SOON

I’m always on the look for something fresh when it comes to competitive surfing. I just recently pointed you in the direction of the Wave Pool Surf Tour, remember? Well here is something else. While this isn’t exactly brand new, Natural Selection Surf is soon returning for its second season, and I’m fired up.

If you’ve never heard of Natural Selection before, that’s quite alright; totally understandable. I only know of it because I listen to the Monday M.A.S.S with Chris Cote and Todd Richards. Richards, being the snowboard legend that he is, absolutely loves NS (Natural Selection). I guess in the snowboard world it is a highly premier contest that is an honor and a privilege to be invited to compete in. We are not quite there yet with NSS (Natural Selection Surf), as far as prestige, but this thing is going to get legs. You heard it here first.

This was the opening line from last year’s event. The first go round of NSS was fantastic viewing, in my opinion. A rough and raw take on surfing that featured an “unscripted format that captures surfing the way it was meant to be watched: powered entirely by nature”. The event was pre-filmed at a “remote ‘slab-point’ in Micronesia”, and then aired via ‘live watch party’ with a commentary crew that included Lisa Anderson, ‘The Human Sun’ Tanner Gudauskas, Barton Lynch and host Ed Leigh. Nathan Fletcher was also part Host and part organizer, staying on the boat with the surfers and helping decide when to run the comp.

The judging panel was certified, at least in the surfing department. It would be hard to argue any results with Brad Gerlach, Pam Burridge and Ian Crane. I don’t know how many events this crew had judged before, but I thought they did just fine; the results felt correct. (For what it’s worth, Gerr ran his own competitive surf series back in my high school days called NSL). There were no numbers thrown, no individual wave scores. The surfer who had the best session was the winner, that’s it. And the judges would determine who won by using their gut instinct, basically, though there was a rough ‘CREDO’ criteria that they pulled from. C for Creativity, R for Risk, E for Execution, D for Difficulty, O for Overall Impression. Like I said, a(n attempt at a) new take on competitive surfing that felt fresh; necessary. 

This year’s invitee list has just been finalized, and it is a heavy cast. Last year’s field was stacked, but I think they might have upped the ante. You tell me.

NS1 (Last Year) –

Men:

Eithan Osborne

Noah Beschen

Mikey Feb

Kauli Vaast

Soli Bailey

Harry Bryant

Al Cleland

Victor Bernardo

Women:

Milla Coco Brown

Kirra Pinkerton

Coco Ho

Anne Dos Santos

NS2 (This Year) –

Men:

Soli Bailey*

Noah Beschen*

Eithan Osborne*

Eli Beukes

Jarvis Earle

Hughie Vaughan

Balaram Stack

Mikey Wright

Women:

Milla Brown*

Kirra Pinkerton*

Eden Walla

Sanoa Dempfle-Olin

*Returners.

Last year’s event was held somewhere in Micronesia. Everyone, including myself, thought the wave was P-Pass, though I could never officially confirm this. I know it was at least nearby.

Described as a ‘slab-point’ breaking out of deep water and into a very shallow, really sharp reef, the wave was no joke. From the beach vantage point it looked well below sea-level. Slab-ish, but running down the line, spitting multiple times on itself. And there was a ton of wind. Howling side/off shores at all times. It was a real test for everyone out there, and especially for any goofy footers – they really struggled. Nate Fletcher said they waited for the conditions to be big enough and gnarly enough. From my understanding, that is part of the Natural Selection competitive DNA. They want the athletes to be tested by Mother Nature.

This year they are somewhere in South Africa. The NSS instagram is currently updating their stories, and Brendan Gibbons claimed they are in ‘remote Western South Africa’. I’ve seen some clips of both rights and lefts. It looks like a thumping beach break, though I could be incorrect; might be a rock reef. A lot of broken boards already. It looks large, and it’s supposedly really cold. The comp is currently underway and you can follow along on the socials, but most footage and all results will be held until the live premier, which is set for September 25th.

Spoiler warning: if you would like to watch last year’s event for yourself and see who wins, I am going to spoil that now. Skip the next paragraph. Here is your link to Day One, and Here is your link to Finals Day.

There was some really good surfing in the first edition. Soli Bailey beat Al Cleland in the Men’s Final, and Milla Coco Brown won the Women’s, besting Kirra Pinkerton. Both Champs are back to defend their Titles, and Kirra is looking to go one better this year. Al is obviously on Tour, and he’s got obligations; he won’t be here this year. Eithan Osborne, who Al narrowly took out in the Semi’s, will be back again this year though. 

As far as my prediction goes, I don’t exactly have one. I would like to see one of the OG’s take it out – that is Balaram or Mikey Wright, but if I had to put money on it, I would probably bet on Hughie Vaughan. The kid is kind of on top right now. He is kind of the it guy outside of a WSL comp jersey. A win like this would not only help boost the event as a whole, but also solidify Hughie as one of the best surfers in the World at the moment; undoubtedly.

For the Women, I’m taking Eden Walla. I’ve seen this girl surf a lot in recent years because I judge her little brother in a lot of events, and she surfs off to the side; she absolutely shreds. She will be on Tour in no time, and I’m excited to see how she goes in this event. 

I really enjoyed the judging aspect last year, in that surfers were basically ‘scored’ from first wave to last – the entire session counted. Near makes, big attempts, not going on waves, everything was taken into account. I am wondering (hoping) if this will remain the same. Same judging panel? I know Ian Crane was a bit of a last minute addition last year due to a few pull-outs. As mentioned, I also really appreciated the fact that the judges were included in the contest, meaning we could hear and see from them.

I am looking forward to this year of NSS. We’ve got about a month before it kicks off though, so in the meantime – who would you like to see participate in an event like this? Mason Ho I think would be rad. Noa Deane. Anyone else?

Cheers,

hwilsin

Drew Stanfield