Watch: Laurie Towner // Lucid Dreaming

Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

Much has been written and screened from the recent Cloudbreak swell, most of it surfacing immediately after the swell hit. Ramon and Makua and Laurie were barely dry when everyone saw their amazing waves. The speed of modern media is daunting.

But here's a clip that'll bring down your pulse rate, release some anxiety, maybe even make you smile.

It's made by Gary Parker and NEEDessentials, and has Laurie narrating his trip to Fiji with his mates, neighbours, and Dad. It features all Laurie's best waves from the trip, plus others you won't have seen, set to a score by The Windy Hills. And in a fine touch, Laurie also thanks the water crew who patrolled the lineup on the big days.

Towards the end Laurie says, "Cloudbreak is my new favourite wave," so here's hoping we'll see much more of him at XL CB.

Comments

Island Bay Wednesday, 11 Jul 2018 at 01:03 pm new

Jeez, he did well!

crg Wednesday, 11 Jul 2018 at 01:55 pm new

Ripping!
It's been said a thousand times over but it's just staggering he doesn't have more industry support.
Just bought a new 3/2 from Need exclusively because of their support of Laurie. (And it was cheap!)
Vote with your $$$ I say.

DeXtrus Wednesday, 11 Jul 2018 at 02:25 pm new

Absolutely killed it and seemingly humble as hell. Awesome

MRsinglefin Wednesday, 11 Jul 2018 at 05:30 pm new

I’m just about to do the same. All the early morning crew at 2291 swear by Needs Essential wetsuits.

crg Wednesday, 11 Jul 2018 at 06:59 pm new

The 3/2 thermal lined is the warmest and most easy paddling wetsuit I've ever had. Bit tricky to get in and out of but fits like a glove.

udo Wednesday, 11 Jul 2018 at 06:31 pm new

Fearless ... Ripping on that Fletcher Chouinard 8'6 eh Dylan.

Jared Wisey Wednesday, 11 Jul 2018 at 08:12 pm new

Nutcase

Lanky Dean Wednesday, 11 Jul 2018 at 09:19 pm new

Interesting,
That was his first trip to cloudbreak?
What was billabong thinking .......re contract renewal ?
Or spending ten years not sending him there......
Best surfer of the swell ...hands down.

Nick Bone Thursday, 12 Jul 2018 at 03:58 pm new

I think Billabong years back shaftes alot of their young crop in favor for pumping more money into the big 3 AI Parko Taj. Or so i heard

Tim Fisher Wednesday, 11 Jul 2018 at 09:56 pm new

Nah, Laurie has been to Cloudbreak before. Surfing Life ran a cover of him hung up in the lip of a 12 footer back in 2011 or 2012, from a strike mission with Andrew Shield when they first opened the wave up to people not staying on Tavarua. He turned up with a 6'6" or something ridiculous, completely undergunned.
Can absolutely vouch for him being one of the most humble and genuinely talented surfers in the country. Not enough gets said about his style, either. He's there with Parko, imo.

Optimist Thursday, 12 Jul 2018 at 06:40 am new

Should rename that film "Lozza seizes the day".

stunet Thursday, 12 Jul 2018 at 07:24 am new

Laurie's last trip to macking Cloudbreak. Board was 6'8" from memory and he wasn't wearing a vest.

Island Bay Thursday, 12 Jul 2018 at 12:47 pm new

When would you start thinking about a flotation vest? What size and sort of waves? Not necessarily the inflatable kind, but the neoprene/EVA ones.

mrkook Saturday, 14 Jul 2018 at 09:19 am new

Whenever you think you need it. They are becoming very common place. I was in Hawaii last year and you see heaps of people wearing them even when it's not "big" like 6ft sunset. I got to surf Waimea when I was there and I would say 95% of the line up was wearing some form of floatation. Mostly not the inflatable just the foam type.
It's a personal choice though, if you want to wear floatation and a helmet in summer slop go for it!

ojackojacko Thursday, 12 Jul 2018 at 07:25 am new

class all the way

freeride76 Thursday, 12 Jul 2018 at 08:48 am new

only for the very few.

That soundtrack was awesome.

goofyfoot Thursday, 12 Jul 2018 at 11:31 am new

That wipeouts fucked up

simba Thursday, 12 Jul 2018 at 12:46 pm new

Yeah guttsy effort but why would you go all the way to cloud break knowing it was gonna be huge and take a 6-8.........seems like he learnt his lesson and hes a full gladiator....

mick-free Monday, 16 Jul 2018 at 03:48 pm new

From what I remember he broke his bigger board earlier in session. That was the first real swell after you were allowed to surf it. Scardy swell??

simba Monday, 16 Jul 2018 at 05:23 pm new

yeah that makes sense.

memlasurf Saturday, 14 Jul 2018 at 10:22 pm new

Yep he was never gonna make that and even if he did there was that much chop on the surface you would need a 10 footer to cut through it.

tango Monday, 16 Jul 2018 at 10:14 am new

If that last wave wasn't "the wave I was looking for", I'd like to see the one he really wants to catch. Sounds like the stuff we used to draw on schoolbooks....or a Goodvibes special. I'd almost hang up the boots after a wave like that.

crg Monday, 16 Jul 2018 at 12:39 pm new

Check out Laurie's Insta for a little disincentive to surf his local...

Craig Monday, 23 Jul 2018 at 11:51 am new

Laurie just touched down in Nias for the upcoming swell.

udo Monday, 23 Jul 2018 at 06:15 pm new

Go hard Son
Get a few bazzas likeJustin Buluulo's on Surfline insta but twice the size ...Yew