WORLD'S BEST WOMEN LONGBOARDERS LIGHT UP THE NIGHT
Red Bull 5X brings unique night surfing event to Malibu
With 180,000 watts of light focused on the action, the Red Bull 5X made history as Malibu's first-ever night surfing event was held in reeling, shoulder-high waves at the famous First Point. Five of the sport's most talented female longboarders, including Daize Shayne, Mary Osborne, Kassia Meador, Kim Hamrock and Schuyler McFerran, battled it out in a 90-minute expression session.
Instead of the normal surf competition in which each surfer's performance is critiqued by judges on the beach, the RB5X allows the surfers to push the limits of performance without the constraints of typical contest formats. A full film crew recorded all the action in the water and the surfers themselves will determine the winner during a playback session to be held on Sunday, October 17, in Malibu.
"It was so rad with no judges. You're your own judge and you're everybody else's judge," says pro surfer Kassia Meador of Oceanside, Calif. "The RB5X is a cool way to push each other and push our surfing to the next level. It's more about earning the respect of your peers and seeing who threw down, who's doing the craziest stuff and who was surfing the best."
Despite the impossibly long noserides and graceful footwork on display, it was the unique night surfing format that caught the attention of the surfers. "It was so beautiful on the water," says veteran pro Kim Hamrock of Huntington Beach, Calif. "Actually it was kind of hard to surf at times because I was just mesmerized watching the bottom and the fish."
All the girls were surfing incredibly well with long nose rides and elegant footwork in Malibu's long rights. After some good-hearted heckling and applauding for one another while watching the footage it was "sea princess" Kassia Meador who received the nod from her fellow surfers and the $25 pot.
The complete session will air on the FUEL network later this year.
RED BULL 5X - THE NEW PICK UP GAME FOR SURFING
The Red Bull 5X asks the question, "What is good surfing?" The answer is – it's up to you. Here's how it works: Round up five surfers and head to your favorite break. Throw in $5 each, paddle out, and surf for 90 minutes straight. Then, judge each other on these five criteria: torque, boost, push, mojo and combo. The winner gets the cash. But more importantly, the winner gets the respect.
Red Bull 5X Judging Criteria:
Torque: Best turn. Complete the most impressive maneuver performed on a wave.
Boost: Think "boost" your toes to the nose.
Push: Most creative. Demonstrate the most innovative or imaginative maneuver performed on a wave or in the air. Attempts count.
Mojo: Most connected. Demonstrate masterful wave judgment and utilization for example, the deepest tube).
Combo: Smooth linkage. Complete the most impressive combination of two or more of the above on a single wave with a clean transition.
The RB5X format can be done by anyone, anywhere. It opens the doors for a full range of surfing styles and wave conditions - from one foot waves at San Onofre on longboards with friends, to the most progressive surfers applying the RB5X in a display of the high-performance antics.
The girls were empowered to adapt the Red Bull 5X criteria the way they saw fit. The key is the five girls judge each other and deem the winner themselves with a format that rewards creativity and innovation.
