Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Inertia Podcast

Elena Hight has seen it all in the world of pro snowboarding. She's competed in the Olympics, won X Games gold, landed revolutionary tricks in the halfpipe. But perhaps her best trick has been her smooth transition from competitor to expedition athlete. If you know anything about snowboarding, you saw this coming. Elena fell in with the right crowd, the Tahoe based crew that rides with Jeremy Jones.

Blair Conklin is a certified skimboarding legend out of Laguna Beach, California. He's a three-time world champion and his enviable athletic prowess has helped turn the once-niche sport of skimboarding into a global, viral phenomenon. He talks about some of his viral moments, and discusses his path as a social media entrepreneur. No one has balanced visual stimulation and social analytics quite like Blair. So much so that you can't pass a wave in the ocean, or on a river, without someone knowing his name.

For years, magazines, surf brands, and now, social media users, have promoted surf spots without telling us where they are. I've never been a fan of that. This is my examination of the death of secret spots. And I want your feedback. Find this feature on TheInertia.com and leave me a comment. 

VAL: Vulnerable Adult Learner. Coined by a longtime Australian surf journalist no doubt thrilled by its growing usage, this snobbishly derisive term harkens back to the slur used by early 1960s Malibu surfers to describe those who lived in the San Fernando Valley, some 10 miles inland. The sixties Vals were to be condemned by their area codes, just as today's VALs are being condemned by their age and, through reference, the actual year they "took up" surfing. Where does the resentment come from?

The media loves big waves. The adrenaline, the danger, the peril? But most of us ride surf on the more mundane side. So what's wrong with small waves?

Professional skier Lexi Dupont has a seen it all in the world of snow: she's competed at the highest levels of free skiing, she's raced, she's filmed for Warren Miller and Poor Boyz. And now, she's creating her own event reality with the Sister Summit, a women's only video competition coming up this month (Nov. 24-Dec.1) outside of Revelstoke British Columbia, Lexi's second home. I got the chance to speak with Lexi about the new event, the format, and what she hopes to do for women in snowsports. She's teamed up with some bright minds to make it happen. We also talked about competition in general and where skiing and snowboarding is at this Apex moment. Lexi also touched on her recent surf trips, and how right now is one of the best times to be an adventure athlete.

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Aaron Lieber is one of the most prolific young filmmakers in the surf industry. Actually, he's evolved well beyond the surf industry, recently working on more mainstream projects with iconic athletes like the Los Angeles Rams' Aaron Donald. But Aaron Liber started in surf, where he released his first film The Pursuit, in 2008. He then worked with Lakey Peterson on Zero to 100. Last year, he released the preeminent Bethany Hamilton documentary Unstoppable. We talked with Aaron about that progression as well as the state of surf filmmaking. And he had a lot to say about where we were, and where we're going. 

It's been a newsworthy year on the Championship Tour. Coming out of COVID, this was the first season the WSL's new format was in full bloom, so to speak. Pipeline starting the tour. A mid-year cut. The revamped Challenger Series. All of these changes, it seems, were made to up the "engagement" of the events on all formats for the League. Some of these changes didn't please every surf fan. I had a chance to speak with Erik Logan about these changes, the fans' reactions, the dustup with the Longboard Tour, and even trans surfing. Yes, there's been lots of surfing in the news of late. And much of it has revolved around the World Surf League.

Gabby Reece is a powerhouse. She's a shrewd business person, running the latest family entrepreneurial endeavor, Laird Superfood. She finds time to produce her own podcast where she goes deep to try and uncover new truths about life for her listeners. She also works as her famous surfing husband's manager.

Most important to her, though, is being a mother. What I'm always impressed about with Gabby, though, is her never-ending search to improve her life and the lives of those around her. She's always looking for better ways to live and be healthy, and treat others. Our talk was wide-ranging: we discussed family, business, working to improve your health, fear. All this before we discussed Laird Hamilton and some of his famous controversies, namely, when Maya Gabeira nearly died at Nazare and Laird's comments after. Laird has spoken on this extensively with mainstream news outlets, much to the chagrin of some surfers. But his intentions were always good, says Gabby. We covered a lot of ground in 60 minutes. And it was worth every second.

Andrew Cotton has been on the pioneering end of two of Europe's most iconic big waves: Ireland's Mullghamore, and of course, Nazare…The latter of which has captured the world's imagination. In that time, the dedicated big-wave surfer from the Devon, England has seen it all: equipment evolution, advances in rescue techniques, and of course, injuries (he suffered a broken back at Nazare in 2017). That's why it was so good to catch up with him to talk about that history, and the recent string of "world record" claims coming out of Nazare. One of the most interesting debates spawned from that particular spot is how to measure world-record waves? Andrew and I discussed technology and much, much more. 

We talk with Kei Kobayashi on The Inertia podcast and discuss his mission to represent his family on the World Tour and why he's the hardest working surfer on the planet.

Brianna Cope's surfing journey has been as unique as any. Following a solid junior career, the Kauaian nearly qualified for the Championship Tour in 2014 and 2015. She'd still love to surf at the highest level, but her competitive focus now is on select events that she loves, like the Pipe Masters. Not to mention her other pursuits, including television. Brianna is certainly a shining light in the surfing world with her positive outlook, and I spoke to her about her new focus on other projects: like the differences between starring in the television shows Ultimate Surfer, and Surf Girl Hawaii, why she's running marathons, training with navy seals and her own personal wave-pool world tour. 

Welcome to Episode 1 of Split Peak. This is a special edition of The Inertia Podcast, and the first in a series of debates where we take on some of surfing's most controversial topics. In this episode we go back and forth on whether surfing leashless is acceptable or selfish. 

Robin Van Gyn is one of the most iconic snowboarders to ever strap in. Her riding speaks for itself, born of the steep terrain and incredible snow of British Columbia. She's won video awards for her epic parts in films like Full Moon and Depth Perception. But she's so much more than just an athlete. She's been a splitboard guide for years and is now producing a new documentary called Fabric, where she profiles other women doing similar things in action sports. We talk about her Natural Selection World Title, the new film and even how her family has looked at her snowboarding career during a really fun conversation. No, Robin Van Gyn is not just a snowboarder. She's become an inspirational leader in the worlds of snow, skate, and surf.  

Ridge Lenny is a 24-year-old waterman from Maui, who was a rising star in bodyboarding and stand-up paddling before heading off to college on the mainland at the University of San Diego. He's now back on Maui, pursuing a couple of business ventures and pushing the limits of tow-in surfing with his older brother, professional big-wave surfer Kai Lenny. They couldn't be more different. Bt they both like to push it in big ocean conditions. Meet Ridge Lenny. 

For the past year, the world has been in chaos like never before in our lifetimes. A pandemic has ravaged the Earth and social unrest has threatened to unravel our democracy. During all the craziness, I couldn't help but wonder what Gerry Lopez was thinking. As I've known him, he's always been a calming force, easily able to turn a surfing analogy around to help explain things that impact our lives. That's why it was such a pleasure to talk with him recently. He's been laying low near his home in Bend, Oregon and we talked about the beautiful place he's settled in and all the craziness. But as always, Gerry turned things positive. He's found himself relying on his yoga and mindfulness practices to get through the days more than ever. And how snowboarding has been such a light in his life lately, and how excited he is to see his son Alex shaping surfboards. Gerry Lopez is known the world over for his surfing. But to me, he's always been such a pillar of positivity for humanity. And in this day and age, there is nothing more important than positivity. 

This is a special edition of The Inertia podcast where we talk with Erik Logan, CEO of the World Surf League. The WSL, like most professional sports leagues, has had to deal with unprecedented circumstances this year to simply operate. But surfing is a different animal all together from football or basketball or baseball. There isn't a more international sport where athletes must be moved between nations and states and municipalities, all with different protocol to deal with the pandemic. In his first year, Logan has had to navigate these circumstances like no director before him. To say we're living in different times is an understatement. I spoke with Erik about those challenges, the recent changes to the Australian leg of the tour, what we can expect from the rest of the year, the resignation of Pat O'Connell and more. 

This is a special edition of the Inertia Podcast. Due to the Pandemic, I spoke to Martina Duran, Chelsea Woody, and Danielle Black Lyons on a recorded Zoom call where we discussed the movement that is Textured Waves, a collective of African American women working to get more females of color involved in surfing. The lack of color in American lineups is a complex problem, of course, as are race relations in general. The awakening that was the George Floyd killing and the Breonna Taylor shooting and the countless other African American deaths at the hands of police have sent our country into state of self examination. At least I hope that's where we're at.

These are difficult issues that must be looked at, and then solved, from a number of different angles. With Martina in Hawaii, Danielle in Los Angeles, and Chelsea in Santa Cruz, we narrowed it down and discussed the African American experience in surf and the barriers that have kept women of color from playing in the sea more readily. And how they're working to change all that – all while maybe inspiring the rest of us to look at the issue of systemic racism a little more closely.

Chris Burkard is a surf photographer. The sea has  basically spawned his entire career and he takes pride in his ocean roots. But his image-making has become much more than surf photography. Thanks to a background in landscape, which we talk about, his photos capture the real feel of a place, not just the surf, and makes people want to be where he's been. Even if it means five millimeter wetsuits and snow covered beaches.

As we talk Chris reveals a new film he's working on right now, based in Iceland, that encompasses the hopes and dreams and fears of one Icelandic family. We also discussed Chris's fears, and how he's used those to grow as a human

Jess McMillan is the Senior Events and Partnerships Manager at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. She created the Kings and Queens of Corbet's, where ski and snowboard athletes gather to charge Corbet's Couloir, one of the most famous lines in North America. Jess has lived an amazing life and is uniquely qualified to run a high-caliber event like Kings and Queens, having won a Freeskiing world title herself during her professional career. We talk about the event's incredibly-unique concept, sponsorship pressure, the stress of protecting athletes on contest day and the pure joy when a world-class event goes off in a world-class town.

This week's podcast had a little more  immediacy to it. Just a week or so after I sat down with with Kohl Christensen, he suffered a scary brain injury at Pipe after impacting his head on a closeout barrel. Thankfully, following surgery in Honolulu, he'll be able to make a complete recovery. It was kind of crazy that he was talking me through the conditions as he assesses them before deciding to go out. I just happened to catch him on a night he was watching the sunset with his daughter and close friends. 

Mark Cunningham has lived a charmed life. He is without a doubt the most recognizable (and talented) bodysurfer in the world thanks to films like Sprout, A Brokedown Melody, and Come Hell or High Water. But he's a surf fan, too, and a fan of surfing culture. A retired North Shore lifeguard, at 64, he's seen so many changes in the surfing world and I really wanted to extract all that wisdom from him for listeners. I sat down with Mark for a wide-ranging interview after he got out of the water following an unruly session at Pipeline.

Ask a surfer to describe the conditions at any surf spot, on any particular day, anywhere in the world and it's almost guaranteed they'll tell you about the crowd. Which begs the question: Where, exactly, do we fit in the lineup? Should we change our mindset when it comes to crowded surf? It might not be the worst idea. 

Jamie O'Brien is his own media outlet. During the course of his career, aside from attaining most every goal he's set out to achieve, like winning the Pipe Masters and owning a home overlooking his favorite wave, he's also become a prolific creator of content. As he puts it, he's cracked the code.

While huge corporate entities have worked at building brands around the Banzai Pipeline, Jamie, who grew up on the sand there, was able to elbow his way in with the big boys, creating as authentic a brand as any of them. Yet his surf story is a juxtaposition: his background is as "core" as it gets but his vlog reaches an audience that spans well beyond surfing.

I visited Jamie at his house overlooking the most famous wave in the world (it was a lot more clean and orderly than you'd imagine) where we talked about Jamie's show going independent, how much he loves creating videos and what core actually means in the modern world of surf.

Ben Gravy is one fine human. And he's representing the surfing experience as well as anyone. Not without fault or a higher-than-thou ethos, but with an openness tough to find these days. He's willing to let all the warts, and bumps, and bruises be laid out for the public to see – making a living by being as real as possible. "I'm working on being a professional human," he says. We talked about his 50 states mission, how he combatted alcoholism and the movie being made about his life (stay tuned). 

Billy Kemper is the best big wave surfer in the world right now when it comes to riding Jaws. He's dedicated his life to charging Peahi and holds the place sacred. And he's basically used it to overcome serious adversity in his life: he lost his mother last year to cancer. He spoke with us about the focus he's put on competing and his family and how that's helped him through the grieving process. He also gave us a download of his favorite surfers. 

Today, we're having One Beer With Nate and Ivan Florence. John John Florence and Nate have both been profiled heavily in the media. But Ivan, just as talented but slightly more reserved, has flown a bit under the radar. That's why it was so nice to get to know him with his brother sitting next to him. The brothers talk about the worst injuries the brothers have had, John John's quick comeback from ACL surgery and Ivan's new movie.  

 How do maneuvers successfully pulled off in competition over a quarter century ago, let alone today's less dramatic, almost perfunctory whitewater reverses, qualify as "progressive?" This question really got me to thinking about what advancements in surfing performance can be considered truly progressive. So here's my Top 10 list of the most progressive advancements in surfing's history.

Emi Erickson occupies two separate realms of the wave-riding universe. She's still a young woman but  an old soul, perhaps. She told me she often dreams of the old days when one merely needed a wetsuit, a board, and good swell to ride big surf. Simple times when lineups weren't overcrowded and catching larger than normal waves was just part of your daily routine near her home on Oahu.  But Emi lives in the modern big wave world where those who ride big surf often compete, when competitions survive and have longevity. But most surfers really just ride big waves for the love of it. We spoke with Emi about this dichotomy between competition and soul, and her place in the surfing world.

Duke Aipa took the roundabout way to follow his legacy. Which makes his story so much cooler. After growing up in Hawaii, Duke followed his passions for hockey, and heavy metal music, and other pursuits, which took him all over the United States. But the surfing world is glad he came home. Duke is now carrying on that family legacy as the head of Aipa Surfboards. I talked with Duke about the weight of being Ben's son, the famous Stinger design, his own journey, and Aipa Surfboards' reputation as a pioneering brand of performance surfing.

Looking for the definition of a modern explorer, only with an emphasis on high-performance? Then Cody Townsend is an adventurer for the ages. And what a cool human to boot. If you hadn't heard, Cody is in the middle of an epic project, The Fifty, where he's attempting to climb, and then ride, all of the lines in the book, The 50 Classic Ski Descents of North America. Now, classic to some means straight up gnarly to others. It's all in one's perspective. But Cody is tackling them all, regardless.

The longtime freeskier who's starred in hugely influential movies like Days of My Youth, started a vlog to document the project. But something crazy happened as he moved through The Fifty: the YouTube channel's popularity grew, not because of his audacious descents (which were notable), but because of his relatable personality. Cody brings it in a way skiers, snowboarders, and even non mountain people, can relate to. We talked with Cody about The Fifty's success, if he can actually finish it, and balancing danger with fatherhood (lest we forget he's a new dad). Enjoy.

Feel like criticizing surf competition? Then get in line. It's nothing new and has literally been happening for centuries. Here's a look at the history of vitriol spat at competitive surfing.

Secret surf spots mean different things to different people. Sam George is tired of the media and industry exposing spots without naming them. His first piece, "Death to Secret Spots," riled up The Inertia fan base. Here, Sam revisits the subject and looks at some of our readers' responses.

Aaron Blatt has seen it all in the world of action sports photography. The longtime snowboard lensman witnessed the evolution from print to digital, and adjusted to continue what has become an epic career path. Blatt continues to shoot with some of the best snowboarders in the world as part of the Burton content team, and has moved into mountain biking and other sports as well. In this edition of The Inertia podcast, he has an inspiring POV for up-and-coming photographers, talks about the change in snowboarding competition, and tells us about the best snowboarding he's ever been witness to.