Season one of the Make or Break surf series is streaming now on Apple TV Plus. The character driven take on pro surfing did not disappoint. The Box to Box production team that made the popular Drive To Survive series, moved their direction from Formula 1 to Pro Surfing, this time showcasing the array of personalities on the WSL tour.
The WSL needed this series to evolve as a competitive sport and the award-winning production team did an excellent job following the surfers throughout the 2021 season. The joys of winning, heartbreak of losing, intense rivalries, shark attacks and the intimate relationships of the surfers are all what makes up the series Make Or Break.
There are seven, 45-minute episodes with each episode having a specific focus, such as Episode two being titled The Brazilian Storm.
Here were the seven things we learned from Make or Break season one:
1. Tyler Wright is a “competitive little asshole”.
The two-time world champion was the first surfer to be introduced in the series. Wright opened up detailing the life-threatening illness she endured. She spoke about her powerhouse family and the joy of ultimately leading the girls in their first event at Pipeline.
Tyler also dropped one of the best lines of the series ; “We come from a sport of, aww we’re hippies…We’re not. We’re competitive little assholes”. This quote sums up the purpose of the series ; to expose the hunger and grit needed to win a surfing world title.
2. Italo Ferriera and Tatiana Weston-Webb are the most competitive surfers on the CT.
This is a big call, as all surfers on the CT want to win. In the series, the duo showed a level of competitive desire not shown by other surfers.
Italo was the 2019 champ and was not content on just one title. His energy levels and passion on being the best could be clinically diagnosed as signs of madness.
Fellow Brazillian Tatiana Weston-Webb is not your usual 25-year-old. She is unapologetic with her competition strategy and claims to have “no friends when in the water”. The confidence and desire to win was a highlight. She has got to be the next goofy-foot female world champ.
The ultimate question however is just how sustainable is the duo’s competitive fire?
3. Morgan Cibilic resembles a young Mick Fanning.
It was cool to see another side of Aussie Morgan Cibilic. The series showed Ciblic’s hot-headed tendencies and his love for a good time. We all know he has a crazy rail-game, sounds just like a young Mick Fanning hey?
The proud Novocastrian was the larrikan of the series. We got to see behind-the-scenes footage of his ‘rookie of the year’ season. It wasn’t straight edge like many of the new- gen surfers. It involved beers, a toe injury and getting his ego checked by coach Jay ‘Bottle’ Thompson.
4. There are distinct similarities between Stephanie Gilmore and John-John Florence.
The two Zen masters of the CT also share the most beloved styles on tour. Their easy-going personalities that we see from the outside is just one aspect of themselves. What lays underneath the surfing geniuses is a fierce obsession on being the best.
Steph listens to the critics and surprisingly sometimes seems to be offended. The media are constantly questioning whether she can maintain her dominance on tour. Boy does this fire her up!
John loves pro surfing for a unique reason; it suits his introverted personality. Being able to focus on the task of surfing in competition and feeling most comfortable with just one person out in a line-up. That’s John John.
Steph and John John’s devotion to their craft are un-matched on the CT and it doesn’t seem like its slowing down, unless kids come in the picture? Watch this space!
5. Reigning world champ Gabriel Medina finally shared the personal conflicts he was dealing with in 2021.
Medina started the CT in 2021 without his step-dad Charlie by his side, Charlie has been with him from the start of his career. The surfing icon decided to travel the world with his partner at the time Yasmin Brunett and Andy King as his new coach. Medina wanted to see if he could win a title by himself but there were also other circumstances that caused the family riff.
The personal issues were a lot deeper than just a mother being jealous about his new love.
Medina revealed in the final scene of the series that he was hurt by his parents. He found out lies were told about his biological father whom he had recently reconnected with. It will be interesting to see what his headspace is like returning to competition at G-Land this year.
6. Pro Surfers have mental health issues just like normal people.
Felipe Toledo, Gabriel Medina and Jack Robinson all opened up about mental health issues they have faced on their pursuit of elite competition.
You’re not meant to complain about mental health issues when you are a professional surfer, which to many seems like the best job in the world. But they are humans just like us and go through shit.
The intense drive to be the best doesn’t come without side-effects and mental health issues can be one of them.
Toledo’s mental health issues looked to have been the heaviest dealing with severe depression and breakdowns. The Brazilian, having overcome his own hardships then became a sounding board to other surfers on the CT who have had their own struggles.
7. Season Two is going to be more brutal!
Brutal was a word repeated often throughout season one of Make Or Break. From surfer Kanoa Igrashi to coach Tom Whittaker, it was a term used to express the lows of the tour and there were lots of them.
With the Mid Year Cut (MYC) going on right now and the cameras filming for season two, fans of the show should expect a heightened drama-filled second season.
From of all those interviewed for the series, who was the greatest of them all? Well, we may be bias but Tracks editor-in-chief Luke Kennedy was the best. Not up for debate!
Season One of Make Or Break is available to stream on Apple TV Plus.
