Another incredible day shooting at the American Dream waterpark, home of the Skudin Surf Wave Pool experience. This time, I had the rare opportunity to capture a private session with Kai Lenny, Eli Hanneman, and Brett Simpson.
Using a Rewinch system, we launched the guys across the pool, reaching never seen before heights. It was equal parts surf and science with a little luck and timing.
Brett Simpson is a longtime California-surfing stalwart from Huntington Beach. He won the U.S. Open of Surfing back-to-back in 2009 and 2010. After a competitive career on the world tour, Brett transitioned into coaching, in 2020 he became the inaugural head coach of the U.S. Olympic surfing team. His experience brings a deep competitive understanding of surfing fundamentals and high-performance mindset to the session.
Kai Lenny, born and raised on Maui, is widely regarded as one of the most versatile water-athletes in the world. He began surfing as a child (age five), picked up windsurfing and kitesurfing early, and became a pro athlete in multiple disciplines including stand-up paddle (SUP) racing, big-wave surfing, foil boarding and more. His multi-discipline background, from snowboarding-style maneuvers to big-wave drops, makes him uniquely positioned for this kind of experimental surf-pool environment.
Kai noted the surreal vibe of surfing in a mega-mall, complete with an Amusement Park and Snowboard Mountain just steps away. Drawing parallels to snowboarding, he used the session not only to ride but to refine his ramp approach and push aerial progression. By the end of the day, what started as a challenge in landing timing became a breakthrough in performance and innovation.
Samuel Kim, who flew in from California with the team, called the experience “a dream come true.” This day was more than a shoot, it was a glimpse into the future of wave-pool surfing and cross-sport training.
🎥 Camera Gear: Sony A9 + Seafrog Water Housing
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