Inside Teahupoo Dvd Review » Jethro Lynch's Review

No matter which way you take the title, it does exactly what it says on the tin. Not only does the film give you a look into modern day surfing at Teahupoo, but also quite literally gives the viewer a chance to be inside the legendary wave. All filmed within a week, a variety of big wave experts set about trying out a new and revolutionary 360 degree camera system. It just so happened that they were about to be hit by the biggest swell in years.

Amongst the team of volunteering surfers for the project were Raimana van Bastolaer, Jamie O’ Brien, Jamie Sterling, Ian Walsh, and Carlos Burle. These guys were towed in to some respectable Teahupoo barrels to reveal some never-seen-before angles. The camera system itself, which weighed over 20 pounds, was worn like a backpack and had a quick release system for obvious safety reasons. Footage was caught through a ball which contained eleven cameras, this ball being elevated above the head on a short pole. The result of this was amazing 360 degree video footage. Unlike other filming methods, such as helmet cameras, this has the advantage of being able to alter and choose the angle after filming.

However, it is certainly no easy task for the surfers to achieve their part. The weight of the camera made balancing that bit harder, and the fact that it is elevated above the head proved to be a hazard. Although not in huge waves, it is also easy to forget that these guys were filming at one of the heaviest waves in the world. As Ian Walsh says, “there’s like a thousand things that could go wrong out there”. Even local charger Raimana was vomiting water after the lip hit the camera, resulting in a nasty wipeout. It was certainly no surprise then that the camera was packed away when Tahiti got slammed by the biggest swell in years.

Big Teahupoo always carries a massive sense of awe with it, even when viewed from the comfort of your living room. And with a lineup full of big wave specialists, there are many spectacular highlights to the footage. I found myself baffled about how these guys ride these waves, let alone survive the wipeouts.

Ten years ago, no one would have believed surfing like this was possible – truly awe inspiring stuff. The advances in technology have also created new opportunities in the surf world, the new 360° camera system showing great potential in the barrels of Teahupoo. I never really like to use this phrase, but perhaps Jamie O’ Brien’s reaction to the footage is actually a good reflection: a truly amazed “Ooohhh, that’s so siiick!”