Sorry for the long wait, everyone!
Aaron Komiken, also known as "Gokkin," rides the latest Japan-only LOST model, the AIRQUEST.
Riding videos are now available!
Board used: LOST/AIRQUEST 5'4 /XTR 5.C 3D carbolic
Devil Tail
Camera:DAI Edit:DAI
The video starts with a rare private shot of Chris Ward and Gorkin bonding together on HIGH-FIVE!
Since the AIRQUEST is a Japan-only model, even Lost's star team riders had never seen it before, so Ward picked it up and looked at it, and when Gokin saw the LOST/AIRQUEST model/XTR 3D CARBOLIC that Nishii was riding, he said, "Wow, what a cool design! I almost caught Ward on a set wave with this just now, but I'm going to ride a couple of waves!" He picked it up and showed us some amazing surfing, even though he had just finished his session!
First, for the first run, take a light air as if to check how the board is rising!
On the second run, I grabbed the rail and side-slipped.
The trick to the backside reverse spin is to put both hands in the water and spin!
The third one was a long floater followed by two long floaters.
Insert your left hand into the curl and use it as the axis of rotation.
Grabbing the rail with his right hand, a frontside one-handed grab air!
For the fourth jump, he does a slight upswing, then uses the curl as a launch pad, grabs the rail with his left hand, and launches himself onto the wave, spinning as he lands in the water for an aerial!
On the fifth run, he did a deep backside bottom turn, ripped into the lip, then did a relaxed roundhouse cutback, slipped on the rail, and headed towards the section, landing two consecutive airs.
The sixth one is a double turn roundhouse cutback.
The seventh one is a quick off-the-lip one that sends out a Gorkin style spray.
For his final, eighth, wave, Gorkin took off on a double-sized wave. He glided through the section with a big floater, then, showing off to the surfers with their hands up, removed his fins and slid them all the way to the tail. He then took a spray-generating lip, then landed a clean, no-grab air, finishing off his ride with a three-sixty! In a short space of time, he showed off a variety of airs and maneuvers.
If you look closely, Gokin's surfing is truly amazing! He uses the AUROLA/FLEX-FIVE fins in the QUAD setting for all of his surfing. I think that now all your questions about what size waves you can ride with the 5'4" AIRQUEST and how much movement you can get have been answered. I encourage you to try out some great surfing with the Japan-only model AIRQUEST. Gokin himself said, "This board feels amazing! I want Mayhem to shape it for me too!"
The special page for this movie is here:
http://www.luvsurf.co.jp/camp/gorkin_airquest.html
To relive Gokin's time riding the Air Quest, click here.
http://luvsurf.co.jp/24sblog/2009/06/post-482.html
Air Quest special page can be found here:
http://www.luvsurf.co.jp/camp/airquest.html
