‘Momentum Generation’ Wins An Emmy*

Last night, in a packed New York theater, the 40th Annual Sports Emmy Awards were held to highlight the best sports-related TV content of the year. 

NBC and ESPN were the big winners of the night, the networks taking home six trophies apiece across a myriad of award categories, but there were a few unlikely winners as well. 

HBO’s Momentum Generation, a series featuring the childhood and careers of surf superstars Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Shane Dorian et al. won the award for Outstanding Long Documentary. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a surf-based program has ever won an Emmy.  

Some might say that surfing, due to its coastal and cultural barriers, has a glass ceiling in terms of broader engagement – be that through the physical act or virtual enjoyment thereof. What those critics mightn’t understand, is that the glass ceiling is surfing’s most coveted feature. 

The director/producer of Momentum Generation, Michael Zimbalist—who is remarkably young for a filmmaker of his prestige—welcomed his entire crew on-stage, comprising roughly 15 people plus the man who made the actual Momentum generation a thing, Mr. Taylor Steele. 

Stab would like to offer a sincere congratulations to everyone involved in this project.

As the award host said, “It’s all about the stories that you tell,” and few hobbyists have better tales to tell than surfers.