Russell Bierke’s Cloudbreak Comeback

Russell Bierke’s not shy of a backhand funnel. In fact, that’s essentially all we see him surfing.

Russ grew up surfing an array of heavy, deep, and shallow slabs, I mean, scary thick waves on NSW’s South Coast. He won 2016’s Cape Fear at life threatening Cape Solander and this year was asked to join the rank’s of the world’s best on the WSL’s Big Wave Tour.

When Cloudbreak copped black blobs and Puerto was pumping earlier this year, we were surprised not to see the young South Coast gents iconic locks flailing into a few tubes. This was because young Russ sustained an ankle injury earlier this year which kept him dry docked for most of the southern hemispheres swell season. 

Fortunately, he’s now prepped for the official start of the Big Wave World Tour’s 2018/19 season. And what better way to warm up than lucking into a couple sizeable Cloudbreak freight trains. 

The above clip is from Russ’ trip to Fiji a month back. The first swell he’s chased of the year and the first time he’s surfed Cloudbreak since severely fracturing his foot there four years ago.

No turns, no tricks, just take-offs, grab rails, and tubes.

Easter Egg: This is the same Cloudbreak swell Mick Fanning and Dingo Morrison went on their first trip together in a decade.