You could make a strong argument that watching cringe-worthy wipeouts is easily as impressive and occasionally more gratifying than watching people actually succeed in the act of surfing. It’d certainly make for a solid quantitative study, examining just how much the online views of wipeout reels trump the clips of surfers triumphantly blasting out of barrels fully intact.
Case in point: just about anything Jamie O’Brien decides to turn a camera toward. We’re always waiting for the next spill, for the next stunt to go wrong, knowing it could happen at any moment. But at the same time, you can’t help but feel a little bad for young Dante Silva when he gets roped into surfing the Waimea shorebreak with J.O.B. O’Brien is psyched. Silva is…well, Dante doesn’t seem sure of what he’s supposed to be here.
Spoiler alert, the Hawaiians take some brutal poundings. And you’d be lying if you said you’re not excited to watch. You’d also be lying if you pretend to be anything less than impressed by some of the rides that don’t end in North Shore sand enemas.
