Captions by Kekoa Bacalso All photos by Trevor Moran
In any sport, for those who do it at the highest level, there is an unimaginable amount of work done behind the scenes between competition. Surfing is no different, especially in this day in age with the competition at the elite level being as fierce as it is. But, there are times when practice just happens to be on a world class pointbreak, and those extra hours of work aren’t quite feeling like work at all. This past summer, before the WSL event in Barra De La Cruz, Mexico, Rip Curl Team manager, and former World Tour Competitor Kekoa Bacalso spearheaded a trip with World Tour surfers Owen Wright and Morgan Cibilic, and top junior Luke Swanson to get some early training rounds in.
“We we’re just coming off the event at Slater’s wave pool, everybody was in California, so we thought it was a good idea to run down to Mexico and spend some time at Barra, which would be the next event. They guys could dial in their new equipment, and hopefully we’d be scoring, really,” said Bacalso.
“Coming off the wave pool event these guys were in the best shape of their lives. It was 110 degrees for five days straight. And, they’re doing 10 to 12 turns a wave. So, we thought, strike while the iron’s hot. Everybody was so fine tuned at that point, let’s try to keep that momentum moving forward. Instead of going back to crowded Lower Trestles and just kind of being stagnant. We saw a nice little swell on the forecast, and to be honest I don’t know what swell direction it likes or anything like that, but it had some size, so we basically just charged it.”
This is the 6:30 AM roll-up. Basically the first look that you have at Barra. There’s a lot of “Oohs” and “Aahs” and “Get me out of this car” at this point.
Barra is such a great empty canvas, it really showcases your strengths as a surfer. It was so fun to watch someone like Mikey Wright, just a balls to the wall surfer, it’s all or nothing with him. He was throwing down some big old laid backs, and doing some really big airs while we’re down there. The guy rips, he’s a natural talent.
It was so much fun being back down there and reliving everything, you know, the culture, the waves, the people, the food, it was really nice. I was just kind of born into this competition scene, and I still have that fire to surf good waves, not necessarily to compete and throw on the jersey, but to compete by being a sparring partner for these kids. These were the craziest waves I’ve surfed in so long. And, to reflect at the end of the day, laugh about it at dinner, and just to be on this adventure with the kids, the job doesn’t get any better than this, you know?
Luke Swanson is one of the top up and coming surfers coming out of Hawai’i. And, to have Luke on the trip was awesome. It was definitely an eye-opener for him to have the opportunity to surf with guys like Owen Wright and Morgan Cibilic, as they’re getting ready for an event. I think it was a great chance for him to see what it takes at that level. And, to sum it up, preparation is everything. And, he saw that first hand. That was the importance of having him come on the trip and to throw him in with those guys to some real surfing together.
I met Morgan Cibilic two or three years ago at the Hale’iwa event. At the time, he had a torn ACL, and had never surfed Hale’iwa before, and he ended up qualifying. So, it’s safe to say the boy has spirit. He rises on thicker occasions. And, he’s just a good kid. He’s super attentive to detail, with both his surfing and his equipment. And, to have the opportunity to pass on what I learned on tour and having someone to be so motivated to grow as a surfer, it just feels great, to see him on his journey. This sounds really cliche, but less is more with Morgan. We kept it real Zen-like, as simple and fun as possible. And, he had a spectacular rookie year.
I’m not surprised Jack Robinson won this event. He just looked so in sync with the wave, the way he surfed it just seemed so natural to his surfing. He seemed so comfortable in that environment. To be honest, everyone there was capable of winning that event, there were flashes of brilliance from every single person on the WCT. But, there’s a difference between what you look like in free surf to what you look like once you put on a jersey. In Jack’s case, his free surfing was carrying over into the heats. He probably even ramped it up a little to be honest.
I’ve worked with Brisa Hennessy ever since she was a little girl and it’s definitely come full circle. From us being at Sandy Beach for event number six to qualify for the HASA State Championships to getting ready for a World Tour event at perfect Barra. It’s always great to watch the kids grow throughout the years. And, seeing where Brisa is today I couldn’t be happier.
I get second fiddle in the lineup. I don’t like being in the way, especially when they’re preparing for an event. I want to give everybody their space. I just hand over priority. But, once in a blue moon, they’ll catch their waves and I’ll be sitting out there all by myself and I can get a wave like this.
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