Innholdsfortegnelse for No. 566 i Tracks

//_JAY_DAVIES_RESPONDEK_A99Q8321.JPG For surfers on the west coast cyclones are a rare gift. The north swell unlocks a host of mythical and scarcely surfed waves. Of these, none gets WA surfers foaming at the mouth more than the ‘beachbreak’ you can see Jay Davies locked in the jaws of above. What is normally little more than a neck-breaking, shorey closeout transforms under cyclonic conditions to become a neck-breaking shorebreak closeout with a slight chance of making it. During Cyclone Marcus a star-studded cast gave it their all for hours on end, stepping off skis into the crystal clear bombs erupting on the shallow sandbank. While many left in search of the nearest chiro’, a lucky few including Jay, left with smiles plastered on their faces, set to last until the next…

I’d borrowed the original 5’6”, McCoy Lazor Zap for a single fin contest. The guy I’d loaned it from was a collector, but the board had belonged to his sister as a kid; it still had “Deb” inscribed in pencil on the stringer. Alongside many of the longer, less refined boards being ridden in the event, the swallow-tail Lazor Zap was a turn-on-a-dime rocket ship. While the board ultimately proved a shade too small for me, one of the local grommets saw the potential and jockeyed the Lazor Zap all the way to a runner-up finish with a performance the featured everything from aerials to tail slides. Cool to see on a retro board. The McCoy was evidently a mini treasure, but after the event I performed one of surfing’s…

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But we still had fun, we still found waves that I’ve never been to before, and the journey continued. We got a small taste of the wave that we were trying to get, and all that really means is that we’ve got unfinished business… and we’ll be coming back. The amazing thing about not knowing where you’re going is that you don’t have an end date. You never know when you’re actually going to get there, you’re just sitting around and going with the flow. How long is this plane ride? How long is this car ride? Where do we have to walk to? Where do we have to swim to? You never know until you’re there… “So there I was sitting at home, thinking I’ve gotta go and go…

//_CRAIG_ANDERSON_TABONE_2606542.JPG After wreaking havoc on Tonga and its surrounding islands, TC Gita, originally heading west, performed a dramatic about face and ploughed southwest, spraying huge lines of swell toward Australia’s east coast as it went. As surfers awaited the swell, most of the attention was focused on Kirra – we’re sure you all remember the resulting shots and footage that saturated social media for weeks. However, Gita’s reach was wide. Far from the spotlight, on the south coast of NSW, surfers, including Craig Anderson, enjoyed spectacular waves of their own. Gita’s intense energy colliding with gurgling rock shelves in spectacular fashion, as indicated by Ando’s A-grade tube head in the image above.…

“I was told that if you see a shark out in the lineup, nine times out 10, it has already sussed you out, which often keeps me calmer (sounds weird I know). That particular day (shot above) , I saw the fin whilst looking through my eyepiece and quickly pressed the shutter, I looked up and it was gone ... it stayed quiet for a minute and then a huge set came. The waves were so good and I was scrambling hard to get into position, I instantly forgot about what might have been below. I’m the type who is all about “not” culling the sharks. It’s their domain we venture into and I’ve always said that if your time is up, that’s it. There is not much you can…

Of all the heavyweight slabs in surfing The Right, located on West Oz’s southern coastline, lays legitimate claim to being the heaviest. It’s hard to comprehend how it’s possible for so much square tonnage of seawater to be contained in just one wave, let alone how it is then lifted like a leaf in the breeze and contorted into some of the most violent liquid eruptions on the planet. You can lose time thinking about it. However, in real time a ride at The Right plays out in mere seconds, the amount of mayhem compressed into this short period is laughable. It seems to defy physics. The Right is surfing’s own black hole. The end of April saw one of the cleanest and meanest days in memory at The Right.…

The daylight hours begin to dwindle and the temperature slides to a bone-rattling chill. Your instincts tell you to roll over beneath the thick doona, stick your feet in the uggs, put the kettle on and turn up the heater. However, you know the waves are pumping, brushed clean by a crisp offshore and rumbling with the power that winter brings. The stage is set for a battle between the part of you that indulges in easy comforts and the side that wants to fly down the line on a smooth winter coil. If the better part of you is to triumph in this joust then a good wetsuit is crucial. Here are four suits guaranteed to help you win the good fight.…

Since 1978 Ocean and Earth have nurtured a reputation for making high quality surf hardware that can be trusted to perform well in any surf situation. Extensive R&D is a cornerstone of the company and this suit, featuring the patented 3-fold design, was subject to two years of rigorous testing before being placed on the market. and has a patent to back up the 3 fold design. - Zipless fit equals freedom and second skin comfort and aesthetics. - Easy to get on and off courtesy of the suit’s increased entry point area and 3-Fold Dry Seal System. - O&E’s innovative 3-Fold Dry Seal system helps to eliminate water flushing by using a series strategically placed neoprene shoulder panels. - Fully taped 3-way sealed seams. Glued and blind stitched. -…

//_JOEL_PARKINSON_BOSKO_S186958.JPG In the past, one could be forgiven for thinking the Quiksilver Pro was cursed. Each year the waiting period seemed fated to be bookmarked by classic swells, leaving nothing but half-arsed wind swell and chewed out banks for the event. Organisers this year licked their lips when Linda showed up on the synoptic chart – finally a cyclone swell in time for finals day! While the WSL made the call to move the comp to Kirra in order to capitalise on the froth, those already eliminated from the event feasted on eight-foot tubes behind the rock at Snapper. This included Joel Parkinson (pictured above) who scored what many called the best tube ever ridden at the wave.…

From The Vault. Get out of my dreams! Mick Fanning and friend. – Photo: Simon Williams This was rated number 22 in the ‘35 Shots That Made Tracks’ feature from October 2005. As the editor at the time Sean Doherty mused, “There’s a profound message in this shot. Somewhere.” You didn’t think we’d forgotten did you Mick? Follow. surfing’s best and only impersonator. @tylerallenvo Listen - Island by Carus Thompson . On Island, his first release in five years, songwriter Carus Thompson upholds the proud tradition of the Australian storyteller, digging deep into the Australian psyche and issues at the nation’s forefront, including refugees, isolation, apathy and Ice. Carus Thompson is making a grand statement about modern Australia. Not The News. Local Surfers’ Lineup Convo Cracks 100 Decibels. The long…

If Jordy Smith is the front man for African surfing then Michael February has surely emerged as its spiritual ambassador. Tall, eloquently spoken and languid of limb, February surfs like a lick of melting butter and has rapidly earned a cult following amongst style connoisseurs. When Tracks catches up with Michael he is grabbing a coffee between heats. As word filters through that the contest has been canned for the day, February is happy to sit down for an impromptu chat about his surfing influences and desire to embark on an African odyssey in search of different waves and distinctive afro-funk beats. February was raised in Cape Town, on the southern tip of the African continent, where the frigid currents of the Atlantic Ocean on the west of the Cape…

Utilizing their state of the art wetsuit manufacturing facility, Rip Curl also has a reputation for being the most innovative wetsuit brand on the market. Driven by a desire to constantly improve their products, Rip Curl undertakes extensive research and development to maximize the comfort and performance of their suits. With almost half a century of experience in making wetsuits, Rip Curl know their rubber. - Liquid Mesh Super Stretch Panel – Amazing stretch and durability properties that surpass former industry standards and bring a new level of performance to cold water wetsuits - E5 Flashlining – New and exclusive to Rip Curl E5 Flash lining has 25% more stretch, a faster drying time, is lighter and has a lower profile than Flash Lining. - E5 Flashlining Hand Tape -…

PEAK Wetsuits is an Australian owned wetsuit brand with a long history. Born in 1980 on the Northern Beaches of Sydney with the mission to make wetsuits for surfers that are great quality and at affordable prices. PEAK Wetsuits has a respected and genuine place in surfing, and continues to be a core surf brand that manufactures quality wetsuits for core surfers. - X-Stretch Neoprene – Strategically located in the arms and shoulders where the most flex is needed, X-Stretch neoprene is extremely flexible and lightweight - X-Dry Lining – Super warm and flexible and best of all it dries super fast! - 100% Glued and Blind stitched seams – Sealed - Easy close zip entry system - Strategically positioned Peak paneling to give the most flexibility while still guaranteeing…