Kona winds are relatively rare on Maui - instead of blowing from the right, the wind then blows from the left, an unusual side for many locals. Instead of the main break in Hookipa, the action on these days takes place a little further west in Lanes. Sarah Jackson, who does the live interviews and social media coverage at the PWA events during the season, had just the right day yesterday to try out her new camera.
"Over the last six weeks we've had many days with easterly winds - strong, gusty and a bit offshore, even the top pros found it difficult at times," Sarah describes the conditions. "We’ve had lots of days of east winds in the last 6 weeks – blowing strong and gusty offshore, where even the top pros made it look tricky at times, but that was interchanged today with Kona winds – a wind that comes from the opposite direction leading to rare port tack conditions.These days are few and far between in Maui, and often tricky and hard to forecast the best time when they do appear."
But it wasn't easy yesterday either: "Today was the definition of float (or sink) and ride. It was suuuuuper light and very much why I decided to crack out the camera rather than destroy all my gear!" says Sarah.
Robby Naish with a heavy wash
Even legend Robby Naish felt just how tight the wind was, destroying almost all of his equipment in a wash over the rocks. "As he launched, the already dropping wind got even lighter and he was wobbling through the current as a huge set rolled through the channel. He held on to the gear through the first couple, but it was ultimately ripped from his hands and landed in the rocks where it eventually came to rest, with only the boom still in one piece – everything else destroyed!", told Sarah. Marcilio Browne also made a spectacular exit when he ejected in the middle of a gigantic aerial.
Alongside Naish and Browne, locals Robby Swift and Morgan Noireaux were also out celebrating the rare conditions. "Today was one of those days you can't miss at Lanes," wrote Swift. "I've been struggling with inflammation in my Achilles tendon since the Jaws swell so I've been out of the water, but this was just too good to pass up! I had to be very careful, but it was still a lot of fun!"
Iachino and Reuveny in holiday mode
In addition to the wave pros, there were also two rare guests in Lanes: foil world champion Matteo Iachino swapped his race gear for wave equipment while on holiday and showed that he also has considerable skills in the waves: "Big sets kept coming through. In the pictures it looks like a relaxed surf session, but on the water it was hectic with light gusts offshore and a strong north-west swell," he describes the day. Tom Reuveny, the 2024 Olympic gold medallist on the iQFOiL, was also out there!
"It was awesome to witness the top guys ripping out there and navigating the tricky conditions and seeing Robby destroy everything was validation that sitting on the cliff was the best place for me to be today!" says Sarah Jackson.
