Reading Time: 3 minutes
This is the first issue since we made major upgrades to the magazine quality. We’ve added weight and improved colour saturation to the paper, and thickened up the cover to give it more of a coffee table feel. Expect the photos to have more pop and the mag to have more heft. Our new binding features sewn sections, which promote longevity, and cultivate a more collectible aesthetic. Below is a sneak peak of what’s inside.
MOVING BETWEEN WORLDS : ADRIAN BUCHAN
WRITTEN BY LUKE KENNEDY
Young Ace Buchan travelled an hour each way to school every day. Despite being a time poor teenager he emerged as a junior prodigy before an injury sent him into a spiral. Eventually he qualified and spent 16 consecutive years on tour, where he’s perhaps best remembered for trouncing Slater in a couple of finals. However, his work behind the scenes as the Surfer’s Rep was crucial for the careers of many competitors. Before he fell off tour he campaigned hard against the mid-year cut. The father of three is now working with wave pool company Aventuur and exploring the possibilities beyond the pro tour.
THE METEORIC RISE OF THE GIRL GROMS
WRITTEN BY KATE ALMMAN
Around the globe teen surf girls are riding deeper, soaring higher and surfing faster than ever before. We profile three of the preternaturally gifted girl groms – Erin Brooks, Ziggy Aloha and Jasmine Struder – who are navigating their way through adolescent surf stardom in a digital age.
BENEATH THE CLOUDS
WRITTEN BY PAUL HOLMES
Throughout the late 70s and 80s, Hawaii’s Dane Kealoha was a powerful presence in surfing. When Dane blasted the fins out the back, the ‘thwack’ could be heard the length of the North Shore. Shaun Tomson called him “The greatest surfer never to win a World Title.” Former Tracks editor, Paul Holmes, burrows deep into the story behind one of surfing’s most intriguing figures.
A CANDY-COLOURED CHLORINE DREAM
WRITTEN BY BEN MONDY, IAN VERNON & LUKE KENNEDY
Wave pools are fast becoming the new local baths. How will surf culture shift when experienced through a chlorinated paradigm? We also go between the lines on Perth’s new wave pool (which has just been given the green light to go ahead) and find out what it’s like to belong to a boardriders club that can guarantee you waves for every local contest.
JOHN PHILBIN AND HOLLYWOOD’S DUBIOUS ROLE IN SURF CULTURE
WRITTEN BY BRAD STERLING
John Philbin eventually became one of the most celebrated characters in surf culture by playing Turtle in 80s surf drama The North Shore. However, the film, which now enjoys a kind of cult status, wasn’t always loved. Read about Philbin’s mixed relationship with Hollywood and the surf movie every one loves to quote.
LINEUP
Sometimes Instagram’s teeny-weeny window just doesn’t do justice to the wonders of surf photography. Lend us your eyes for a moment and we guarantee you’ll soon be lost in a mind-surfing trance as these rapturous lineups enjoy double-page treatment.