I Have Zero Interest In The Big-wave Tour

Surfing is art, not sport says Maui's Matt Meola…

You know a surf movie is good when writers drag out the thesaurus to search for alternatives to “awesome” and “unbelievable.”

Kindhearted folk who typically struggle with the conjugation of a simple verb (guilty!) cram as many adjectives into a single sentence as if it was 1995 and each was still worth 50 cents. Behold just one example bestowed upon Attractive Distractions, released this week on iTunes to rapturous applause.

“Attractive Distractions is a creative masterpiece that follows some of the most talented surfers into some of the most wave-rich destinations around the world,” says The Inertia. “It is a comprehensive piece that has the perfect balance of frothy tubes, mind-blowing aerials, top-level rail game, and big wave surfing for your viewing pleasure.”

Big call? Maybe, but Matt Meola, one-third of the creative team behind the flick describes it as thus.

“We are just hoping that this movie proves we are capable of making cool shit,” says Meola. “Maybe next time we can get a super solid budget for something even better.”

Either way, the movie’s likely to live up to the hype, how could a flick starring Meola, Albee Layer, John John, Clay Marzo and a bunch of other A-listers not? Yes, the film does indeed have “the perfect balance of frothy tubes mind-blowing aerials and much “top-level rail game”, but what it also has is Jaws. Lots of it.

Given their ability in the air, we sometimes forget how good guys like Meola and Layer are in the juice. And in case you’ve been out of Wi-Fi range the past couple days, Jaws just dropped a load and Meola, Layer and pals flew, drove and walked in to ride it.

The day before it broke, Meola told BeachGrit of the mind space he enters into once the buoys start to bobble. “The week before a swell can be pretty stressful. It’s not easy knowing your gonna put yourself in a life-threatening situating in the next few days,’’ he said. “But, I have a love-hate relationship with the place. Every day is different. Some days I wake up feeling super confident and some days I just don’t feel it. I just like to show up, check it and if I’m feeling it I’ll try catch a few.”

Oddly enough though, Meola says he has no urge to turn his lust for big waves into a career on the recently anointed ASP Big Wave World Tour. “It’ll be be insane to watch but I have zero interest in competing on it.” he says.

Why? Well, an absence of the ingredient we like to call soul, for one.

“I started surfing for the love of it and how it made me feel and I see surfing to be more of an art form than a sport anyways. Every wave is different and everybody will ride that wave differently. But, that’s just my personal opinion. It doesn’t mean I don’t like to watch surf competitions.”

Meola even has a warning for competitors.

“I just hope everybody stays safe and they don’t make stupid decisions for a check and a trophy!”