Sweltering and Lavish: Stab High Poolside
A look at our favorite surf contest, although admittedly we're a little biased.
It's hard to explain just how sick of a weekend just went down in Waco, but we do know the BSR cleaning crew has had their hands full, the cleanup after the weekend blowout lasting two whole Texas work days.
We must have drank a thousand Saint Archers, the occassional Just Water, another couple hundred Underwoods. Speaking of which, those red wine stains ain't coming out of the sofa. And whose idea were the fireworks? Though they did, however, result in one of our favorite moments of the weekend: Damien Fahrenfort—the day's roaming beach commentary and straight man to Vaughan Blakey's maniacal analysis—trying to reason with drunk surfers in possession of an impressive haul of cheap roadside roman candles, cherry bombs, firecrackers.
"Bru, trust me—I want to blow shit up as much as anyone here. I. Fucking. Love. Fireworks. But the sheriffs are coming..."
Hazzzy Bryant in his Barbershop shaping the perfect bowl cut for this gentleman. Welcome to Harry's Barbershop, where there's only one style on the menu: The Haz.
That moment when one sleeveless Stab High rippah says, "My work here is done."
The Ladybirds and their Stab High letterman jackets.
Sierra Kerr and Sky Brown, two of the biggest heroines Stab High has ever seen!
Then Harry Bryant tossd a smoke bomb from the lower level (only to have it lobbed right back and send him diving into the sand beneath a tail of green smoke). Later, he told us he was brought to tears watching the Ladybirds send it.
"I'm just so proud of those little girls. I absolutely can't believe the show they put on. It was sincerely the greatest thing I've ever seen."
Swimline provided the floaties around the pool– a much needed cushion for those looking to stay cool in the pushing triple digit heat. Union supplied the wine, and the Reisling was the go-to choice to keep the buzz going and stay refreshed.
The coolest spot in Waco, Texas, is in the pool.
Dylan Graves like it cold and double fisted.
Harry, Knosty, and Chun Manners.
After buckling every single one of his boards the days prior, Dane Reynolds decided he'd enter heat four of Stab High, so he scrubbed out Noa Deane's sponsors and drew in his own. He proceeded to do not a single safety airs and hit the Waco ramp in pure Reynolds' fashion: zero fucks given.
Meanwhile, Christian Fletcher was giving juggling lessons to a thoroughly lubricated crowd gathered in the second-floor suite. Kevin Schulz, Dark Horse runner-up and winner of the Freak Peak Challenge by default, was on an absolute tear, having dropped one of the loudest hammers to come from the Waco Pool in freesurfs Friday. Kid was fucking beaming.
"I think this is the best day of my life."
Crane-O hanging with the boy with a bum wrist and a never-ceasing smile, SIr Gabe "Beave" Garcia.
The scene on the wall and in the cantilevered, proudly makesfhift Mad Max viewing platforms made for some of the best surf entertainment we could imagine, while the view into the right from the BSR Pool Bar was hard to beat.
Wanna waffle in the heat? Yeah, sure! A side Vans activation the cuts straight to the heart of the waffle sole!
Eric Geiselman tossed out his buckled board and decided a different kind of pool toy would provide more floatation.
Looking around the crowd, packed in and raging as lightning lit up the western sky and rain fell in heavy sheets, we had to keep reminding ourselves: we're in fucking Texas, man.
Yesterday was spent picking up the pieces from one of the wildest days we can recall involving a surf comp, well, ever: Two dozen or so of the world's best surfers, a couple of hundred friends as supporting cast comrades, a handful of icons in the judging and commentator's booth...
Here's a scene report from the loosest pool party this side of the Mississippi.
A big, very transparent thanks to Union Wine (for the wine), Saint Archer (for the beer), Just Water (for the water!), and Swimline (for the pool toys!).
Haz signing up to drop a little acid with Nathan Fletcher.
When in Central Texas, at least in our modest opinion, it's totally acceptable to drink two Saint Archers at once through the straws in your plastic red cowboy hat.
Every single Stab staffer is hoping that these Drag x Vans x Stab High boogie collab makes their way back into the office.
