Russell Bierke’s Latest Clip ‘Inner Mechanics’ Comes With A Content Advisory Warning

“I suppose the more ‘calculated’ part of it is in reading waves ahead of time,” says Russell Bierke. “One thing I like to look at is the surface tension. When you’re paddling for a wave that’s meant to barrel, but it’s got ribs through it — as in, it’s not that clean draw or isn’t properly pulling off the reef — then I’ll often look for little imperfections, like a bit of chop or a cap, that might let you in earlier. A wave can look perfect from the outside, but when you study where it actually breaks, the surface over the reef might be wobbly, with sidewash or a boil running through it. So a lot of it isn’t just watching the wave coming in, it’s reading the section of reef down the line where it’s going to peel. Learning to notice those clues has helped me a lot in understanding how a wave will break further down the line.”

Between Outer Edge of Leisure (2023 SEOTY winner), Flow State, Bezerke, and a handful of smaller brand films for O’Neill and Ocean & Earth, Russell has carved out a distinct genre of his own — one that comes with content advisories due to several live premiers that conjured demonic spirits and stiff necks from awe-induced head shakes.

Inner Mechanics confers that same effect, but with a touch more introspection. Rather than pure surf porn, it weaves in a few interviews to add rhythm and depth. “This clip was two years in the making in between a string of injuries,” says Russ. “I actually cracked my ribs at the last Eddie, and before that I had a broken foot and a couple lingering niggles. So it was nice to actually get a full year of surfing in this year.”

He continues, “Travelling with Noa [Deane] this year has been epic. He lives about 10 minutes from me, and this year we were able to hit Ireland, that sandbar (as seen in Maps to Nowhere), and a bunch of spots around Oz. It’s definitely a nice exchange where we’re able to draw from each other’s approach. There were times where I was dragging him out to Mullies, and times, like at the sandbar where he would just make us roast in the sun for hours waiting for the tide to turn because he refuses to quit. Or trying to pop airs of the Shippies end bowl.” 

The experience of watching Russ’ clips is more akin to watching Alex Honnold free solo an enormous granite wall than anything relatable to everyday hobbyists. There’s almost a kind of morbid curiosity to it all — watching him one unfortunate slip away from a career-altering injury or worse. “You can only roll the dice so many times before your number comes up,” Nathan Florence told Stab last year, speaking to the intrinsic risk of building a career surfing merciless, tricky-to-access rock shelves that break swell in the most intense ways imaginable.

And yet, it’s just what Russ does, and would do, with or without the fanfare. 

Andrew Kaineder, his longtime creative collaborator, spoke at length to his unique neural wiring in the Best Surfing I’ve Ever Seen, shot during a five-day swell bender at a mushroom-shaped reef a kilometre out to sea. “Russ doesn’t train, he’s not like one of those big wave surfers who goes to the gym and posts photos. All his preparation comes from understanding: waves, boards and techniques,” said Andrew.

Russ set the record straight, “You definitely won’t see me posting about it. But I definitely do try to keep the body in shape,” he laughs. “Spearfishing and diving are obviously beneficial for your breath holds. But beyond that, so much of it is mental. The longest I’ve ever been held under for is about 17 seconds at Nazare. It’s something my old man hammered into me since I was young. Just count the seconds and try to stay calm.” 

Btw, he still has his Bitcoin.