LUCAS MELDRUM: THE GOLDEN ERA OF WAVE EDITS

Boy have we got a feast of epic video’s for you to watch over this Bank Holiday Monday! Over to Lucas Meldrum as he reflects on the rise and fall of the epic wave edit and the shift to bite-sized 10–30 second clips. He also revisits some his favourite iconic wave edits from the golden days of YouTube and Vimeo, so hook in and get ready for some epic windsurfing video blockbusters from the past.

LUCAS MELDRUM: “There was a golden age for windsurfing edits; the late 2000s to early 2020s. DVD films were fading out and the rise of TikTok and Instagram Reels had not yet happened. It was a period where we would wait excitedly for the world’s best riders to drop edits with mind blowing action. Riders would stack clips from a trip or an entire season, cutting the best moments to a full-length soundtrack. If a standout edit dropped, there’d be a bit of a buzz at the beach or online…”Did you see that last Brawzinho edit? It was epic!”

: Antoine goes big for the camera

But we don’t get much of that anymore. So, what happened? Short-form content has taken over. Instagram and TikTok were instrumental in squeezing video lengths down. 30 or even 10 second action clips are now the norm. We scroll through hundreds of quick clips daily, each blending into the next. They might be exciting in the moment but barely memorable.

: Marcilio Browne

When was the last time you heard someone say, “Remember that sick Brawzinho reel from a couple weeks back?”… or “I rewatched that Philip Koster reel from two years ago, so sick”… This isn’t a dig at Brawzinho or any other pros. The clips are usually pretty sick, with insane action but the sheer volume of non-stop highlights becomes kinda mind numbing.

: Philip Koester in action in Chile…Photo: Fish Bowl Diaries

Sure, the view counts look great for sponsors, and many pros are contractually obliged to post. I guess pros are also figuring out it’s not worth spending hours putting together an edit, or paying someone to, when someone else’s Reel filmed on an iPhone gets 10x the views. But the reality? Those views are often just a couple of seconds long. It’s quick engagement without real impact.

Anyway, why does this matter? Well because windsurfing edits are part of windsurfing culture. They’re for the core fans. Just like classic windsurf films before them, they inspire and motivate. A great edit makes you feel something inside. I guarantee these edits will make you want to head straight to the water, rewatch it over and over, or at the very least, lift your mood. And that’s worth more than hours of doomscrolling through a sea of forgettable reels.

: Shooting the action

Hopefully this can exist as a little celebration and spark some motivation for folks to create meaningful edits – that are becoming increasingly scarce… You’re probably wondering what is an edit?

Well, I’ve put together my criteria below:

80% action.

No underlying messaging or story!

Under 10 minutes. (I know some on here are a few seconds over but let’s say nothing long enough that you can’t watch on your lunch break.)

Minimal talking and voice overs. (This would be more a vlog, podcast or film/doc etc.)

Has to be a stand-alone edit not an extract from longer video or film Let us know which ones you’re favourite and if we missed any mega ones. Maybe we’ll make a part 2 if we get enough requests!”…Post any comments on our Facebook page!

The Monkey Show Ricardo Campello

West OZ / Philip Koster

Northwest Ireland / Umipictures

This clip comes from several trips to Northwest Ireland. Ireland is one of the greatest windsurfing locations on earth with incredible waves, strong winds, stunning scenery and friendly locals. The video features two of Irelands finest wave sailors, Finn and Timo Mullen, who have spent years searching down wandering country lanes to find these spots thanks guys! There is also footage of Phil Horrocks who is one of the UKs finest sailors in solid down the line port tack waves and a few rides from the legendary King brothers. www.umipictures.com

WINDSURF MIXTAPE (Réunion Island 2023) Thomas & Antoine Antoine Martin