Watch: Soli Bailey // Cloudbreak
When the forecast questions first started coming in about yesterday's swell at Cloudbreak, the replies didn't just include size and timing, but also the high probability of glassy surface conditions.
Being early autumn, the trade regime hasn't completely kicked in across the South Pacific, and with lots of instability in the area the likelihood was high for passing squalls separated by long periods of settled wind.
Which is what came to pass yesterday, making not only all the surfers who ventured happy, but also ace drone pilot Tucker Wooding who could fly unimpeded, capturing vision of surfers getting 15 foot barrels across a mirror-like surface.
One of the best of the day was Soli Bailey, stroking in early and copping ten solid seconds under the hood during his run down the reef.
Watch it here in real time and slow-mo.
Clip by Tucker Wooding.
Comments
Fuck me dead
Yeah that about sums it up jimbrown. No other way to describe the absolute sublime skill on that wave.
Seriously underrated surfer. That was mental
Soooo good. Amazing drone work too!
Mental! Best wave in the world. Cool to see Visser out there. Did I read Tucker's footage is for Snapt 5? Be cool to see a raw edit. Incredible done work.
Soooo good. Great drone work too!
Absolutely mental, his position stayed so constant throughout the whole barrel, as did the lip line following him
He could not have ridden that wave any better. Seriously mind blowing.
How do you top that?
Perhaps he could have delayed the rail grab? Obviously, considering how epic that ridden wave is, that is a bizarrely critical comment on my behalf - but I do believe it would have been a minor improvement.
Yep, it is bizarrely critical hahaha. I actually didn’t think anyone would reply to me. But here we are!
That was insane.
Goosebumps.....full body chills!!!!
Can't wait to see more footage. What a wave. A tad more entertaining than Portugal??
Mental, look forward to water level footage!
Nuts!
Wonder what JJF thinking seeing this and his brother there
How fast was he was travelling !
It’s so perfect that it’s not until the slow mo that you realise how big it is. Amazing
So Sicccccccc !!!! I wonder if slater is there? Skipping that onshore mess for this. WSL is in the wrong place geographically.
Dave Wassle just posted a clip of Slater surfing on the North Shore… hahaha he’s such a cnut, no respect to the wsl
Hi footage of Jai Gliderman's wave was equally impressive, such an epic day!
Proof of the advice given to me by a local at Cloudbreak
Do not be tempted to drop to the trough and bottom turn!
faaaarrrrrrkkk me that was next level
Different angle:
And more video:
Wow that water angle is epic.
Cheers I.B
Assumes the cyclist position, weight forward, head down on the handlebars.
Or speed skiing.
hooking
That Anthony Walsh vid is 5yo or so. Wonder why he just posted it again?
Pro surfers...
haha,
cheeky
good one Soli......gotta love a man with no bull shit .....awesome wave
Toenail depressions in the deck.
Flat out one of the best waves ever. Hold on for dear life. If I caught that the slow mo would run on repeat for ever on the tv.
Bit like Tallows.
Well done mate. You could quit surfing now.
Congrats Soli, life changing ride fella, oioi respect....
Epic
Thats life changing!
That’s perfection at its best
Is that the inside ledge? The pack seem to be sitting so much further out. Is there three ledges or two?
Shit the bed!
Epic
Cool, i like real team footage vs slo mo , thanks for showing both
Benji Brand was toying with it. What a phenomenal surfer he is.
Nate Flo's music is almost unbearable.
Hahaha his comments are littered with people saying the production of every one of his vlogs is on par with an episode of game of thrones. I can't stand to watch them anymore, though I like to see what he's doing
Agree I can't stand the Tim Bonython wank music that's crept into Nate's edits.
I won’t hear a bad word spoken against Nate Flo!
He’s the best!
lucky enough to surf there at 4ft , couldn't imagine it at that size ,
balls of steel
And can I just say that it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Good on him, and enjoy all the glory and the accolades.
I can only get so hard!!!!
Keep going
I surfed the little beach in front of the backpackers halfway between Suva and the 4* resorts. Best proper natural beach, got damn that reef out front was fun boogywave, but snorkeling on a flat day with the razor fan coral at the end, I gave up surfing in Fiji.
The shark diving is best in the world. Definitely go for shark dive in Fiji, marine stewards we can't even fathom. Out near Frigates