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A lone bonfire on Long Beach sent a plume of slow smoke into the open-ended atmosphere, merging with the wisps of cloud clinging to the horizon. Showing its face from this comfortable haze ever so gingerly was the faintest sliver of a crescent moon piercing the evening light. The rest of the sky was open as planets, satellites and stars began to chart a course across the expanse. But as tranquil as things on the beach appeared, the volume on the weekend was about to get turned way the fuck up.
After all, this was the Rip Curl Pro, the marquee event of Tofino's year — at least as far as surfers are concerned. The May 31 – June 1 contest, presented by Monster Energy, gives wave riders a chance to claim prize money, gear, and bragging rights, and serves as the Canadian championships. It's kind of a big deal since it's one of the few such competitions held in the country at all. And as with all surf community gatherings, there’s a lot more to the sked than water, points and awards. The collage of moments to come were certainly not about to disappoint.
Friday evening was a mingling time for Rip Curl attendees, as a photo slideshow and contest was held at the edge of Tofino’s harbour by Jack's Pub. Images were evocative and touched a chord with the viewers, who faced the screen, totally enraptured.
The gathering of stylish surf heads bustled with energy as local boy Kyler Vos picked up the giant $1,000 check in winning the 2014 Rip Curl Pro Tofino Photographer Showdown. Vos has made a name for himself with stellar surf image creation, going to great lengths to capture the moment — evidenced through the portfolio on display.
photo: Alex Guiry
More than 100 people took in the display of art and photography. And once it came to a close many wandered to the queue outside Jack's, waiting to watch a folky live band spread Tofino cheer inside. More than a few ducked out early, preparing for the intense hours ahead.
Check-in for surfers started at 6:30 a.m. Saturday. There were a lot of heats to squeeze in and things needed to get moving. But out of respect for local weddings and other visitors the soundsystem wasn't fired up until 9 a.m.. Instead a colour coded system was used to signal surfers to the start and end of heats.
(Image courtesy of Justin Jung/Rip Curl Imagery)
“I love Tofino,” said one girl, commenting on her choice to come down from Nanaimo for the weekend as she took in the sights – specifically a dude with short shorts and long-ass socks. “This is the best thing that I’ve ever done.” Not bad considering the woman has surfed all through Central America.
(Justin Jung/Rip Curl)
But in the case of Kathy McKay, she had come all the way from Winnipeg to watch her relative Jeremy Bowery do what he loves most. She's a waterskiier herself, and understand the alure of waves and pushing yourself to the limit.
In an typically Canadian example of the surfer's journey, she recalls visiting Bowery back in Thunder Bay, Ont., where he would surf Lake Superior with his friends.
"They were quite the crew," she said. "They weren't afraid of the ice and the snow. It's scary."
Now Bowery is looking to settle for good in Tofino with his girlfriend and his dogs. He's just one more example of someone who made the trek out west and decided to stay.
(Justin Jung/Rip Curl)
Store employees across Tofino tuned into the event thanks to a live stream from Surf Cam and commentary spread throughout the community about who had done what on the water. CC Unger's rapid wave grabbing action, Sepp Bruhwiler's mad back hacks and Noah Cohen's bad luck were just some of the action items that captivated crowds on the shore. But all too soon Day 1 had come to a close. In a way though, that was only the beginning.
Jeff Charleson, a 21-year-old Hesquiaht native who recently moved to town from Victoria, sits on a picnic table outside a native gift shop where he now works. He beats out a powerful rhythm and sings with a tone as warm as the afternoon sun.
"It was on canoe journeys that I started singing alone," he remarks, inserting the odd vocal portamento to an otherwise steadfast chant. 
The drum, made by his father out of tanned hide with a deer antler for a handle, sends out ripples of sound through the air around the treed junction lands between Tofino and Ucluelet. The store where he works, the surf shop across the road, and a number of other businesses in the area, are all part of the Ucluelet First Nation's economic development plans in the wake of successful negotiations with the federal government. They also provide a way for local aboriginal groups to share their story with the people who pass through the playground for surfers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Charleson recalls one of those stories, hearing Tlaoquiaht First Nation member Barney Williams Jr., an elder advisor for the B.C. Assembly of First Nations, talk about aboriginal cedar surf sessions. The first Canadian wave riders.
"We lived in the ocean," Charleson said. "It's not hard to imagine us playing in the waves. We certainly had ways of making planks."
And as the sliver moon rose again — this time bolder and clearer — Rip Curl weekenders were preparing to enjoy their own flavour of party songs, at the hands of the Funk Hunters. The group launched their mélange of medleys to a capacity crowd more than eager to hear the strains of hip-hop, funk, house and more they were ready to lay down.
Many revelers were surprised to see the Funk Hunters bring live musicians on stage – though it would be hard to imagine this caused anyone disappointment.
The new building in which they played suited itself to the big brand surf energy on offer, with its sleek modern design. Plus the sound carried across the venue as if it were developed specifically for warehouse parties. The developers of the Shore Marina market the property overlooking Clayoquot Sound and the Pacific as resting on the “Edge of the World.” Chilling on the patio of the 6,500 sq. ft. nightclub-style event space it's not hard to see why. You could easily be on the other side of the ocean, listening to the same tracks at a seaside party in Tokyo, sipping tequila to the beat.
The Funk Hunters varied the energy throughout the night, but kept things pumping with songs like Dizzee Rascal’s “Bonkers.” In a moment of exuberance under the laser lighting the DJs threw on Route 94’s “My Love feat. Jess Glynne.” They soaked the party in a solid tempo and housy rhythm, before causing an eruption on the dancefloor when they transitioned into the Sigma drum n’ bass remix of the song. The track itself takes an impassioned yet upbeat approach and was emblematic of the entire sunshine-filled weekend. Seamless.
"We haven't played in Tofino in two years, so it was such a treat to come back," he said. "It was a really special night. The vibes in there were amazing."
Over the course of the next day surfers had a chance to show what they’re made of. Tug of war competitions on the beach took place and the on-site DJ switched it up from Hard Core Logo’s “Sonic Reducer” to Caribbean marimba. Familiar faces filled the ranks of the winners of professional trophies – which were hand crafted out of wood.
And while the local aboriginal groups may have nabbed the first ever barrels on their cedar planks, Rip Curl gave a nod to the Legends who played a significant role in nascent surf culture of the 20th Century, even giving these riders their own division.
"Sitting there watching the sun climb overhead, wondering whether the surf is going to be good today – we would have never seen anything like this,” he said. "It's great to see everybody here.”
The most impressive efforts, however, came on the part of the groms, who got the opportunity to experience exactly what the spotlight feels like. For example, in the U16 Women’s division, not a single one of the competitors was even close to 16 years old. After all it’s not like SoCal where every high school has a surf team.
"It's a real inspiration to watch the young surfers,” Sadler said. “Every time I come down and watch the new crew surf I learn something new. It's a great thing to watch.”
It's only the second time Rip Curl has brought in a Women's Longboard category and Emily Ballard won it last time. So the pressure was on.
"It's so stressful," she said, describing what was going through her mind in the middle of the heats. "Look at the waves. Find the waves."
And while she didn't claim first this time around, she still made it to the finals, winding up with a respectable fourth place finish. More importantly, she had a blast.
"I was so excited all weekend,” she said. "The girls were destroying it.
"I'm happy with how I did.”
It’s easy to forget that Pete Devries, who picked up first once again this year in the Men’s Pro division, was once a grom himself. He was first sponsored by Storm Surf Shop as a teenager. He has carried the torch forth from his father Ralph, who made a name for himself on the ocean in the 1970s, helping build the Wickaninnish Inn and only retiring from surfing at age 67. Eventually Hurley started sending him down to California so he could get more competitions under his belt.
Pete says he’s stoked to see how the Rip Curl Pro focuses on the development of the younger crop.
“That's the biggest thing for me, you know?” he said. “It's great to have a pro division where we can actually get some money – which is awesome, I love it – but to see all the kids up here and all the really young kids, it's great. There's a whole new generation coming up and there's another one right behind that. There'll be a lot more good surfers coming out of Canada in the years to come.”
(All unmarked images by Drew Penner)
Rip Curl Pro Serves Up An Electric Collage Of Memories
