260 Seconds Of Stephanie Gilmore Making Surfing Look Elegant

Ever seen Rothko blue?

Could catch it at the MoMA. The result of dyed egg and oil media applied in thin layers – often in rectangular strips. This painting of his, prosaically titled (Royal Red and Blue) sold for $75.1 million at a Sotheby’s evening sale in New York in 2012. A lot. But wouldn’t you want it on your living room walls too?

Stephanie Gilmore does nothing in this edit your average surfer couldn’t. She just does everything better. Cutting a soft Malibu shoulder like a knife through a crisp green apple? That’s hard. Note, the lack of spray coming off her inner rail. Telltale sign of a 150+ surf IQ. 

All this was shot in California by Jack Coleman – the numinous filmmaker Stab profiled a month back for the release of his film, ‘Natural High’ (playing on Stab Premium), before she lifted her eighth world title and became the most accomplished female surfer of all time. BTW, Darren Handley’s board he submitted for this year’s SITD is modeled off the board Steph rode on Final’s day, and features top-secret tech (stay tuned). 

While ‘progression’ is being pushed as the big ol’ turnkey in surfing’s evolution, Steph at one-foot Bu, on a twin, is bedrock shit without which surfing becomes a salty version of ‘Crusty Demons’. 

Long live Rothko blue.