Nobody shoots Sunset anymore
What has changed about Sunset Beach, that it’s no longer the focal point of the north shore of Oahu?
In the late 60’s early 1970’s Sunset Beach was the premier location for professional surfing, and still is without a doubt one of the most challenging waves in the world. Located at the top of the north shore, it was the ultimate proving ground for every surfer. In 1965, the Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship was born. It was the first surfing event to be broadcast on a regular basis by ABCs’ Wide World of Sports. This made it every teenagers dream to come to Hawaii and surf the big waves.
When 1975 came around, surfing Pipe and Off The Wall became extremely popular. Around this time surfers in Hawaii began bringing new performance elements to their surfing, pumping in the barrel, laybacks and radical maneuvers. During this time equipment was changing as well, modern technology and new foils were making boards smaller, lighter and more performance driven. These waves were geared toward getting radical, getting barreled, and going fast. Does this mean that Sunset is no longer a challenge? And when was the last time you saw a photo in the magazines of someone free surfing Sunset? Anyone that’s surfed out there will tell you it’s an extremely hard wave to ride. It basically pops out of nowhere, starts pitching hard as you drop into a steep open face, followed by a monster wall of white-wash, then sends you into a wicked inside barrel section. It takes a different style surfer to perform well at Sunset; it’s a whole other ballgame out there.
As the second stop on the quest for the Triple Crown, Sunset Beach is a crucial part of the competition. Everyday busloads of visitors pour out of tour buses for a chance to see this historic site. In my opinion the idea behind the Vans Triple Crown was to showcase the most well rounded surfers in the world. Today, there have been many new waves discovered. But that doesn’t mean we should discount these three waves. Sunset can be a wildcard for many competitors. Some might be comfortable in snappy playful waves, but big wave surfers will perform better. The finalists in the Triple Crown are the ones that excel in all areas of surfing, well-rounded surfers that adapt to different wave styles. It makes perfect sense, the Hawaiian style of surfing was to blend in naturally with the waves. In today’s world it’s all about trying to destroy the wave.
Pipe and OTW are the playing fields today, it’s easy to shoot photos and film. They are high-performance waves that offer more to surfers today, while the Pipeline Masters has become the biggest spectator event of the Triple Crown. As the third event, it’s by far the most exciting to watch. But what if Sunset was as close to shore as Pipe? Maybe then there would be more photographers on the beach then tourists. Sunset Beach is one of the most iconic waves on the north shore with so much history behind it, as if it’s the grandfather of all the other waves along this short strip of world-class waves.
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In the late 60’s early 1970’s Sunset Beach was the premier location for professional surfing, and still is without a doubt one of the most challenging waves in the world. Located at the top of the north shore, it was the ultimate proving ground for every surfer. In 1965, the Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship was born. It was the first surfing event to be broadcast on a regular basis by ABCs’ Wide World of Sports. This made it every teenagers dream to come to Hawaii and surf the big waves.
When 1975 came around, surfing Pipe and Off The Wall became extremely popular. Around this time surfers in Hawaii began bringing new performance elements to their surfing, pumping in the barrel, laybacks and radical maneuvers. During this time equipment was changing as well, modern technology and new foils were making boards smaller, lighter and more performance driven. These waves were geared toward getting radical, getting barreled, and going fast. Does this mean that Sunset is no longer a challenge? And when was the last time you saw a photo in the magazines of someone free surfing Sunset? Anyone that’s surfed out there will tell you it’s an extremely hard wave to ride. It basically pops out of nowhere, starts pitching hard as you drop into a steep open face, followed by a monster wall of white-wash, then sends you into a wicked inside barrel section. It takes a different style surfer to perform well at Sunset; it’s a whole other ballgame out there.
As the second stop on the quest for the Triple Crown, Sunset Beach is a crucial part of the competition. Everyday busloads of visitors pour out of tour buses for a chance to see this historic site. In my opinion the idea behind the Vans Triple Crown was to showcase the most well rounded surfers in the world. Today, there have been many new waves discovered. But that doesn’t mean we should discount these three waves. Sunset can be a wildcard for many competitors. Some might be comfortable in snappy playful waves, but big wave surfers will perform better. The finalists in the Triple Crown are the ones that excel in all areas of surfing, well-rounded surfers that adapt to different wave styles. It makes perfect sense, the Hawaiian style of surfing was to blend in naturally with the waves. In today’s world it’s all about trying to destroy the wave.
Pipe and OTW are the playing fields today, it’s easy to shoot photos and film. They are high-performance waves that offer more to surfers today, while the Pipeline Masters has become the biggest spectator event of the Triple Crown. As the third event, it’s by far the most exciting to watch. But what if Sunset was as close to shore as Pipe? Maybe then there would be more photographers on the beach then tourists. Sunset Beach is one of the most iconic waves on the north shore with so much history behind it, as if it’s the grandfather of all the other waves along this short strip of world-class waves.
Labels: O'Neil World Cup of Surfing, Sunset Beach, Vans Surf
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posted by nolan hall at
2:35 PM
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