A lot of people seem to think that getting barreled means actually coming out of a barrel. I disagree. Maybe in a contest sense it matters, but for those of us not being judged (except by judgmental surfers, of which there are a million), pulling into closeouts knowing full well you’re going to get smoked is super fun. And it totally counts.
Although escaping through that little tube of light at the end of the tunnel is quite possibly the most rewarding feeling ever, even just seeing that little tube of light for a few brief seconds is almost as good–and sometimes better, if you’re completely aware that you’re not making it out. That fleeting glimpse is a little more beautiful when you know it’s going to end violently… so you better appreciate it while you’re there. Living in the moment, and all that.
The video above is a pretty good example of that. A whole lot of closeouts, a whole lot of wipeouts, and just a handful of completed barrels from Damien Hobgood, Jojo Roper, David Dupont, Johnny Nooris, Machado, and Jake Halstead. You gotta pay to play, right?
