02/15/10
Text: Dustin A. Beatty
Very few individuals have the luxury of turning a passion into their profession. Inevitably, most are left having to work for not only their own bottom line but somebody else's as well. To be the master of your own destiny and to subsequently be able to put food on your plate is a step towards living a fully realized life. Nobody understand this better than action-sports athletes.
Early on, many of these individuals hurled themselves off jumps, stairs, cliffs, rocks and even down the faces of some of the largest waves in the ocean. A paycheck was an afterthought to the zen-like euphoria experienced when finally sticking a trick, making it out of a thundering barrel or crossing the finish line just minutes ahead of a pack of wild racers. Success in this world is a selfish goal, one that pits man against himself and his environment to be the best of the best.
Nine time surfing world-champion, Kelly Slater knows this better than anyone. From humble beginnings in Cocoa Beach Florida, to being celebrated as the best surfer to have ever lived, he has continued to raise the bar without compromising the true soul of his sport. Sitting atop the peak of his career many have asked: What's next?
A new film titled The Ultimate Wave Tahiti: 3D answers that very question. Slater, along with Tahitian local Raimana Van Bastolaer and the IMAX film crew spent months documenting what many in the surfing world call the most dangerous wave in the world, Teahupoo. The film showcases Slater's athletic prowess combined with a surfer's deep connection to nature and an understanding that they are a guest in an ever-evolving and dangerous world.
That's not to say that the film glorifies recklessness like what's been sensationalized in other action sports films. Instead, it drives home a connection a surfer has with their environment, one that assumes reciprocal maintenance and a respect for their surroundings. The Ultimate Wave isn't a gladiatorial spectacle of Slater's talents either, but a synthesis of the world champ's skills married to a paradigm shift now taking place in filmmaking. It will surely set the tone for things to come.
The Ultimate Wave Tahiti: 3D opens this week in select theaters. Check the site for locations near you.
