Jackson's dream time - video

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

Kelly Slater's godson and Shane Dorian's son, Jackson, slides into the best waves of his life far from home.

Comments

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Sunday, 5 Nov 2017 at 9:09am

Little dude is living the wave pool dream, I've got to say before i clicked on the article i thought it was going to be him surfing in the Mentawais from the article pic.

blindboy's picture
blindboy's picture
blindboy Sunday, 5 Nov 2017 at 9:14am

Why do I suddenly feel nauseous?

savanova's picture
savanova's picture
savanova Sunday, 5 Nov 2017 at 9:25am

Now all Kelly needs to do is create one of those pools that supplies waves that are that big for someone who is 6'3" not 3'6".

ljkarma's picture
ljkarma's picture
ljkarma Sunday, 5 Nov 2017 at 7:37pm

sadly BB people of mature age often suffer negative responses to the challenges of change and even plain old envy can manifest itself in feelings of nausea sometimes.
Personally, I feel nothing but stoke for a kid who is fortunate to have that chance in life that two very cool people like Kelly and Shane can pass on. JJF is a direct result of that exact form of nurturing and I, for one, am grateful for his contribution to surfing.
Just saying.

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Monday, 6 Nov 2017 at 5:09am

I'm wondering if they might be ruining this kids future surf life, when he gets back to the real world, all he might be thinking about is this wave and the no hassles to surf it, (he might never be happy in the real ocean again) while we, as more mature surfers, 'are thankful' for the ocean, the time we have to put in to score, and for what we have.

Rabbits68's picture
Rabbits68's picture
Rabbits68 Monday, 6 Nov 2017 at 11:14am

Pretty sure with Shane Dorian being his Dad, the love for the ocean will remain a powerful drawcard for the young fella. That said, he might grow up from this point forward only wanting to surf in wave pools like your implying. Just can't see it really.........

blindboy's picture
blindboy's picture
blindboy Monday, 6 Nov 2017 at 11:27am

lj putting the kid in the pool is one thing. Posting the video in such a way that it was bound to be picked up by surf sites is entirely another. Change lj? No, somethings never change. The surf industry has a long history of pumping up kids expectations prematurely. And yeh, I am mature enough to have watched the cycle several times and know where, all too often, it ends up.

ljkarma's picture
ljkarma's picture
ljkarma Monday, 6 Nov 2017 at 12:12pm

Ok your comments clarify your position better which we are on the same page re 'pumping up kids expectations prematurely'. There is a litany of wasted surfers who fell short and lost their way.
However that has been the case for ever, ego, hero worship, drugs and misguided belief that they had some 'special' talent that the rest of society could not see was common pre industry $$ sponsorship.
My point is that Shane and Kelly have been responsible for some of the greatest milestones surfing has ever seen and there is no way the kid will be allowed to stray from the tree. he can obviously already surf as is obvious from the approach he takes and Kelly's pool is real and will happen and bring change.
Like it or not surfing is in the olympics and the best surfers of the future will be those who can ride any type of wave thrown at them, be it man made or natural. Kelly has good foresight and his wave and his support for any young surfer would be about as good as a PHD in surfing any kid could aim for.
IMHO the other wave pool and GW thing and the division that has enlivened is a very different story. Each of them are founded on how much revenue they can generate using ridiculous multiples to entice greedy investment without getting close to real wave quality KS pool has demonstrated.

Switchfoot bob's picture
Switchfoot bob's picture
Switchfoot bob Sunday, 5 Nov 2017 at 10:45pm

Surely lil Jackson is young enough to give the back hand away n gain another forehand!

Unshackled Neva to be looking over his shoulder..... Always moving forward head held high....

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Monday, 6 Nov 2017 at 4:34am

It seems Slater has created a world of the haves and the have nots, he and his buddies have got it --and you don't

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Monday, 6 Nov 2017 at 4:57am

I'm wondering if they might be ruining this kids future surf life, when he gets back to the real world all he might be thinking about is this wave and the no hassles to surf it, while we, as more mature surfers, 'are thankful' for the ocean, the time we have to put in to score, and for what we have.

Bsm17's picture
Bsm17's picture
Bsm17 Monday, 6 Nov 2017 at 8:27am

Why is know one questioning the environmental implications of running these wave pools. Kelly never shone away from his opinion on environmental issues in the past. The king is king I guess. Be interesting to know how must electricity and water these pools consume to create something that already exists in nature. Like Blindboy once commented any environmental credibility Kelly once had is now gone.
Great wave, a necessity? meh

yocal's picture
yocal's picture
yocal Monday, 6 Nov 2017 at 9:53am

For a grom to get a barrel like that speaks volumes for the benefits of the pool in terms of training for performance surfing. The most important question that went unanswered in the clip: Did he make it out of the barrel?

amb's picture
amb's picture
amb Monday, 6 Nov 2017 at 11:57am

I saw Jackson surf waves (well Shane did push him in) prob 2-3 times this size in Indo and couldnt belive the courage of the kid i reckon he would of made the barrel.

spenda's picture
spenda's picture
spenda Monday, 6 Nov 2017 at 12:55pm

I get all the arguments and concern. That said I do see advantages of a wave pool if treated as a training aid. For most who began surfing later in life, it takes a couple of decades to properly hard wire manoeuvres into your brain stuff that most kids pick up before they are 10. I reckon some time at a wave pool would have fast tracked that process by years. Who knows how much faster the the current bounds of surfing will be pushed when young talent gets the opportunity to practice in such a wave/time-condensed fashion. Of course it wont teach you how to react to the different subtleties of each and every wave in nature and that for many that is where the real fun and interest lies.

Switchfoot bob's picture
Switchfoot bob's picture
Switchfoot bob Monday, 6 Nov 2017 at 3:05pm

Kelly's pools will be the pinnacle in training, I dare say that Kelly himself will be a switch footer in no time, again he will lead the way as he has done many times before. Once kelly does this the future of surfing will follow most other sports where swapping ur feet will be the norm. Hooray for the King n his accomplices!

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Monday, 6 Nov 2017 at 5:15pm

Kelly surfs switch nicely.

Remember the change of stance mid wave at Padang just as the lip tried to part his hair ?

You're not telling Kelly anything he doesn't already know.

Switchfoot bob's picture
Switchfoot bob's picture
Switchfoot bob Monday, 6 Nov 2017 at 7:54pm

To tell Kelly something is not my goal, to create awareness of a possibility is my goal for the younger generation.

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Monday, 6 Nov 2017 at 11:26pm

As Surfers, we have no kings, we are free. And as far as Slater or any other so called pro is concerned, --"the best waves ever ridden on the planet, by a so called pro or anyone, whether its two feet or 20, will always be the waves you catch and 'ride yourself.'

spenda's picture
spenda's picture
spenda Tuesday, 7 Nov 2017 at 11:49am

Plenty of Far Kings in the surfing world.

inzider's picture
inzider's picture
inzider Tuesday, 7 Nov 2017 at 3:06pm

Switch foot bob
As sure as the sun will come up tomorrow Switchfoot will become the new norm as it has in the sk8 and snow world. If you can't switch tre a ten set on your skatey you probly ain't sponsored same goes for a switch corked 900 on the snow.
I dabble with switch in the surf but it is infinitely harder than skating and snowboarding switch ,both of which I am semi retarded also

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 7 Nov 2017 at 4:41pm

From Shane Dorian on FB:

"It was a treat to visit the Surf Ranch. I️ was curious like everyone else about what the wave would be like, and was especially excited to see my grom get to ride a few. We all used to draw waves like this on our school folders. I️ definitely don’t envy being Kelly, dealing with everyone you ever met hitting you up to surf it. It is amazing what they have created, and it will be a great day when everyone (especially kids) can experience artificial waves like this. At the same time, nothing compares to riding natural waves. I️ had just as much fun this weekend with my kid and his friends surfing ordinary conditions. There is nothing wrong with wanting to experience something new, but I️ hope it doesn’t stop people from just simply going surfing."

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Tuesday, 7 Nov 2017 at 5:28pm

Ahh, but it doesn't say 'Jackson' had as much fun surfing ordinary waves as he did at the ranch. When you get a taste of something like this at a young age, it seems like it could ruin the rest of your surf experience in the 'real world'.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Tuesday, 7 Nov 2017 at 4:43pm

Well said ShaneO

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Tuesday, 7 Nov 2017 at 4:46pm

What a champion.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Tuesday, 7 Nov 2017 at 5:09pm

That was an interesting statement.......a kind of backhanded compliment and warning at the same time.

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Tuesday, 7 Nov 2017 at 6:18pm

Ahh, but it doesn't say 'Jackson' had as much fun surfing ordinary waves as he did at the ranch. When you get a taste of something like this at a young age, it seems like it could ruin the rest of your surf experience in the 'real world'.

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Wednesday, 8 Nov 2017 at 5:02pm

Well, it seems like a lot of people have bought into this whole pay to play scam and that they are losing the contentment they once had. I'm stoked I've got the real thing and all the other good beach vibes that go with it. Dirk Ziff (who owns the rights to this wave now) must be loving it.

nogo's picture
nogo's picture
nogo Thursday, 9 Nov 2017 at 1:42pm

A scam lol, how do you work that out hahahaha.......

You and 76 seem too put a lot of effort into telling people what they should and shouldn't do.

Idiots, idiots everywhere.......

nogo's picture
nogo's picture
nogo Thursday, 9 Nov 2017 at 1:42pm

A scam lol, how do you work that out hahahaha.......

You and 76 seem too put a lot of effort into telling people what they should and shouldn't do.

Idiots, idiots everywhere.......

nogo's picture
nogo's picture
nogo Thursday, 9 Nov 2017 at 1:42pm

A scam lol, how do you work that out hahahaha.......

You and 76 seem too put a lot of effort into telling people what they should and shouldn't do.

Idiots, idiots everywhere.......

nogo's picture
nogo's picture
nogo Thursday, 9 Nov 2017 at 1:42pm

A scam lol, how do you work that out hahahaha.......

You and 76 seem too put a lot of effort into telling people what they should and shouldn't do.

Idiots, idiots everywhere.......

Jelly Flater's picture
Jelly Flater's picture
Jelly Flater Thursday, 9 Nov 2017 at 9:56am

Great vid of the kid, even better of Shane ... I like how Dorian - with all his experience in all kinds of waves - talks of the challenge of the wave, how fast it is.... Even comparing it to a clean groundswell on a sand point, and his final comment - fun day! This sums it all up;) Amongst the so called 'nausea' and perceived ideas of what it all 'seems' to be, well there is one definite constant... They sure be having fun! Bit strange how anyone could think they could have a gauge on anyone else's contentment? Even stranger that anyone would need to clarify or try reinforce their own supposed contentment by trying to make comparisons?? The 'pay to play scam' is a silly illusionary belief that is born from actual discontentment;) Envy and bitterness of others having fun won't create contentment either. Surfing in whatever environment might contribute somewhat - but if it's real you won't need to point it out coz you wouldn't give a shit how anyone else has their fun -unless of course you're not really having any fun yourself;) Maybe head down to the beach and have a surf instead!! Shane's take is real, he was there... What a lucky fella! And how lucky that lil grom is - the rest of us can only dream, or at least cheer up ay;)