The Pick Up: Is Sunset The World’s Trickiest Wave?

We’ve all got a wave we hate. And no, I’m not talking about that mushy shithole all the old guys surf – I’m talking about a wave that talented people love that for some reason doesn’t suit our eye. Or our style. Or our fear threshold. 

Mine is every single one of the La Jolla reefs. Kelly Slater’s is Sunset. 

Kelly’s disdain for that chunky reef is understandable. Sunset is a broad wave with long and ambiguous walls, in contrast to Pipeline’s compact corners. It is hard to read on the best of days and victory-at-sea on the worst. You could even call it the antithesis to a “perfect” wave. A va-yin to the wave pool’s wang.  

But some surf it so marvelously! Old-wise, it’s Tom Carroll, Gary Elkerton, Pancho, and Sunny. Young-wise I can’t look past John, Michel, and Jamie-O. The common trait here is being very strong. Really, all you can do at Sunset is be very strong. Zeke Lau surfs it well too. As does Conner Coffin.  

Welcome back to “The Pick Up” A Vans x Stab joint!