As they rightly say, all good things must come to an end and the competitive season in Hawaii is, sadly, no exception.
The Hurley Pro Sunset Beach finished last week and while I watched Molly Picklum and Jack Robinson claim their respective titles, I couldn’t help but feel a little twinge of sadness as the comp wrapped up in front of my incredibly tired eyes.
Sunset Beach feels like the older, more responsible sister of the Hawaiian leg of the CT. Falling after the season’s opener at Pipeline, you could sense the atmosphere shift into a heavier tone. It didn’t feel like sunshine, rainbows, and catch-ups; Sunset felt like everyone was getting their ass into gear for what we can all tell is going to be a formative 2024 CT.
The crowds were smaller, the electricity faded a little. Although many argue Sunset is a bigger indicator of where things will fall for the rest of the year, you could sense a shift in the atmosphere.
“It’s so tricky, Sunset Beach and Pipeline truly test you the most. It’s the best place to start, but the most challenging,” chuckled Jack.
Despite there being a plethora of jaw-dropping moments throughout the five days of competition: Jack’s double barrel winner, that Molly turn, Sawyer Lindblad’s interference call and Jordy Smith’s heat win against John John Florence. It felt like the honeymoon period was over and the rose-tinted glasses had come off, with competitors, crew, commentators and spectators preparing to knuckle down as the mid-season cut looms closer and the WSL prepares to take itself to Portugal for the third event of the year.
If there’s a few things Sunset taught us, it was: the girls are finally getting their rightly deserved due diligence; we’ll continue to watch a generational shift unfold in front of us for the remainder of the tour and there seems to be a ravenous hunger in this year’s lineup that’ll continue to deliver curveballs.
“I think surfing against competitors like Betty, they’re the people that bring out the best in me,” said Molly as she gleamed at me behind her newly adorned lei.
“It’s such a generational push now, even between each other. There’s no predictions, I think women’s surfing is unpredictable and that’s exciting. There’s no cap on it anymore and it’s going to be fun to see where it goes.”
Molly giggled as I asked her about taking home consecutive Sunset titles. “That’s why I think my back-to-back wins here are kind of a miracle,” she infectiously smiled.
The main take-away from my first soiree at Sunset was that, it’s probably the most incalculable wave to watch and I think that translates into why it doesn’t attract the level of hype a place like Pipeline does, and why it generally felt mellower on the sand.
Sunset doesn’t feel linear to watch in the slightest. For me, there was an added level of attraction to figuring out what was in store; you really couldn’t really bank on sure-things.
Perspectives and conversations on the competition swayed as easily as a palm in the wind the second you watched one heat, or moment, go down.
The thing that remained concrete though, was the abundant agreeance shared that Robinson’s 9.87 should have been a 10. Apparently YETI under-ordered on their 110 coolers this year.
Although it felt quieter, Sunset was no less short of memories. I laughed hysterically listening to Hurley groms go into detail on that San Clemente/Huntington Beach rivalry; smirked as pro-snowboarders gave me their hot-takes on the surf comp scene; and I must have ran a short marathon between watching the comp from the beach and darting to the TVs to see the close-up replays (sadly some of us don’t have 20/20 vision).
As it came to a crescendo on the podium, lit by the afternoon sun, and trophies were handed out, I felt grateful for everyone and everything around me, more so than ever.
“It doesn’t get any more special than winning in front of my family. I’m taking that baby energy,” said Jack.
“It was like baby surfing out there, doing it all from the beginning again. Seeing it all through new eyes,” he added as his focus turned to shooting a couple of family photos post-win. “I’m just taking it in. Taking it all in.”
With most people filing into Puerto Rico for the Olympic Qualifiers, it was quick goodbyes and short-lived see-you-next-years, as this little travelling circus we’d amalgamated into slowly began parting ways. One person leaving Thursday morning, the next on Thursday evening. It’s a moment that comes with any seasonal setting, one that rarely gets comfortable.
For my first season within the competition circuit on the North Shore I really can’t put into words the energy found here, it’s something that’s truly touched my heart, it’s candidly indescribable. So if you’re sat reading this and wondering: “Should I get my ass over there next year?” All I can say is, book those flights.
As most of us left on the North Shore spend a day or two soaking in the remnants of the winter sun before hauling ourselves back to California, Australia, or wherever, I’ve found myself sitting in a little bit of happiness. The kind that makes me warm at the prospect of catching many of the same faces on this little stretch of sand next year.
