How Do You Recreate A Particular Strand Of Madness?  - Stab Mag
1423 Views
If you can dream it, the Swatch Nines crew can prob find a way to make it happen.

How Do You Recreate A Particular Strand Of Madness? 

Inside the creative workshop that spawned the 2025 Swatch Nines surf event.

news // Jun 2, 2025
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Presented by Swatch

The first-ever Swatch Nines surf event was perhaps the most surreal thing we witnessed in 2024. 

There was a floating orb. Flares. A rail to boardslide. Greyson Fletcher skating around, going huge on everything at all times.

We’d never seen anything quite like it. 

“It was real fun,” said Noah Beschen. “Nobody felt the pressure of a contest. We had a ton of time in the pool, and it felt like you could try whatever you wanted. Even just hanging with everybody outside the water was sick.” 

But how would you one-up it? 

Create an inspiring environment. Get the right people in the room. And have some fun. 

Choose your fighter.

In February, Swatch took over a house in Encinitas and tasked them with reinventing the Nines surf concept for Waco in 2025. Noah and Zoey McDougal were there, along with Swatch skaters Andy Anderson and Gustavo Ribeiro and a handful of other big brains. Let’s toss it back to Noah.

“Everybody was staying in this house, and we’d surf and cruise together all day. Then we’d have sit-down workshops in the morning and at night. Nico [The Nines founder] had a few presentations for us to check out, and everyone would chip in with their ideas. It was a full brainstorm session.”

So, what can we expect this year? 

What if…

“We’re going to bring more rails and objects to hit,” Noah added. “That happened spontaneously last year, but they’re going to build some proper stuff out for us this year. There’s going to be more bike and skate stuff for those guys, too. It’s going to be insane.” 

The event will run from June 23 – 25 back at Waco Surf. More to come. 

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

Watch: Creed McTaggart + Tom Morat Sample The Fender III

The EAST runner-up’s “souped up step down” gets a HP tweak.

Apr 21, 2026

“First Person To Punt Over The Rainbow Gets $5K”

Watch: A colorful Bum Rush with the Ho family

Apr 20, 2026

Does Cloudbreak Have A Box Jellyfish Problem?

“I'm lying in the boat convulsing going, ‘Fuck Dad, am I going to die?’” recalled…

Apr 20, 2026

The Hierarchy Holds Firm

Usual suspects progress in victory-at-sea conditions at Margs.

Apr 19, 2026

The Sport Of Short (And Muscular) Kings?

Is there an ideal body type for surfing? 

Apr 19, 2026

Is Surfing For The Rich? | StabMic Episode 10

Nate Fletcher & Dane Reynolds discuss the state of modern surfing.

Apr 17, 2026

Surfing’s Obsession With Proof

A photographer's musings on the enduring impact of surf imagery and our connection to it.

Apr 16, 2026

The Longest Day In WSL History Almost Ends In A Brawl

Twenty-eight heats and a non-interference call that spills out into the carpark.

Apr 16, 2026

Do Second Impressions Ever Last?

A preview of the Margaret River Pro, 2026.

Apr 15, 2026

SEOTY: Josh Burke Stars In ‘Real Estate’

Why we should pay more attention to the Caribbean.

Apr 13, 2026

Gabriela Bryan And Miguel Pupo Ding The ‘Pop

And the reigning world champs get knocked down a peg.

Apr 11, 2026

Have High-Performance Surfboards Already Peaked? | StabMic Episode 09

Britt Merrick + Dane Reynolds on Medina’s CI stint, Slater, Ewing, and the ceiling of…

Apr 10, 2026

A Day In The Life Of A Surf Shop  

One solar day in the strange, sacred, wax-scented world of the surf shop.

Apr 9, 2026

How Do You Score An Impossible Air?

Italo v Gab was the title fight, but the rest of Day 5 delivered as…

Apr 9, 2026

Fourteen Heats, One Questionable Interference, And A Few Steps Closer To Tinnitus

Rip Curl Pro Bells: How is this Day 4 already?

Apr 8, 2026

Watch: Episode 01 of Stab in the Dark starring Ethan Ewing

The reigning champ vs 3x SITD winner vs an Indonesian-based wildcard.

Apr 7, 2026

Stab High x Monster Energy Is Coming To Virginia Beach, USA

Premium members get first access to tickets.

Apr 6, 2026

Griff Goes Futuristic To Beat The New Kid

The greatest wildcard loss in WSL history?

Apr 5, 2026
Advertisement