We Shouldn't Be Friends

Allegations of sexual assault involving now-suspended CT pro Al Cleland Jr, several other men and a young Australian girl in Tahiti two months ago have stunned many of us worldwide. Those allegations are now being investigated by French Polynesian authorities. One day they may be tested in court. In the meantime, how does a culture that prides itself at times on ignoring the wider world come to grips with the hard reality of sports stars and sexual consent? Nick and Hannah asked Catharine Lumby, Professor of Media at Sydney University and a former consultant on consent issues within the NRL, to help us understand more about this tough issue—and suggest some ways forward for all involved.Note: This podcast covers subjects that may cause distress to some listeners. If you or someone you know has experienced domestic, family or sexual violence, you can call 1800RESPECT (1800 737732) for counselling, information and support. 1800RESPECT is an Australia-only service—if you are in another country you may want to research its equivalent.

Surf films, even quite short ones, are not simple things. Especially if you want them to actually be interesting. Dav Fox is one of the finer cinematographers in the game, yet Dav takes it a few steps further, into the realm of story. The Illusion Of Control, his recent work with Craig Anderson and SW’s cover star James Kusitino, sows us just what happens when Dav gets a sniff of the gold behind the action. Nick and Hannah put Dav very gently on the rack as he explains the minor nightmare of creativity, his early life as a bodyboarding film star, and why he dreads entering the editing bay.

This year’s been a deeply sketchy one for many residents of the Hawaiian islands. The warming eastern Pacific has triggered numerous hurricanes near Mexico and sent a number of them skittering toward the islands. Cue gale force winds, floods, and repeated destruction across the chain. Nick and Hannah asked Kauai’s Rochelle to come tell us about how this is playing out, and somehow unleashed the force of nature that is this fantastic woman: ex-elite ‘90s pro, original Blue Crush star, yoga teacher, retreat runner, and mentor to many of the modern Hawaiian generation. Rochelle’s all of it, and she’s all here for us.

San Clemente, California, has two town centres. The first and most commonly known is a shop-lined street leading down to the pier. The second is a slightly tangled old industrial area not far from the railroad — the dusty home of some of the world’s great surfboard companies. Right in the middle of it is Matt Biolos, who after 40 years in the business has turned his labels Mayhem and …Lost into icons known to surfers worldwide, an achievement he refers to as “Revenge of the Nerds”. Matt is nothing if not dryly witty, so Hannah and Nick invited him to explain just how this all happened, and what it’s like to be  badgered by seemingly a quarter of the CT for their quivers.

Sometimes things happen. Sometimes they just blow up. This week pretty much the whole sporting world — including surfing — was blown up by an ad for an American sports prediction site featuring one of its key investors, the actress Sydney Sweeney, nude except for various pieces of sporting equipment. “Just sport,” cooed no-clothed Sydney, gazing down from a basketball hoop. The appeal was naked, the response was instant. But while it was kind of epic seeing so many champion women athletes telling Sydney what was sport and what wasn’t, was sport even the point? Nick and Hannah turned to the ultra-sharp Dr Rebecca Olive to help untangle the carnage.