A GATHERING OF THE TRIBES
Text: Pete Matthews

The Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang Invitational is the longest running contest in Indonesia, now in its 6th year. According to many, it’s also the best contest there is. With a month-long waiting period and limiting the competing surfers to 32, all you need is one day in the best waves to crown a winner.

This year’s Rip Curl Cup was a speciality event, meaning an invite list of Indonesia’s 16 top Padang surfers and another 16 select top tube riders from around the world. Padang is such a fickle wave and when it does break, it’s always so crowded. Most guys have been giving it a pass and heading to other spots around the archipelago during large swells. This comp gave them all a chance to surf perfect Padang with only one other guy out.

Starting in the beginning of August, every storm system passing South Africa was watched very closely. Emails were sent out to keep everyone in the loop. Finally around the 11th we could see something big was coming. Phone calls, emails and smoke signals were sent out to everyone.

At dawn on the predicted 15th there was sea mist in the air. I looked up to see Laurie Towner getting shacked on a high tide 5 footer. IT’S ON! Just than the whole ISC crew showed up and all the text messages were sent out for an 8 o’clock start.

The waves just kept getting better and better. Jason Frederico, still on no sleep from the Playboy party, went on to drunk drive through Padang tubes all day long and make the quarterfinals. Raditya, Bol, and Mega all won their first round heats. Luke Egan put on a contest jersey for the first time in 3 years and showed everyone he was still killing it.

Heat 8 could have been a final, with Garut, Rizal, Mikala and Jamie O’Brien. There was no stopping Rizal and Jamie who showed no-hands backside barrel riding at its best. As the heat ends, a good wave comes in. Riz drops in on Mikala, Jamie drops in behind Riz. Mikala straightens off, and Jamie squeezes in behind Riz. Together, Riz and Jamie surf arguably one of the greatest waves ever ridden at Padang. As of now, almost 30,000 people have seen it on surfline.com.

Round 2 got tighter. Ryan Turner displayed his backside tripod stance, dragging his foot, leg, knee, arm, anything to slow down for the barrel. Best of Round 2 was heat 4 where Jamie wins a perfect heat with two 10s.

In the quarters Mustofa loses to Laurie Towner, who is turning into a dark horse favorite. Bol takes down Crakie, and Ryan Turner stopped the dream run of the Padang drunk driver Jason Frederico. Jamie scores a 9.5 and 9.65 and almost lands a rodeo flip to beat Riz. Bol is now the last Indonesian in the event.

It’s Bol’s semifinal. Laurie Towner scores a 9 but it’s not enough for Bol’s 6 and high 8. The waves slowed down next heat, but Jamie somehow scores another 10. Turner dosen’t give up, narrowly losing by less than 2 points.

Before the final the Bali Legends paddled out and put on a great show. Ketut Menda takes the final with a sick backside barrel.

By now the beach is packed with kids, topless girls and surfers from around the world everywhere, hanging in the cliffs, on the beach, and even trying to swim out to see the action. The waves slowed during the final but Jamie ended up winning with a heat total 18.25 over Bol’s 13.5.

“This is right up there with my Pipe Masters and Teahupoo wins, I got so barrelled today, this was the sickest contest ever.” exclaimed Jamie.

“It was as good as it gets out there.” said Bol. “This was the first time I surfed Padang this season. I wish it was always like this.”

Jamie scored a record four perfect 10s and earned 30 million rupiah. He took 10 million to party in town with his boys and than donated the rest to the GUS Foundation, the people who keep the beach clean.

On this day truly everyone was a winner.