Palatable Portuguese Wedges With Mason Ho

Best up front. 

Mason’s formula for engagement is highly effective. No one really knows how the youtube algorithm works. It’s puzzling at the best of times. 

What we’re learning at Stab is that the algo tends to be kinder to you when you place the best up front. Waves, attractive faces, bottoms, barrels, punts. As for the narrative stuff, loading it in the back is your best bet if you want to go viral. 

But Mason Ho is miles above us tech-noobs fiddling around in the back-end scratching our heads. His Ho & Pringle Production clips follow a predictable structure. Normally, some insane backwash, novelty wave that he will find a way to launch off with some frothy commentary superimposed on a Hendrix soundtrack. Then the board/surfer breakdown, ding report, zen lifestyle shots of the surrounding environment etc. 

He’s got the algorithm on lock.

In his latest 11-and-a-half minute clip, Mase finds himself in a wedge just south of Ericeira, Portugal, following his early exit from the Challenger Series event, the MEO Vissla Pro, won by Zeke Lau and Luana Silva. Mason currently sits at #93 in the CS rankings with two events left to go, the Quikky Pro in France, of which the waiting period starts today, and the Haleiwa Challenger, which begins at the end of November. 

Will Mase ever make the tour? We sure hope so. It would be very entertaining to see his farcical approach to wave-riding alongside the comp guys doing three to the beach. 

Music: ‘Psycho’ by Jimi Hendrix.