There are few big wave surfers who have been able to captivate spectators quite like Russell Bierke. Hawaiian born, Aussie raised, Bierke is usually the gnarliest one in any given lineup, but he'd never admit to it. He's known for letting his surfing do the talking.
For some backstory, in 2016, at only 18-years-old, Bierke put his name on the map when he won the Red Bull Cape Fear specialty event, which saw five-story tall waves hammer the Sydney coast. The event still goes down as one of the most intense and entertaining competitions in big wave history.
Since then he's been hunting slabs throughout Australia in his Land Rover in between WSL Big Wave Tour events. While he has yet to clinch an event win on the BWT, he's posted up solid results at Pea'hi and Nazaré in 2018 and 2019, and his wipeout reels are a testament to how hard he really charges.
In this latest edit by Andrew Kaineder, the filmmaker who brought you Bierke's biggest film, "Flow State", you'll catch Bierke again in his purest form. No words, no fluff, just rock and roll and heavy Australian slabs. We'll never get enough of this, so keep 'em coming!
Bierke Is Back With Another Hard-Charging, Adrenaline-Fueled Edit
Bryan Benattou
There are few big wave surfers who have been able to captivate spectators quite like Russell Bierke. Hawaiian born, Aussie raised, Bierke is usually the gnarliest one in any given lineup, but he'd never admit to it. He's known for letting his surfing do the talking.
For some backstory, in 2016, at only 18-years-old, Bierke put his name on the map when he won the Red Bull Cape Fear specialty event, which saw five-story tall waves hammer the Sydney coast. The event still goes down as one of the most intense and entertaining competitions in big wave history.
Since then he's been hunting slabs throughout Australia in his Land Rover in between WSL Big Wave Tour events. While he has yet to clinch an event win on the BWT, he's posted up solid results at Pea'hi and Nazaré in 2018 and 2019, and his wipeout reels are a testament to how hard he really charges.
In this latest edit by Andrew Kaineder, the filmmaker who brought you Bierke's biggest film, "Flow State", you'll catch Bierke again in his purest form. No words, no fluff, just rock and roll and heavy Australian slabs. We'll never get enough of this, so keep 'em coming!
Russell Bierke
Get to know the man under the slabs in this latest edit by O'Neill.
The Australian big-wave surfer seriously injured his arm during a recent swell, with the cut narrowly missing an artery.
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It takes serious courage and commitment to scratch into waves like these.
2020 Men's Paddle Nominee: Russell Bierke at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on December 12, 2019. Photos by Erik Aeder, Adman Carbajal, Aaron Lynton
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