Relive The Greatest Drop At Backdoor…Ever?

The 2020 Stab film “For Whom The Atolls” hints at a second coming of the Billabong Trilogy. 

Unlike their three predecessors, (Andy, Parko, and Taj) Griffin Colapinto, Ethan Ewing, and Seth Moniz are close friends. They’re also all on tour, yet all approach it in different ways. Griffin is the most well-rounded and is the only one of the bunch to win a CT event. Ethan’s style is unmatched. And Seth is the trifecta’s hellman, capable of hucking his body into the most unruly tube of the day and going full Jetpack Joyride into the flats. 

That unpredictability plus experience plus sendy attitude served Seth well at the first CT event of 2022. Seth’s first entry into his new vlog series, “FACES”, is a banger and recaps his journey through Pipeline, where he handled Kanoa, Zeke, Felipe, John John and Caio before facing Kelly in some of the best comp conditions in recent memory. 

There’s plenty of wholesome fishing, family, and golfing to see among Seth’s Hawaii winter highlights, all expertly compiled and edited by Cole Yamane. But the crux of this is the heat replays. Zeke, a good friend and competitor with Seth, provides a good play-by-play of the action. 

“I remember being there at the beach day, it was just goosebumps every time he paddled out,” Zeke said. “Everybody on the beach, his whole support crew was super sick to see. I was just glad I was there and got to watch and be one of the boys supporting him.”  

But come on guys, tell us about that quarterfinal matchup — you know, with the fellow Hawaiian who goes by two first names. Despite “crazy anxiety” Seth steeled his nerves and took down the champ.

“I couldn’t control my heart rate. It was just pumping out of my chest,” Seth said. “But I feel like every time I have that anxiety, I feel like I do good. I think the heart rate gets you up. That was one of the best heats of my life with him. Felt like I won the comp after.”

“For one time, I feel like John was worried about someone else in the heat at Pipe rather than himself,” Zeke said. “It took him out of his whole element competing out there. You could just tell from the first wave when Seth got that nine under priority and it was on. After that first wave that Seth got, I felt like John was chasing from behind and Seth just had him on the ropes.” 

You know what happened in the final. Kelly put on a 50-year-old masterclass the young Hawaiian couldn’t match. A fine showing from Seth, who admitted to prodding Kelly from the jump, only to watch the GOAT attack with his horns.

“I saw the fire in his eyes,” Seth recalled. “I think that was the worst mistake of my life.”

Yeah, that’ll happen. But Seth can take solace in the robust system of friends and family supporting him throughout his journey. The ohana here is palpable. 

“To hang out with him at the house eating ice cream every night and then see him go out and school guys, that’s what it’s all about,” Griffin Colapinto concludes succinctly. “Have fun and school guys.”