake Kelley watch DEFECT and offer up its secrets.

Oct 5, 2026

Watch: EAST Starring Harry Bryant, The Grand Finale

Five (or six) shapers, four (or five) boards, and a very unusual end to the…

Oct 2, 2026

Surfing’s 2026 Q3 Report: Dead Cat Bounce, Live Cocaine Bump

Legacy stocks and IPOs on the rise.

Oct 1, 2026

SEOTY: Ryan Huckabee’s Limbs Require Forensic Study After ‘Huck 2’

+ Albee Layer interviews Huck on the reality of Maui’s "air wind" and Jaws vs.…

Sep 28, 2026

The Day Greg Long Drowned | StabMic Ep. 32

"I look back on that as the single most important moment of my life.”

Sep 28, 2026

Watch FUDO— Steko’s Bold, Referential & Intentionally Divisive 2026 Film of the Year Nominee

Andino and Vanderwork push surf film aesthetic away from 1999 and toward 2009 in 'Fudo'.

Sep 25, 2026

Stab High Presented By Monster Energy Is Heading To China

The biggest air section in the game. Live from Riyue Bay, Hainan, November 13th and…

Sep 25, 2026

“She Reminds Me of Slater and Andy At The Peak Of Their Powers”

Erin Brooks is undefeated in her last 14 CT heats. Coach Jake Paterson has seen…

Sep 25, 2026

How Ben Gravy Conquered Ferry Surfing’s Everest

"If you're there on the perfect conditions, it would barrel for a solid 90 to…

Sep 23, 2026

Watch: You Vs The World’s Busiest Lineup For $5k

Sun Bum's impromptu surf contest hits Snapper Rocks

Sep 22, 2026

Yes, Former Just Released Another Film — 3 Weeks After “Defect”— And It’s A++

'The Illusion of Control' is a 17-minute Cloudbreak tour exploring real Fijian surfers and the…

Sep 22, 2026

Why Miguel Pupo Is Peaking At 34

The Lowers winner is within 3,000 points of world #1 — it's not a coincidence.

Sep 22, 2026

How “Best Turn” Was Won In The Air

A marvellous Monday at the Quiksilver Festival.

Sep 21, 2026

Erin Brooks Just Won Three CT Events In A Row

And Miggy Pupo is a genuine World Title threat.

Sep 19, 2026
Advertisement