Watch: Ethan // Mexico
Just when I'd convinced myself that Ethan Ewing - despite his speed, precision, and style - was not the Great White Hope of Australian surfing, and that any comparison to Andy Irons was entirely overblown, the fella goes and drops this clip.
No airs*, but count (if you can) the number of full-rail gaffs - all of them delivered with an easy elegance.
*Except for the third wave.
Comments
Buttery...
Scintillating!
That 2:25 turn was pretty spot on.
Bloody hell, he surfs alright.
No airs. *Air on the third wave.
Let yourself be drawn down the YouTube Algo hole of Ethan Ewings stylistic slashing. Don’t hold back…immerse yourself.
It’s Andy Irons X Shane Powell gold.
I reckon he’s too chilled in his surfing sometimes and that’s why he sometimes becomes nigh invisible during heats. The talent and moves are there but he seems to lack the chip on his shoulder which delivers that teeth baring exclamation to his big turns as shown by certain stumpy legged sons of Italian immigrants and bipolar older brothers of effortlessly gifted and feted younger siblings.
Ethan needs to have his grizzled old manager violently pushed towards heart attack by a thoughtless competitor in order to bring forth his inner demon for savage revenge.
Or something.
I think the main reason apart from his chilled character, is that Ethan comes from North Straddie and that place is so very chilled. No one is in a hurry and the place literally runs on "Island Time"
Most people don't know this but his amazing style has some very deep genetic roots.
it was handed down by his mother who was one of Australia's [unsung] Women Surfing legends. His mother, Helen Ewing, who has unfortunately since passed, won Bells at the age of 16/17 [Helen Lambert] She could have easily gone on to be one of the best women professional surfers in the world were it not for the choice to raise a family.
I can say with authority that his mum absolutely ripped as I spent my grommet days watching her smashing lips left right and center. Totally committed to every wave and was always pushing the limits of what was possible on a surfboard.
I used to look up to her for how beyond vertical she could blast reos as she was pushing it beyond what any of the local guys could do.
It's so sad that Helen passed a while ago and considering Ethan would have been a young teen at the time, it must have been[still is] a difficult time.
Seems worthy though that her choice to shun a surfing career and raise a family, would deliver us one of the best surfers in the world.
Even if Ethan doesn't find that mongrel in him to win comps, I think most people would happily watch his Free-surfing video edits for the rest of their lives.
Surely this clip puts a stamp on him having possibly the fastest and most critical forehand snap currently on the planet?. I can only think of Toledo as anyone being able to match the speed and ferocity of his turns. [pro surfing only]
Good post mate, I was thinking the same thing with regards to him being an island boy, it's a different mentality over there. very little flash or ego, just grass roots community.
And nice little ode to Helen, she was one of the most impressive surfers I've ever seen in the water, all power and drive and low centre of gravity.
Great style too, so no real surprise with Ethan there either.
Maybe his future lies outside of turns to the beach for points?
On the money Lilas re Helen Ewing's passing at a critical time in her sons' lives. As far as the genes go, he's got Helen's cool flair and the stamina and musculature of dad Bill, without the height. As an individual he is growing strongly and one can only hope the best is yet to come. If the frenetic pace and intensity of Brazilian surfing ever gives way to crystalline style and perfect execution Ethan will be a contender. Coaching can often be the all important pivot-point.
Hahaha Blowin...well written
I heard on the webcast in the Mexico comp that he has teamed up with Mike Parsons and if that is correct then the new Ethan will be far more polished and effective in a heat than the old Ethan
Ethan Ewing couldn’t be more polished. Lacking polish isn’t his weakness, Lacking aggression is his weakness.
Getting Mike Parsons to coach Ewing in effective aggression is like getting Miss Piggy to coach in subtlety and restraint.
Have to agree.
Saw a lot of him surfing excellent quality Point surf in 2020 and thought he might go top 5.
Doesn't bring enough major turns to heats.
And he lacks a bit of spark and variety in repertoire above the lip, which means unless he goes super hard like Morgan Ciblic for eg, he gets overshadowed by more progressive surfers.
I think he needs more aggression and also a little upgrade to the skillset.
Damn, he links those power turns up good though and throws so much spray.
It’s a shame that he’s competitively motivated as I find his heats a bit meh, whilst his YouTube clips are excellent.
He needs his truly beautiful surfing framed by a truly beautiful cinematographer. I don’t mean just well filmed like all the standard Billabong clips, I mean an artisan crafted film like the Old Jack McCoy Billabong epics.
His strongpoint is the sheer perfection and completion of his surfing. That needs to be showcased in perfect waves using a creative eye. Frankie Oberholzer would have been undervalued in a rashie too.
I was thinking this just yesterday as I watched Sik Joy* for the first time in ages.
*The weak link in the McCoy Dreaming series. Still excellent but a couple of the music choices were fucken appalling.
“Sing, sing something “…..WTF?
Working my way through them in order of increasing appreciation.
Sik Joy < Sons of Fun < Bunyip Dreaming < Green Iguana
Enjoyed listening to the Sunnyboys, been awhile
That was epic!
Great surfing, guy is ripping. Loving Sunnyboys tune also, blast from the past.
Have to track down pumping Kirra with 'Tunnel of Love' turned up on Kong's Island.
Epic Sunnyboys - and the surfings not bad either, the speed from his bottom turns :)
On Fkn Fire..
there is something very special about that board ..speed and extra projection [?] out of turns..
Ripping
Sick ripping, spray aplenty! Was just doing dinner prep earlier listening to double J, and they had sunny boys on classic albums. Epic arvo in the kitchen!
One of those surfers who is very easy on the eye.
Not a pump pump pump air guy, so will be consigned to the annals of professional surfing history. A ripper but...
The flotsam and jetsam that litters professional surfing (please EW... prove me wrong)
As far as top flight surfing is concerned I’d rather watch Ethan go around than most.
With that being said obviously he’s into this competitive shtick so it’s hard to imagine any up and comer not having a very consistent air game in their repertoire if they want to be a serious contender??
I feel it’d have to be a year like when Parko won where it was largely
quality waves with barrels for someone like Ethan to dominate over the fly boys.
Good luck son.
If I was Snips I would get him to ditch the check turns. But I’m not Snips and Ethan rips. Imagine if his repertoire was one continuous stream- like Dane does.
Was thinking the same. Nothing to nit pick at apart from the double pumps
Butter smooth craves maintain speed from one turn to another. Great bottom turns which setup top turn carves. Great to see carving instead of boring airs.
Riiipppinng no further words required
I knew it was sunny boys early but don’t know the title???
https://m.
https://www.abc.net.au/doublej/music-reads/features/sunnyboys-debut-clas...
2.03.... sliding the tail out and pulling it back while air-dropping... So good.
Sunnyboys & Ethan Ewing.
A magic combo!
Right up there with Bugs/Kong/Chappy getting sick barrels accompanied by 'Tunnel Of Love' back in 82/83? Must have worn the shit out of that vid back then.........
Speed.
Back foot never moves.
Best ripping by an aussie surfer i have seen in a long while. Fast , on rail , powerful with style. If he is going to cut on the circuit hope his airs are good , or all those filthy gouges will be worth nothing. Still fuck wow . Blowin nailed it , needs attitude.
His style is so elegant and graceful it's incredible. That said, I much prefer the on edge feel to John John, Dane or heck even Dusty Payne. It's not that Ethan's surfing isn't as good as those folks it just lacks something that holds my attention. Alright, I'll just say it, it lacks mongrel.
Sunnyboys and full speed, style dripping rail surfing - what a cracker way to spend 4 minutes. Had to rewind the foam climb reo thing at 2:20 several times to see what he actually did - too fast!.
So pure. Great to learn about his folks. And indulgently apropos of nothing, post-HSC summer of '84, TDK 90 minute tape: side A Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense, Side B Sunnyboys Live – practically all we listened to the whole summer, non-stop, the soundtrack to extremely good times with the crew. I can't hear a track from those albums now and not be taken back. Bloody hell!
I love the crack at 1:00.
This whole vid shits all over any pump-pump-spin crap
Watch the above side by side with Jordy Smith's 'Silver Linings' episode 2 edit at Jeffreys Bay, good to compare.
One of those days when you feel invincible and everything you do just works.... Fantastic surf and great soundtrack!
That two stage bottom turn, once you see it you can't unsee it. Horrid. Give me Tom in free scrubber any day.
Surfs very clean lines!