Maui is now the forefront for fringe surfing - big-wave paddle progression (see Albee Layer, Kai Lenny) and freakish aerial innovation (see also Layer and Matt Meola). And after a heavy winter at Jaws, the latter has gone quiet lately. But Meola is back from injuries with a new edit and, of course, a new air [3:58 above]. A double-spin? How 'bout 720?? Whirlybird??? It's the same thing Slater did a while back in Portugal. But for good measure, we called up Meola to hear what he's been up to and what exactly he's calling this thing.



How long's this edit been in the works?

It's basically just been this past winter season. That's about it.



You've been battling through some injuries lately, huh?

I hurt my back and I didn't surf for like six months. As soon as I got better - I maybe started surfing again for only a couple months - then I hurt my knee. I didn't surf for 10 months. It was a rough little run there. This edit is from my first full winter back.



Were you hesitant to start hucking go-for-broke airs? Or was it straight back on the horse? I was trying not to. But it's kinda hard when the section pops up not to try something. [Laughs]. I was riding twin-fins and stuff in the beginning so I wasn't able to do that stuff as easy. It wasn't until mid-winter that I was confident in my injuries.



And so take us through the air [3:58]. How'd it go down?

I was out for like five hours that day. So exhausted. My arms were noodles. I had gone for a bunch of big moves, almost pulled 'em, and I just wanted one more. I was out with Kai Barger and Tanner Hendrickson was on the beach. I told Kai I wanted one more and I was gonna go crazy - and that's right when that set came in.



What're we calling it? A 720?

I call it a 540-to-revert-720. That's what it is. You know, there's all that stuff going around with like Tony Hawk and the whole spinning controversy in surfing. With this one, when you do the math, where you land is a little bit over a 540 - it's like a 610 or something. But you can't call it a 720, because landing straight is such a bigger feat. In surfing, landing with your fins forward and having to spin - you can't call that a 720. You just can't. Think about if someone actually does a 720, landing two spins with their nose forward, what're you gonna call that?



Was that the first time you've pulled that?

Well, I think this is just a less corked version of the Spindle Flip. It's a different rotation but it's the same amount of spinning. This one is just more flat. To me, the Spindle felt crazier. I wasn't quite as excited with this one, but I was still pretty stoked. We were all freaking out on the beach.



Yours was a little different than Slater's - you went double-grab. Any advantage to that?

I went double-grab because you can spin a little faster, it kinda tucks you into a little ball. And it's pretty windy over here, so with the single grab it's hard to hang onto your board. Slater double-grabbed the same rail on his. That was almost a good technique for him because it tucked him down pretty small too. But I think the standard double-grab is just solid and you're not going to lose your board. I mean, I'd like to do one with no grab. Or an indy or something.



Was the title just the name of the song your sister is singing? Or is there more behind that?

That's kinda how I was feeling when we were doing the edit. I had a very close buddy pass away and that's how it felt. It's the name of the song my sister is singing but it also just made sense at the time to call it that.



What's on the horizon for you? Any new airs you're working on?

I just want to do a bunch of trips and keep pumping edits out. I just signed with Salty Crew - that's pretty big for me, super exciting. Hopefully I'll be doing some trips with those guys, surfing and catching a bunch of fish. And most important, I just wanna not get injured again and keep hammering away.





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Send Via Email Watch: Matt Meola's Mind-Numbing Double Spin Or is it a 720? Whatever you call it, it's insane.