Photo: Firewire // YouTube
An incoming swell is a high-stakes affair. That’s because, while the impending surf brings with it the excitement of a chance at wave-riding glory, it also presents a dilemma: how does one make the most of this opportunity? It is a question that goes doubly true in the more wave-starved portions of the country, where the moment is perhaps one of very few chances to score before the return of the surfing doldrums
There are, of course, many answers to that question, but perhaps the most definitive one is to see whatever Kelly Slater happens to be doing. In the case of the swell which recently exploded along the California coastline as a result of Hurricane Marie, the 11-time world champion was at Lower Trestles.
“Back in San Clemente after a long stretch abroad through Australia and Tahiti, Kelly paddled out in warm water and boardshorts for a session at one of surfing’s best high-performance waves just before the 2026 WSL Trestles Pro,” explains the caption for the video uploaded to the Firewire YouTube channel. Unsurprisingly, his choice of craft was from one of the brand’s offerings – a DRK in I-Bolic 2.0 Technology by Dan Mann.
Though the video is no doubt designed to entice us to purchase such a craft in the hopes of emulating the GOAT, it’s almost certain that it wouldn’t quite perform the same under the feet of a non 11-time world champion. Still, it makes for a good watch.
