The Yearly Bugle: The Funniest Surfing Moments of 2024
Is lols even a thing anymore?
Sometimes all we need is some lols. Now surfing can sometimes take itself a little too seriously. It is, after all, a simple act of riding a wave. It doesn’t have to be always make or break, death-defying slabs, or the heartbreak of not getting a 6.2 in the dying seconds. Luckily humour does lurk between the cracks (in more ways than one). Sometimes by design, often by accident, these were the funniest moments of one lap of the sun.
Sterling Spencer, Tyler Allen… and Kelly Slater
There was a brief 18-month period when Tyler Allen’s impersonations of famous surfers were not only the funniest videos in surfing, but maybe of all time. In the running for that accolade would be peak Sterling Spencer’s Pinch My Salt clips from the late noughties. So to have the pair combine in 2024 on Spencer’s revamped podcast was pure surf comedy gold. It’s one thing getting Kelly Slater’s voice note perfect, another thing entirely to make it laugh-out-loud-funny. Allen does both, and Sterling plays the foil in what is easily the funniest skit of 2024 by a country mile. And the sister trapezoid line creased me.
Tim Elter Bares His (ass) Soul at the Olympics
Sure Gabriel Medina may have owned the Olympics with his iconic flyaway pullout image but it was the German Tim Elter who, uhm, spread the surfing gospel the widest at Teahupo’o. After a wipeout that removed his trunks to his knees, he had no choice but to duckdive the next wave, leaving his bare ass protruding from the water for the TV audience to see. You sure don’t get that in the Heptathlon. “When the waves don’t deliver, my ass does,” Elter wrote later on Instagram, not afraid of being the butt of the joke. Bums are funny aren’t they.
Prince Harry and Raimana... A Right Royal Bromance
If there was ever a timestamp for surfing in 2024, it is Raimana Von Bastoler repeatedly yelling “Love you brother” at Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, as he negotiated a wave at the Surf Ranch. Surfing royalty is a term that gets thrown about all too regularly, but for once the term could be used literally. What does it all mean? And why is it funny? Or is it?
The Mad Hueys… Hook, Line and Sinker
Just how The Mad Hueys turned their unreconstructed surf, fishing and humour into a successful apparel brand might be explained by this clip here. Or maybe not. It may not be original, or smart and it may not be clever, but one of the oldest tricks in the book still gets a laugh.
Channel Islands Go Rogue.. with The Dumpster Diver 2
Surfing and comedy have a strained relationship at best as I’ve discussed in my potted history. So it takes a brave brand, and some foolish professional surfers, to embark on an ad designed to make you laugh. The Channel Islands skit for their new Dumpster Diver 2 did a better job than most in hitting the mark. Britt Merrick, Timmy Curran, Eithan Osborne and Sage Ericksen provide the acting chops and Dane Reynolds' fight scene raises a chuckle. If there was a low bar, at least this clip just about jumped over it.
Raglan Surf Report Hits The CT Booth… “Well No Shit Joe”
Few are making more hardcore surf fans laugh more often than Luke Cederman with his Raglan Surf Report. His hit rate on what is a regular and consistent output is high and picking his best bits of the year wasn’t easy. However his clips inserting himself into the CT commentary booth were all-time, and this one in particular was comedy gold. And not just because it involved a tiny cock and balls made out of wax. But mainly because it involved a tiny cock and balls made out of wax.
Must be. 😂😂😂
Mondy! There myst be a webcast moment with you and Evans worthy of making this list! You should do a best anonymous behind the scenes ASP/WSL comments list. I have plenty of material! 😂