ROCKET MAN: REEF HEAZLEWOOD
When Reef Heazlewood got dropped by his major sponsor back in 2018/2019, he sacked his manager and decided to take care of business himself. Since then his career has been soaring. CT qualification still eludes him, but the Sunshine Coast flyer is confident he can land on tour and keep his lofty free surfing act alive.
THE WHOLE HOG: NATHAN HEDGE
Nathan Hedge was the golden-locked, teenage wunderkind from Narrabeen, who landed a gig on The Rip Curl Search alongside the likes of Tom Curren, Shane Powell, Damian Hardman and Frankie Oberholzer. Hedgy eventually reached number seven in the world, but nearly lost the whole lot to alcohol and drugs. What struggles lay behind his captivating charge as a wildcard in the 2022 Outerknown Tahito Pro?
AFTER THE SHARK
Four surfers discuss their varied experiences of dealing with recovery from a shark attack. What they have overcome and what they have learned about themselves in the process. It is here in the life after the shark that we discover the real heroics and the lessons that can help anyone overcome an ordeal.
TREASURE ISLANDS:
SAMOA IS A BALM FOR THE SOUL BUT WHAT ABOUT THE WAVES?
Following in the footsteps of literary giant, Robert Louis Stevenson, Kirk Owers journeys to Samoa where he meets dancing drag queens, learns the dangers of swearing and hangs out with wily locals who unveil the secrets of the treasure islands.
NORTH SHORE ’72: BEFORE THEY BUSTED DOWN THE DOOR SOMEONE HAD TO KNOCK.
After being demoralised at the 1972 world titles in San Diego, an Australian contingent travels to the North Shore seeking redemption. Andrew McKinnon reflects on the year the Neilsen Brothers (Paul and Rick), and Grant ‘Dappa’ Oliver dominated the nascent, North Shore contest series. Meanwhile, Bunker Spreckels and Hunter S. Thompson make their presence felt in a heady Hawaiian scene.
THE SEAWEED FARMER
Surfer, Sam Elsom use to be a big deal in the fashion industry, but when he heard a lecture by environmental guru, Tim Flannery, he switched lanes and decided that tackling climate change head-on was his calling. Now Sam farms a type of seaweed that can be fed to cattle to dramatically reduce their methane emissions.
RIO WAIDA: ALL IN
With Indonesia’s population nudging 300 million Rio Waida’s arrival on the CT might make him one of the most watched athletes in the world. Find out how the Indo- Japanese kid, who once wouldn’t grow, became a world-beater.
