Its a weird sup world. WSW
Below is the link to the APP world tour Facebook and a highlight clip on Vimeo (now omitted as Skeee has posted while I wrote this), the APP web site is seriously lacking in content similar to the beach spectators at the comp.
Justin Holland came equal 7th and James Casey came 8th.
They both placed above Kai Lenny, Mo Frietas and Keahi De Aboitiz. Three of the biggest names in SUP Pro surfing.
Well done Justin and James.
Its a weird SUP world out there, I don't understand why we don't see any more new clips of J Holland and James Casey (preferably in really good waves) on this forum or in the SUP media space in general.
To the same Oz riders that shamelessly post new clips of themselves on this forum please use the edit tools and drop the slow motion.
I mistakingly clicked the other day on an Aussie SUP foil clip that had slow mo, I was embarrassed for being on the forum and quickly shut my laptop as quick as possible, another case of 'Weird Sup World'.
Does anyone have any first hand news on the Sunset comp, or better links to some new clips ?
Ciao

Shout out and thanks to 'Skeee' for keeping us up to date as possible,

www.facebook.com/pg/appworldtour/posts/

I recommend to see the full sessions. The highlights video are too edited to be useful.
The first days were horrible (too windy), but the 3rd one was better:

(Click: "no thanks")


What I found interesting in this 7h30 long video was:
- as usual, seeing how they get back to the lineup, manage chop, keep their balance, survive the foam walls, ...
- the different kind of boards used. Most boards are similar (pulled in nose, narrow, round pin tail), they are designed for vertical surfing (pivot more than drive) but they differ in volume quite a bit. They ride boards nearly 1' longer at Sunset than the other venues (8' vs 7'4"), and of course most are custom designs, not production (the absence of a handle is telling).
- what was new was Fisher Grant using a mini-mal step railed shape(*) (Portal Phantom), interesting choice, much stabler and more glide than the others.
- The masters (50+ years) at 5h07' were on more "normal" boards (bigger), interesting to see

(*) Fisher Grant:


The video of the day before was survival more than surfing, but one heat was interesting. At 1h01, the round 3 heat 3, sported 3 surfers with quite different styles: James Casey was surfing horizontally (speed, drive, cutbacks), Luis Diniz was surfing vertically (tight pivot, in the lip), and Fisher Grant was on his mini-mal with different curves:

(Click "Watch on vimeo")

Thanks Cola's

Will potentially watch some of the unedited version on my next rainy day.
Fischer Grant's surfing in that SUP film from 2 years ago (forgotten the name ?) made in Costa Rica is a pleasure to watch.
Speed, flow, style its all there with F Grant.
I would love to try a step down railed board one day, makes perfect sense in my opinion.
The Portal bloke used to have an OK podcast on Sup surfing when he lived at Costa.
Here is a pretty cool short clip from the 2018 Sup titles that has some Speed, Flow and Style considering the wave size.
Harry Maskel is a real standout in this clip, not sure why he did not get to Hawaii for the comp.
Thanks Surefire boards on producing this clip.
Big Thumbs up to Aussie made surf SUP's and the crew who buy and back these business's.
Some good live Surfcam Vision also going down up North today thanks to TC "Oma", a bit windier today as per the last few days.
Ciao

I thought the comp was great...some fantastic surfing from the ladies and the last couple of days had some ace surfing from the guys too. One of the heats was non stop great action...

Conditions not ideal at the start but the ladies were ripping in big juice....hats off to them...I'd be **** scared in that surf. . I really enjoyed what I saw. Camera work good too...makes a change from other SUP comps I've seen. Agree that no crowds at all was very weird...just the competitors...is SUP surfing that dull? Best comp I have seen for a good while.

Great to see Scotty advance as a master in a mixed heat.

And the one wave that got him. Bummer..

. .

Here is a nice write up and some photos of 15 year old Zane Saenz from the North Shore, competing at Sunset Beach for the first time:
www.blueplanetsurf.com/blogs/news/zane-saenz-app-world-tour-sunset-beach-pro/