That quote above seems like a tall claim from Nathan Florence, but when you watch this Mentawai score fest with brother Ivan he might have a point.
“Big blue perfect conditions,” says a sun-starched Nathan. “As many barrels, trading off, me and my brother trading off with just a few friends.
Scoring picture-perfect waves in the Mentawai Islands seems like a cliché at this point. Since the 1990s, surfers have explored the 70 or so islands dotting the West Coast of Sumatra, one of the most aesthetically pleasing wave-rich regions in the world. It’s not exactly new territory. But, like most cliches, they retain their truth for a reason.
Frame: Zoard
While John Florence was weaving through Teahupo’o bombs during the most recent Championship Tour event, Nathan and Ivan flew and ferried their way to Bilou Beach Villas, about 7,000 miles (11,265 kilometers) from Honolulu’s international airport. They then proceed to surf themselves to exhaustion at a reeling reef pass. Both retain their distinctive styles into the tubes; Nathan puts his knees and hips to work backside while Ivan keeps a calm and composed demeanor facing the lip.
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In sessions like this, the travel fatigue melts away in the azure Indian Ocean, only to be replaced by exhaustion of a different sort. As you can watch above, Nathan and Ivan both got a little overzealous (understandably) witnessing empty drainers and neglected to properly screen themselves from the tropical sun. But at the end of the day, sunburns seem like a small price to pay for nearly 12 hours of perfection.
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