I’ve watched Stormsurfers 3D yesterday. A surf documentary about the big wave surfers Tom Carroll and Ross Clarke Jones. Apart from epic surf footage in 3D (ever wondered what it’s like being in a barrel…well, it’s just gotten a hell lot easier by just watching that movie), it’s highly entertaining because of Tom and Ross. Both are big characters. Tom, the former hell man (and 2 time world champ) turned family man, shows his softer side but is still charging nevertheless. What I like about him is that no matter how big the waves…30ft or 3ft, he’s always frothing. I’ve seen him surfing in Palmie on his SUP in 2ft waves and he was having a ball. Just loving it.
On the other hand you have crazy person Ross Clarke Jones. He’s insane. You can tell he’s still stuck in his 20ies. Loves the life of no responsibilities and will never grow up. He’s going for everything. He seems fearless. The greatest lines from Ross Clarke Jones include: I don’t train or do yoga or breath training or anything, I drive fast cars to train (I don’t think he was joking either). The other one was in relation to wipe-outs. You get quite good tumble in a massive wipe-outs. He reckons being under is like a night club scene. He just pictures himself dancing in a nightclub…WTF??
Even though they are crazy people taking off on massive waves I found it really interesting that they are facing the same surfing demons like ‘normal’ surfers. E.g. Tom losing his confidence after a series of injuries. You can see that mix of anger and doubt in Ross’ puzzled faced after he stacks it in 8ft surf at Cape Solander. Or Tom’s determination to get the next wave right after a massive stack and a big hold down. Had it all, maybe just on a smaller scale.
Ross and Tom came in for a QandA session after the movie. Well, Ross only for one second really because he decided to hunt a big swell down in Victoria the last minute. He actually stormed in and asked who would want to come along. I thought it was a bit of a joke. So I did not put my hand up. But he was actually serious. A few people volunteered. He chose one. I think he thought it was a joke too and chickened out when Ross was actually dragging him out of the cinema to drive straight to the aiport. Ross came back to pick someone else and part of me really wanted to go and put my hand up (I think I would have had good chances as a girl…), part of me was like oh no this crazy person will try to kill me in big surf. So I left it but there is still this lingering feeling of what if…I would not sit in the bus to work this morning but in a boat facing 80knots winds and watching one of the greatest big wave surfers charging 20ft waves. But then I’m not sure, I think he wanted this person to actually tow him into the surf on a jetski and my jetski experience is limited. But then it can’t be much harder than riding a scooter me thinks…
All in all, a really fun surf docu, well worth watching and one thing you’ll take with you for sure after watching this movie… no matter what you do never ever lose the inner child in you and you’ll be fine…
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I just went to go see this, was pulled along by a friend even though I don’t know anything about surfing, I thought it was amazing and the 3D was insane!
I actually went to see this with a mate, he pulled me along even though I don’t know anything about surfing, it was actually really good and had me gripped the entire time, anyone else checked it out?