Ever Seen A More Aggressive Application Of Rail On An East Coast Left? - Stab Mag
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Luke names Kalani Robb, Rob Machado, and Timmy Curren as his influences. Any common threads?

Ever Seen A More Aggressive Application Of Rail On An East Coast Left?

Luke Griffo returns with some of the nastiest gauges in recent memory.

cinema // Jul 7, 2025
Words by Jack O'Neill Paterson
Reading Time: 2 minutes

A shattered leg, broken to bits and eventually bitten off by an albino whale, was enough to send Captain Ahab off the rails entirely. One busted bone as cause for a life derailed by vengeance and monomania. 

Luke Griffin broke his foot halfway through filming his latest movie. It effectively halved the project — ten sessions planned around the Gold Coast, now five. 

He’d moved over from New Zealand a year earlier, following what he describes as “this weird feeling that I needed to come to Australia. And just try to surf more. I never thought I would make a living out of it, but it would’ve just been in the back of my mind if I didn’t come over and just like enjoy this country, and just film and just see what happens.”

While filming the fifth session, his foot gave out. Unlike Ahab, Luke didn’t declare war on nature. “I just thought I’d make something out of what I’ve got,” he said. 

Which, to be fair, was plenty. He’d already harpooned the Gold Coast clean through. 

Sheesh.

Griffo’s had a productive stretch. Rode for Former during their fledgling years, designed Caity Simmers’ universally adored world title tee, and now splits his time between graphic design and riding for always do what you should do, a New Zealand-based surf/skate/fashion outfit currently testing its cultural stamina in London.

“Always are honestly the best brand. They’re always (laughs) keen to support anything I wanna do.”

In the edit above, shot and chopped by Hunter Vercoe, Griffo’s on longer boards — citing Kalani Robb, Rob Machado, and Timmy Curren as the blueprint.

Honestly, some of the nastiest rail work on an east coast left in recent memory.

Well worth your time. 

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