Legendary surfer, 1977 World Champion, and WSL co-founder Shaun Tomson joins Dave Prodan for a deep dive into the past, present, and future of professional surfing. Shaun reflects on Jordy Smith’s career and potential World Title breakthrough for South Africa, the complexity of Cloudbreak vs. Teahupo’o, and the ethos of winning and losing with grace. He shares the life principles behind his Surfer’s Code and Think Twice Foundation, turning 70, and his recent Lifetime Achievement Award at the SIMA Waterman’s Ball. Shaun takes us back to surfing’s formative years, from Bustin’ Down the Door and the birth of the then-IPS Tour, to his groundbreaking tube-riding approach that ultimately delivered him a World Title. With next year marking the 50th anniversary of the World Championship Tour, Shaun reflects on the legacy, the evolution, and the future of where surfing could go from here. We round out the pod with the Lightning Round, his dream lineup with Slater and Curren, and timeless lessons from one of surfing’s most influential voices.

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WSL CT Fantasy is a WRAP! Congratulations to our winners:

🥉 3rd Place – Perry-Nara with 9,127.62 points, taking home a $50 WSL Store e-gift card.

🥈 2nd Place – ButterflySurf with 9,196.26 points, winning a $100 WSL Store e-gift card.

🥇 1st Place Champion – LAMP with 9,221.26 points, earning a $150 WSL Store e-gift card!

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Dave Prodan and WSL commentator and part-time co-host Mitchell Salazar break down the highs and lows from Tahiti. From Jack’s must-win performance, Molly’s statement backhand attack, and the rise of the local Tahitian crew, they cover everything from Championship Tour surfers paddling and/or towing the CODE RED waves prior to the event to the heartbreaking eliminations that shifted the Final 5 race at the last possible moment. They also dive into this season’s biggest winners and losers, the evolution of strategy at CT events, and what fans can expect when the world’s best descend on Cloudbreak. With the end of this event, the 2025 Championship Tour regular season has wrapped with all-time Teahupo’o, and an Aussie and Red Bull sweet with Molly Picklum and Jack Robinson claiming wins at the Lexus Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA, and officially locking in the Final 5 for the World Title-deciding Lexus WSL Finals in Fiji. The duo talk boards, Finals matchups, and answer Instagram fan questions before setting the stage for next week’s World Title showdown in Fiji.

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WSL CT Fantasy is a WRAP! We will be announcing winners and sending gift cards via email in the next couple weeks as we finalize the standings. Thanks for your patience!

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Watch the highlights from the Lexus Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA.

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The first-ever World Champion and true icon of the sport, Peter “PT” Townend, returns to The Lineup after his last appearance… our very first episode. From winning the inaugural world title in 1976 to helping launch professional surfing itself, PT’s fingerprints are all over the DNA of modern surf culture. As we near the 50th anniversary of that historic moment, PT reflects on the wild early days of the tour, the evolution of the CT, and the shifting balance between soul and structure in surfing. He shares insight on his work curating the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum, his efforts behind the scenes of the Lexus US Open of Surfing, and how the Visit HB partnership is reshaping Surf City’s global presence. Plus, PT weighs in on today’s new school, shares his favorite MP story, and answers fan questions about legacy, progression, and producing cult classics like Secret Machine. 

Learn more about PT here.

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The race for the Final 5 culminates at the final CT event of the regular season at the Lexus Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA, Aug 7 - 16. Stay tuned!

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Rooted in core surf and skate culture, Southern California's own The Alive joins the pod from I-SEA HQ in San Clemente for a special episode of The Lineup. With drummer Miles Elze, bassist/vocalist Lawson Matthews, and guitarist/vocalist Bastian Evans in the studio, the trio dives into their origins, the gritty early days of the band, and what it’s like to play stages with rock legends like Eddie Vedder, the Foo Fighters, and the late Taylor Hawkins’ band, Chevy Metal. With their new single “Emancipated” out now and a massive Sundown Sets show coming up at the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on August 1, the band talks preparation, energy, brotherhood, and their shared goals of touring and playing bigger stages.

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Get tickets to their show with Chevy Metal for Sundown Sets at the US Open of Surfing on Friday, August 1st here. A portion of ticket sales benefit the Surfrider Foundation.

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Catch the next generation of potential CT surfers at U.S. Open of Surfing Presented by Pacifico, July 26 - Aug 3.

The race for the Final 5 culminates at the final CT event of the regular season at the Lexus Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA, Aug 7 - 16. Stay tuned!

Join the conversation by following The Lineup podcast with Dave Prodan on Instagram and subscribing to our YouTube channel.

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With Finals Day firing at Jeffreys Bay, The Lineup returns to break down all the action from the Corona Cero Open J-Bay. Host Dave Prodan is joined by WSL commentator and part-time co-host Mitch Salazar to unpack Connor O’Leary’s maiden CT victory and Gabriela Bryan’s continued ascent to World No. 1 – both coached by Richard “Dog” Marsh, making it a banner day for the Dog Pound. The crew digs into Winners & Losers from South Africa, highlighting a rare all-goofy-foot men’s final, the underwhelming wildcard performances, and what the result means for surfers like Yago Dora, who now holds the yellow jersey heading into the final stop of the regular season. They break down the new-look Top 5 and the looming pressure cooker at the Lexus Tahiti Pro, where the last World Title slots are up for grabs. Plus, a look at the Vissla CT Shaper Rankings where …Lost Surfboards has officially clinched the 2025 crown, a Fantasy Surfing update, and Instagram fan questions covering everything from coaching dynasties to Finals scenarios.

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Watch the highlights from the Corona Open J-Bay Presented by O'Neill.

Catch the next generation of potential CT surfers at U.S. Open of Surfing Presented by Pacifico, July 26 - Aug 3.

The race for the Final 5 culminates at the final CT event of the regular season at the Lexus Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA, Aug 7 - 16. Stay tuned!

Join the conversation by following The Lineup podcast with Dave Prodan on Instagram and subscribing to our YouTube channel.

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Re-air of Ep 159, the first “Watersheds” format episode highlighting Jordy Smith’s first CT win on home soil at J-Bay in 2010. 

This week, we’re premiering a new format of The Lineup where we zero in on an important moment from surfing’s rich and extensive history. Using sound bites from deep within the WSL archives and insight from this week’s special guest Pat O’Connell, we’re diving into Jordy Smith’s huge win at J-Bay in 2010. Travel back in time to the very different surf world (and world, period) of the early and mid-2000’s. Hear all that went into Jordy Smith’s rise into the global surf consciousness. And get the full story of what made his win at home in South Africa so important in the long tapestry of unforgettable Championship Tour moments.

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Stay tuned to the Corona Open J-Bay Presented by O'Neill, July 11 - July 20th.

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Former Obama speechwriter and bestselling author David Litt joins Dave Prodan on The Lineup to talk about his newest and most personal project yet, It’s Only Drowning: A True Story of Learning to Surf and a Search for Common Ground. Litt opens up about how a pandemic-era battle with depression led him into the ocean, and how a mismatched surf adventure with his brother-in-law Matt became an unlikely bridge across political, personal, and cultural divides. From his first freezing New Jersey paddle-outs in a 5/4 wetsuit to wipeouts in 8-10 foot Zurriola in Spain, Litt shares a raw, humorous, and deeply human journey into surfing from the outside in and explores how surfing restructured his sense of time, identity, and connection.

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Order It's Only Drowning: A True Story of Learning to Surf and a Search for Common Ground AVAILABLE NOW on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Catch the next generation of surfers compete for a spot on the CT at our second Challenger Series event of the year, the Ballito Pro Presented by O'Neill, June 30 - July 6.

Stay tuned for CT Stop No. 10, the Corona Open J-Bay Presented by O'Neill, July 11 - July 20th.

Visit usopenofsurfing.eventbrite.com to get tickets to Sundown Sets at the US Open and for five nights of live music featuring Common Kings, Chevy Metal, Reggae Sunday, and more! A portion of ticket sales benefit the Surfrider Foundation which works to protect and preserve the world’s oceans and beaches. See you in Surf City!

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Reporting live from Brazil, part-time cohost and WSL commentator Mitchell Salazar rejoins Dave on The Lineup to break down all the action, drama, and implications from the 2025 VIVO Rio Pro presented by Corona Cero. California’s Cole Houshmand and Australia’s Molly Picklum claimed breakthrough victories at Stop No. 9 of the 2025 Championship Tour, but the event was anything but predictable. Dave and Mitch dive deep into the biggest Winners and Losers from Saquarema–from Griffin Colapinto’s title surge to Filipe Toledo’s late-season stumble, and from the brilliance of Molly Picklum to the heartbreak for Brazilian fans hoping for a hometown champion. They break down the complexity of forecasting the wave, the challenges of Saquarema backwash, and the mental game of adapting on the fly. They check in on the Vissla CT Shaper Rankings, where Matt Biolos and …Lost Surfboards have all but cemented a three-peat as Shaper of the Year after a dominant Rio showing. The duo also answer Fantasy League and Instagram questions from fans around the world, including whether the women’s surfing is officially more exciting than the men’s, and drop hints about the final stretch of the CT season leading into J-Bay and beyond.

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Watch the highlights from the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Cero.

Catch the next generation of surfers compete for a spot on the CT at our second Challenger Series event of the year, the Ballito Pro Presented by O'Neill, June 30 - July 6.

Stay tuned for CT Stop No. 10, the Corona Open J-Bay Presented by O'Neill, July 11 - July 20th.

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In a special two-parter episode of The Lineup, Dave Prodan sits down with fearless big wave charger and YETI ambassador Tom Lowe for two powerful conversations – one from before his nearly fatal incident in Tahiti in June 2025 and one after.

In the first part of the episode, Tom rejoins us from Tahiti, still in recovery, right from the very place where he describes everything went very quickly from a dream to a nightmare. He walks us through the day it happened, at least all the moments he remembers. He recounts the locals’ heroics, catching a few mid-sized waves himself, gaining confidence, and feeling ready for a big one. He speaks candidly about the mental toll of this injury versus the physical, and the emotional weight of what he’s put his loved ones through. With striking vulnerability, he opens up about the recovery, the guilt, the gratitude, and the commitment to keep moving forward.

The second part of the episode was recorded just before Tom’s most recent mission to Tahiti, a trip that would culminate in a near-fatal injury at Teahupoʻo. Lowe discusses both the clarity and the nerves he was bringing into the swell, feeling ready to return since his first nearly fatal injury back there in 2023. He discusses life as a dad, the rhythm he’s found chasing waves around the world, and the emotional toll of leaving behind his young family to pursue swells as a professional big wave surfer. He reflects on his latest film with YETI, Let Me Live, a raw and beautifully captured portrait of identity, purpose, and a life on the edge, produced by the legendary Keith Malloy and Bimarian Films.

Follow Tom Lowe here.

Tom’s latest film produced by YETI & Keith Malloy, Let Me Live, is out on YouTube! Watch it here.

Stay tuned to see the best surfers at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Cero, June 21 - 29.

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Dave and part-time co-host Mitchell Salazar return to break down all the highs, lows, and critical storylines from stop No. 8 on the Championship Tour—the 2025 Lexus Trestles Pro Presented by Outerknown. With iconic Lower Trestles serving up a playground of high-performance conditions, Brazil’s Yago Dora and Hawaii’s Bettylou Sakura Johnson both earned their second CT victories of the year, launching themselves firmly into the WSL Final 5 conversation. Dave and Mitch dive into the biggest Winners & Losers of the event—highlighting breakout performances from rookie Joel Vaughan and wildcard Sawyer Lindblad, while calling out disappointing exits from Gabriela Bryan, Jordy Smith, and a clunky Elimination Round heat between Barron Mamiya and Kelly Slater. They also celebrate a historic weekend for …Lost Surfboards, who saw both event champs riding their boards, along with a dominant showing in the Vissla CT Shaper Rankings. The crew also checks in on Fantasy Surfing standings, dishes out tips, and fields fan questions on air game technique, coaching insights, and CT requalification hypotheticals.

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Relive all the action from the Lexus Trestles Pro Presented by Outerknown, June 9 - 17th.

Catch the world’s best surfers at CT Stop No. 9, the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Cero, June 21 - 29th.

Join the conversation by following The Lineup podcast with Dave Prodan on Instagram and subscribing to our YouTube channel.

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