Best Sections of All-Time: Shawn Briley in Voluptuous
We thought it was a rumor. Surf folklore. A bit of a tall tale to tell around town when you caught a glimpse of him running errands on the North Shore. But let’s grow the legend of Shawn Briley a little more. For those who don’t know, he’s a North Shore big wave icon and 90s bad ass who caught his “Best One Ever”at Pipeline and walked off the beach that day and hasn’t returned to surf Pipe since. Watch the clip in the Lost vid below. It’s the closer — even though every wave in the section is a closer.
Over the course of the Billabong Pro Pipeline (waiting period is January 29-February 10) you’re going to see some interviews with a bunch of our favorite surfers recounting their “Best One Ever.”
We partnered with Billabong and WSL on the project and the stories are sick. All inspired by Briley. He politely declined to participate (he’s not one for interviews) and we can totally respect that. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t shout him out. And what better way to do it than through two of his best parts (he’s got a good one in Josh Pomer’s The Kill 2, but it’s not online too).
The first is from Lost and you can see the wave that he dropped the mic on.
The second is from the Snapping Turtle Productions film, Voluptuous: The Big Movie. This film has so many iconic parts, you’ll remember this section of Bruce Irons, Timmy Curran and Dan Malloy as groms sharing a part compiled on the North Shore in 1995 that we highlighted.
With all of the swell that’s been smashing the islands, it’s hard not to think of those ‘90s guys who paved the way at Pipe, Waimea and the outer reefs. Cody Graham. Todd Chesser. Shawn Briley. And after the The Eddie last weekend we have to add North Shore lifeguard Luke Shepardson to the list as well.
Let’s celebrate these under the radar guys who are constantly on the Best One Ever and ask for no acclaim.
““I like to do heavy things in the ocean.””
[Above photo: Rob Gilley]
Briley was someone who expressed his emotions in a radical way. He wore his passion for riding big waves on the sleeve of his neon rash guards. He rode some of the biggest mounds of water to ever roll across the reefs of the North Shore during his run and his claims were iconic. We literally have them pasted all over our walls at IB. Hard not to feel it when you watch him howl after getting blasted out of the Pipeline cannon on yet another “Best One Ever.”
Fitting that Youth Brigade’s song for the part is called “Better Without You.” Enjoy all this Shawn Briley today and keep an eye out for the series online and during the broadcast. And thank you Jason Kenworthy for another 90s gem of a part. Voluptuous keeps on giving 25 years on.—Brandon Guilmette
