The Weekender: Slater's incredible footage from artificial wave park
Every Friday in The Weekender we take a look at the best videos from the week that was—like a Jerry of the Day season wrap and footage of a truly perfect wave —and give you a preview of some of the most important events in the world of action and outdoor sports coming up this weekend.
Kelly Slater’s Perfect Wave
Saturday Super Session from Kelly Slater Wave Company on Vimeo.
There is not a single droplet of water out of place in this perfect wave. And it’s not even real. Well, it’s real, but it’s man-made. The Kelly Slater Wave Company released some ridiculous footage this week of the artificial wave built by Slater and his team. Slater hosted surfers Nat Young, Carissa Moore, Kanoa Igarashi and longboarder Robert Weaver. From reports, the artificial wave is somewhere in inland California and it looks as good as anything on the coast. But it’s probably not as easy as it looks. The wave is moving extremely fast and Young is the only surfer who gets super barreled. “Everyone's approach blew my mind and the smiles said it all,” Slater said on his Instagram page. “This is #TheBestToyInTheWorld.” You can see more footage from the other surfers on the KSWC Vimeo page.
Bend, Oregon’s Mt. Bachelor Has Big Waves
Bachelor Part 4.5: 2016 Gerry Lopez Big Wave Challenge Mens Finals from JP Schlick on Vimeo.
Each year, Mt. Bachelor in Bend, Ore., hosts a contest in honor of one of it’s finest surfing legends. Wait, what? That’s right surfing legend Gerry Lopez now lives four hours from the ocean in Bend and has for the last couple of decades. The Gerry Lopez Big Wave Challenge features wave formations so snowboarders can slash and hack at every single wall (as you can see in the video), bringing their best ocean moves to the snow.
• MORE EDGE: Climber Alex Lowe's remains found 16 years later in Tibet
Jerry of the Day Brings Us Maximum Send 3.0
The Jerry of the Day franchise has become a tradition in the world of snow, a way for the culture to make fun of itself. And this is another classic from the folks at the Onion-esque media outlet. Maximum Send 3.0 bids the 2015-16 snow season adieu with some seriously unexplainable wipeouts, a snowboarder jumping onto a chair (again, why?) and more randomness from the weirdness that is humans sliding down snow-covered mountains.
Downhill World Cup
The UCI World Cup was held in Cairns, Australia, last week and the downhill course was once again wipeout-worthy. Rachel Atherton, England’s 28-year-old charger, won her second consecutive world cup event while Loic Bruni made up for his crash in Lourdes, France, that cost him the title there by taking the win. But Californian Aaron Gwin—a three-time world cup champ—continues to hold an overall lead. While road, cross-country and downhill disciplines are sometimes mixed in random fashion, the UCI is a pretty good follow on Instagram.
• MORE EDGE: How Symmonds, Brooks Beasts team train at altitude
What's on Tap
Monster Energy Supercross
FS2 | Saturday, 10 p.m. EST
Ryan Dungey has already capped off his Supercross title so this one’s a show for the people as Supercross heads to Las Vegas and the final stop of this year’s tour.
Margaret River Pro
ABC | Saturday, 2:30 p.m. EST
Yes, we may know who won but that doesn’t mean it won’t be entertaining. ABC is packaging the WSL’s Margaret River Pro from Western Australia for a television event this weekend.
Oi Rio Pro
WorldSurfLeague.com | Tuesday, 6 a.m. EST
After a heavy storm hit Rio de Janeiro, changing the beaches in the region, the WSL decided to move it’s Oi Rio Pro from Postinho to Grumari, 45 minutes west. It’s always a ravenous event for the organization as Brazil’s fans are surf crazy
