“The Physics Of Noseriding” By Patagonia
Patagonia and the new surf movie celebrating the art of longboarding
Part fluid dynamics, part magic: noseriding is one of the most spectacular movements in surfing. But how does it work? How can you surf waves floating between sky and sea?
The Physics of Noseriding, is a new film by Patagonia which seeks to answer these questions through the eyes of Namaala Slabb, an Australian Aboriginal girl from the Coodjinburra clan of the Bandjalung Nation, whose ancestral lands include Fingal Head, New South Wales, and whose people were flying over water before the world even knew what surfing was.
Her curiosity encourages us to explore the levitating sensation that occurs when wave, board and surfer come together in the fluid dance of surfing. “I think that understanding how waves work is a really important aspect of surfing. I didn’t know much about it before, learning the mechanism of the waves during the filming was really important, and being able to share it through the film is an amazing experience,” Namaala says.
The short film, marking Lauren L. Hill’s directorial debut, tells of surfers and female surfers who adopt some of the most technical approaches to longboarding: Belinda Baggs, Ari Browne, Leah Dawson, Josie Prendergast and Dave Rastovich.
“The main goal of this film is to tell how and why noseriding is possible,” says Lauren. “I wanted to pay tribute to those who do it with extraordinary dexterity by slowing down the filming and focusing on the details of their technique.”
Lauren, in addition, is a professional surfer and writer. She has spent the past decade exploring new waves and documenting surf cultures around the world through an eco-feminist lens. Her projects revolve around the power of storytelling to create community and inspire action to protect our planet, values that dovetail perfectly with Patagonia‘s.
