Way back in February of 2006, Laurie Towner was relatively unknown in the surfing world. He was just 19 years old, and although he had the chops and the talent to be a household name, no one had really sat up and taken notice just yet. He had, though, just proven his worth with a a Wave of the Winter at Backdoor, and big things were on the horizon. Then he paddled a wave at Shipsterns Bluff that put the world on notice. And since then, Towner has quietly built a name for himself that the general surfing public is clamoring for, even if many big-name sponsors might not be. So when Torren Martyn and Ishka Folkwell, two of the best surf filmmakers in the business, decided to make a piece focusing on Towner, it was good news, to say the least.
“Slow Lane is a surf film that follows big wave surfer Laurie Towner and his family as they travel on a dream road trip exploring the vast Australian coastline in search of waves, good fishing, and adventures,” wrote the film’s creators. “This film, produced by needessentials and edited by Ishka Folkwell, not only showcases Laurie Towner’s surfing but also gives you an in-depth understanding of Laurie as a surfer and father. The film explores the concept of passing on knowledge to the next generation through shared experiences and good times spent together as a family.”
The hour-long film is a breath of fresh air in a world dominated by YouTube shorts and Instagram clips. It shows not only Laurie’s incredible surfing, but what his life outside of those giant barrels is like. A man who appreciates the important things in life: family, friends, and chasing a good time. It’s a film that might, just might, change the way you approach life. And if everyone approached it the way Towner does, we’d all be better off.
