Surfline requires Flash Player 9 or higher.
Please download and install the latest version of Flash Player before continuing.
THE GREAT EIGHT
Bec Woods, Sofia Mulanovich, Kassia Meador + friends score perfect surf and earn bragging rights in Sumatra
It was the second-to-last session of our Indonesia boat trip when Ornella Pellizzari took off so incredibly deep on a perfect Macaronis wave. The underground Argentinean charger had been surfing all morning in the barrelling four- to six-foot lefts, sometimes falling, sometimes emerging from under the lip to let her fins fly free off the steep face. On this particular wave, Ornella weaved through three sections on the foamball and emerged into the intense heat of the Indonesian sun. Everyone onboard our boat erupted in cheers. One passionate voice screamed, "South American power!" It was Peru's Sofia Mulanovich.
This, may I add, was yelled in front of Serena Brooke and me. Both of us are very passionate Aussies who immediately started jibing Sof, as friends should. However, it was that prideful comment by Sofia that made me realize how patriotic about our countries and culture each girl on the boat is. We are all so diverse in character and background but it's the love and freedom of surfing that continues to bring us together as friends.
Perhaps I have started a little toward the end of the trip. This past June, eight girls came together on the Mangalui-Ngulu to travel the Mentawai Islands. And our boat was an international melting pot on water. On board was Ornella Pelizzarri (Argentina) and Sofia Mulanovich (Peru) both representing Latin American pride, while Easkey Britton (Ireland, land of potatoes) and Sarah Beardmore (formerly Oz, but now representing her homeland of England because she misses the Royal family too much) represented the UK. Then there was Kassia Meador (United States of America, with the number one as its country code). And rounding out the trip, Serena Brooke, Nicola Atherton and myself, Rebecca Woods, made up the trifecta of Aussie surfers (hey, we need three people to represent Oz since our entire population seems to surf).
Aside from being a sport, to me, surfing is a creative extension of self. Have you ever heard the expression, "a wave is like a blank canvas?" I truly believe this and love to watch and learn from all surfers in the water -- no matter the level -- because you can never judge artistic expression. Often this expression comes from people's environment, culture and experiences and you can see their personalities being carved into a wave. Yeah, it sounds cheesy but every girl on this trip offered a different style, which, on a canvas as perfect as Macaronis and other Mentawai breaks, is so interesting to see come together.
As a whole we decided to use the patriotism and individualism of every girl on board and compete for fun awards. Even by the time we paddled out for our final session, our bodies silhouetted against the waves at Macaronis, the awards were still being decided. Matty Gye, the videographer for our trip, whispered to me as I hit the lineup, "the Latin American powers are winning for the best barrel, and you better bring it back to Oz!" So yes, it was game on until the last wave was surfed. Here are the awards and the stories behind them.
READ MORE ONLINE
|
July 9, 2009
