Jason Lunn.com/ Surfing and life in Indonesia

1st Place Jamie O Brien Hawaii

Jamie O Brien Padang Padang Rip Curl 2009 1st place

2nd Place “Bol” Made Adi Putra Indonesia

"Bol" Made Adi Putra 2nd place

Saturday Morning and the Rip Curl Contest organisers have given the go ahead for the 2009 Padang Padang Surf Contest in Bali. Bali has been awash for huge posters and promotional material for this event, with the marketing slogan”its on when its on” This surf break is Bali’s premium surf wave a big cavernous green back lit barrel that peels slowly across the reef at Padang Padang beach providing awesome inspiring rides up to 150-250m with a barrel hollow and wide enough to fit a minibus inside. It has only broken properly once or twice this year as it needs a hefty south west groundswell of 10-12ft min with a 16 second period.

This is a barrel riding contest with 32 internationaly invited surfers. This line up contains the world most prestigous and talented surfing professionals with 15 or so Indonesian surf pros competing on their home turf. They have all been waiting for the right swell conditions as the contest was to be held on just one day between Aug1st-31st. Everybody has been in Bali waiting for the contest green light to go. This is a barrel riding contest with 32 internationally invited surfers so the conditions need to be perfect. Well the contest was given the green light 8.00am Saturday and the conditions could not have been any more perfect. Heavy clean swell offshore trade winds and bright blue cloudless skies.

To cut a long story short Jamie O Brien from Hawaii spent more time inside a barrel in today’s contest than most surfers will in the entire surfing lives. Jamie grew up in Hawaii with Pipeline as his local break and this really shone through as he pulled into the longest deepest barrels. Jamie was going “deeper than a Nigerian Porn Star” and just as the wave closed out and everybody was thinking game over he would burst through the white water like a superhero bursting through a wall. Arms always aloft waving with delight as though he was uncertain of the waves outcome as the judges and the crowd. Super talented surfer his positioning in the sea and wave selection was incredibly precise and he delivered for himself and his sponsors. He provide unforgettable entertainment for the crowds  spectating scattered around the beach and cliff and more importantly the judges. He scored three 10’s during the contest and each one well deserved. Jamie OBrien is becoming more of a legend each day…1st Place

Highlights, “Bol” Adi Made Putra, a local Indonesian professional ripper surfed Padang today like it was his day job, super relaxed, wave selection perfect went deeper than everybody else except Jamie OB and delivered the goods every wave he ended in 2nd place. Could have won if hee had not gone as deep on a few immense barrels but he put his balls on the line for the judges and the crowd. Respect, It was my first time to witness Bols legendary surfing in the flesh I have only seen posters of him in the large retail outlets in Bali. Every bit as good as the life size posters depict, Bol is the man..

Everybody else took off went deep made some got shut down by others.. but the waves were great all day. The contest format was 2 man head to head relaxed vibe. Sit in the Sea wait for you wave take off and Boom pull under that thick heavy lip. I managed to video most of the best waves from the quarter finals through to the end, so they will end up in my next production soon..

A great day, Rip Curl continue to develop their credibility and Kudus in my opinion, a great event, 32 surfers at least 20 years surfing experience each so about 6400 surfing hours experience all on showcase in one beautiful bright blue Bali day.

I most definitely want to pull into one of these barrels at Padang Padang before my time is up, another reason to stay here. I am loving Bali more each day…

I spent the evening with a  woman with the most beautiful soul who I met one week ago, her name is Alexa. We have spent everyday together for one week and she leaves on Sunday,.. so as one good thing comes another one leaves.. A crazy wonderful world the Universe, My God, my life is providing for me.  Life is good….