Surf100 runs tomorrow and Stace and Mike have the keys to get you three free surfboards. Listen and hit them with your best offer in the DMs.

Also, we're joined by Surf100 star Ian Crane, who's been up to some interesting business endeavors of his own.

The WSL just revealed their new tour plans for 2020 and beyond. Stace Galbraith and Mike Ciaramella have some thoughts!

Topics covered:

Will the QS and CT really be able to run in Hawaii this Triple Crown season?

Which Tour surfers are anti-vaxxers?

What's this about a mid-year cutoff?!

Jake 'Snake' Paterson has a notoriously firm rump, hardened by years sand dune runs and sitting out the back for the wave of the day. While that wave didn't always arrive in his allotted half-hour, Snake always made great use when it did, taking down the Pipe Masters and Jeffrey's Bay event (x2) against admittedly superior surfers.

After a decade on the Tour that was successful by most any measures (did you know Snake was once a single heat away from winning the World Title—true!), he moved onto team-managing for his long-time sponsor Quiksilver, then spent the last decade or so coaching the next gen of competitive hell-raisers. (Remember the Zeke vs. John heat at Bells? Who do you think was in the (native) Hawaiian's corner?)

Alas, one of competitive surfing's greatest minds has decided to hang up his orange hand towel and head to more UV-friendly pastures, taking over the CEO position of sunscreen brand We Are Good Times Inc.

Since the Stab CUSP is one-half comprised of CT coaches (hey, Stace) and almost 100% comprised of competitive chatter, we thought it was only right to invite Snake on for a proper podcast send-off. Due to scheduling issues (with CUSP co-host Mike Ciaramella being on the opposite side of the globe to Snake, who resides in his native WA), Stace handled the chat alone.

Over the course of an hour, the one-time peers covered a myriad of topics, from fistfights with Andy Irons, miracle Backdoor waves, surf coach accusations and everything in between.

Relive glory and defeat, here.

Snake comes on around the 3-minute mark.

Mike and Stace banter/outro starts around 1hr 6m

Kolohe Andino joins Mick Fanning for the latest edition of Unplugged. They pontificate the biggest changes in the WSL over the past decade: a new look tour climaxing in a final single-day event to crown a world champion.

For a video version of this discussion click here:

https://youtu.be/KhgexCNZLCM

Stabmag.com

This week, 'RISS' star Carissa Moore joins Stab Unplugged with Mick Fanning, who chips away at her armor of optimism in an attempt to mine hidden truths.

While relatively unsuccessful (Carissa's armor is forged of triple-plated steel), it was fascinating to hear a three- and four-time World Champion discuss what motivates and derails them, competitively.

For Carissa, it's a lack of self-focus. For Mick, it's stoplights and compensatory wetsuit runs.

We also asked Carissa if there was any truth to the rumor that she pays local coaches to block for her during freesurfs at CT venues.

Hit play for a verbal chess match!

To see the video version of this conversation click here: https://stabmag.com/stabcinema/what-derails-carissa-moore-unplugged/

Stace and Mike are joined by a surprise guest who makes the argument for jet skis as a justifiable fetish.

The boys also discuss which surfers will come out of Covid stronger than they went in and whether or not the WSL will run events in 2020.

For the third episode of Mick Fanning and Stab's interview series Unplugged, Mick and Stab's Sam McIntosh linked up with Gabriel Medina from his current location in Maresias, Brazil.

Mick and Sam were able to unravel the famously mysterious Medina. Here's just some of the things we learnt in this interview:

First job: No shit, Gabe Medina used to park cars as a six year old.

The biggest waves he’s ever surfed have been in a jersey.

Subject: Little help?

The Pipe Masters forecast was looking huge and Gabe asked Mick Fanning how to surf Pipe. Via email.

Gabe regrets the Caio Ibelli drop-in in Portugal.

"Isn’t he a dickhead?" Mick Fanning talks his flatmate’s response when Gabe was coming to stay.

He knows absolutely nothing about surfboards except he likes em big. “I ride the same size as Jordy"

Gabe is the only surfer on tour who likes Lemoore. “They should hold the whole 2020 tour there,” laughs Gabe.

In this episode, Stace and Mike meet with the WSL's Chief Brand Officer, Dave Prodan, to talk about the League's proposed changes, the public's overwhelmingly negative response to those changes, and exactly what is the WSL's core identity (as we can't seem to put our finger on it).

Here's a breakdown, for the impatient type:

1:00 How the WSL is structured as a business

4:30 Does the WSL represent "surfing" as a whole?

7:30 what does Dave's job entail?

8:30 what is the WSL's core identity?

10:40 is the WSL a profitable business?

12:20 will the WSL cut down the number of surfers on the CT?

14:15 7-day event windows?

14:30 how will the WSL continue to elevate female surfing?

16:30 what's the plan with the QS?

23:00 how does the WSL feel about the negative public response toward their new plans?

28:00 what will the new tour calendar look like?

30:40 would Kelly Slater have more or less titles today if the WSL's proposed changes had been in place since Slater started on tour?

33:40 will JJF suffer most from these proposed changes?

36:20 as the WSL's Brand Manager, what are some brands that Dave is inspired by?

39:50 Dane Reynolds' definition of a kook

42:20 is The Ultimate Surfer a legitimate property?

47:40 let's talk about the wavepool

52:10 what's been your favorite era of pro surfing?

57:50 how long will New event windows be?

58:30 are 2019's QS qualifiers screwed?

1:06:10 lightning round

In this episode, Stace and Mike discuss the WSL's proposed plans for the 2021 Tour and what their idealized versions of a CT would look like.

Radical upheaval is the general consensus.

Stab founder and CEO Sam McIntosh gets into the weeds with WSL CEO Erik Logan on the future of surf competitions and content.