“Thank you for showing the mental struggles of your Pipeline journey.”
The confluence of surfing and influencing has been one of the most delectable bits of our modern epoch. Surfing, itself, is generally pointless. Feed a river of half-baked narcissists with even less value right into it et voila… a bouillabaisse of embarrassment so delicious as to require a Michelin Star.
And let us meet Jade who decided, at 19, she wanted to surf Pipeline.
Jade’s inspirational video journal opens with a call to her surf coach in which she asks, “Say a beginner, and that beginner is me, wanted to surf Pipeline?” It is unclear why she has a “surf coach” at all but he answers that she would have to train very hard, discussing how deadly the wave is etc.
Maybe ignoring his advice, she leaves her father then travels to Oahu’s iconic North Shore in order to do vlogger things, discusses her “training,” which included surfskate, then finally she was ready. Jade paddled out on a Rob Machado model surfboard, “body fully shaking” and eventually rolls into a 2ft burger, achieving the dream, as it were.
A few rude apples pointed out that she did not surf Pipe but, rather Gums, and offseason with no swell, though the general flood was filled with praise and awe.
Son of the sun declared, “Thank you for showing the mental struggles of your Pipeline journey. I feel like the frustration with setbacks is oftentimes just ignored on social media, and seeing you go through all of that is soooo inspiring!!!”
Annie McCoy added, “I don’t know you but when I saw you surfing pipeline, I was beaming from ear to ear. That was awesome! Good job Jade!!!!”
Roam with Reda shared, “Recently surfed Pipe for the first time maybe ~6foot faces was terrified just being out there lol but had a blast once I got over the fear.”
R. Goodrich simply said, “You’re gnarly for surfing pipeline!! Keep up the good work and can’t wait to see if you get sponsored eventually.”
On and on and on it went which brings us back around to Filipe Toledo. Will Jade surf Teahupo’o with no experience next?
More, certainly, as the story develops.
