The Pick-Up: Slater Reveals His Mini Surfboard Theory, Pipeline Takes Scalps, And Will John John Compete Soon?

Welcome to the Monday Edition of The Pick-Up, our culturally omnivorous talk show filmed on location on the North Shore for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. 

With Tiph Cazalis out sick, this episode we’re joined by Pipe specialist and blue-eyed charmer, Nathan Florence, as well as everyone’s favorite voice from the channel, Strider “Rasberry” Wasilewski.

On this show, Mike Ciaramella chimes in with a Haleiwa wrap and his awards his Token Coconut Willie Award to an Italian fresh off an injured wing who catapulted 100-plus spots on the QS rankings towards requalification. 

Strider and Nathan talk Pipe highlights, including Mason Ho’s bucking bronco Pipe recovery, Eithan Osborne’s frantic chip-in to Pipe packing, and Noah Beschen’s full-send, ass-over-tea-kettle beating. 

We also covered John John’s secret engagement, which the World Champ filled us in on during our interview a week or so back (read that here): The day before embarking on his month-long sail to Palmyra, John unexpectedly dropped a knee in front of his longtime Australian partner in crime, Lauryn Cribb. The engagement was impromptu, John even popping the question with a ring MomJohn found on the beach out front of their Pipeline abode (though Nathan tells us the ring was a placeholder, and John will surely put a “big rock” on his leading lady’s left hand).

With Jordy Smith back in California getting his ribs looked at, Kolohe Andino packing pits at San Clemente Pier bowls (as documented by his adoring wife), Gabs hanging with skateboarding superstar Leticia Bufoni, and Filipe still nowhere to be seen on The Rock, Italo Ferreira is the only World Title Contender currently putting on time at Pipe. 

On Saturday evening, the Stab crew met up with Kelly Slater at his house next to Beach Park to talk about his show-stealing performance on a 5’3 off-the-rack Tomo Cymatic. The champ was vibrant and colorful during our conversation, and we’re not just talking about his skin’s organic sheen, which can be attributed to the “aloe and papaya” the GOAT had just rubbed on. We’ll be dropping an extended interview soon, but the short, hot-take on board design is a must-see. Suffice to say, it’s no coincidence that the entire island of Oahu is out of stock of the impossibly small, snubbed-nose, channel-bottom planing hulls. 

Rounding out this episode, Nathan and Strider offer their Kittens and Lions, with Nathan lamenting the passing of the Florence Brothers’ Grandfather. The Florences just returned from New Jersey visiting family, and we wish them the very best under the circumstances. 

Nate lionizes “the oldest and youngest generations” holding it down at Pipeline, from OG overlords Mike and Derek Ho, to the groms of the Pipe Pride, Makana Pang, Barron Mamiya, and Noah Beschen. 

Strider gets serious, calling out whatever bureaucratic jam is holding up funding for the North Shore Lifeguards to be paid from sun-up to sundown, after saving a young girl from drowning Saturday evening after the lifeguards’ shift had ended. His Lion? Pipeline, in all her majesty. 

Thanks for watching. We’ll see you on Thursday AM.