Make or Break is back bringing all the intense stakes of the WSL, but what else?

Words Beth Franklin

While we know we’d all rather be in the ocean 24/7 catching waves to our hearts content, it’s not always possible. Whether that’s flat spells, or injuries that’s keeping you out of the water there are few things that can make those days doable, like watching your favourite surfer rip.

Surfing is probably one of the most exciting sports to watch. Waveriders often hypnotise spectators with their carves, hacks, cutbacks as they fly along the line of the wave. It’s hard to look away, and can bring hours of entertainment. It can also be a great learning opportunity to break down each inch of a movement that is so critical when it comes to applying it when you’re in the same position.

One of the biggest pieces of surfing content at the moment is Make Or Break, which I luckily got the chance to watch ahead of its release thanks to the kind people at the WSL. I devoured season one of the show, and loved getting a closer look at the behind the scenes of some of surfing’s biggest sporting moments. Season two brought us that intensity, insight and so much more.

Make Or Break has been a huge hit, and has just dropped the second half of its second season. The show follows the 2022 season of the World Surf League which saw Felipe Toledo win his first World Title, and gives us a closer look at Stephanie Gilmore’s incredible journey to her record breaking 8th world title.

One of the stand out episodes of the second season for us was episode three which heavily features Tyler Wright and her brother Owen Wright as they enter the Bells Beach contest. The episode shows the strong bonds of one surfing’s most famous families and how much winning a contest at their local break would mean to them. The contest ended up being a historic one with Tyler Wright winning her first Bell, and being the first Wright to take home the trophy (we couldn’t believe a Wright hadn’t won one before either).

There are so many amazing surf films and series’ about the sport out there now, and the even better news is some of them are free. Here’s our round up of surfing content we’ve been watching lately.

Make or Break (Apple TV)

Make Or Break follows the world’s best surfers as they compete on surfing’s biggest stage, the World Surf League. The docu-series gives an inside look into the lives of the athlete’s on tour, the sacrifices they make, and the competition between surfers.

Not to mention the fact that we get to see some of the most stunning breaks as the team travels around the world from Pipeline to Jeffery’s Bay and back to Lowers for finals day.

Chasing Waves (Disney+)

Chasing Waves shines a spotlight on the people and places defining Japan’s reach in the global surf culture. This inspiring series shows the dramatic push and pull between convention and innovation while highlighting some amazing waveriders like Mahina Maeda, Yuma Takanuki, Kanoa Igarashi, Sara Kohrogi.

Golden Fruit

Stephanie Gilmore, the queen of style, is back with a four minutes of stunning wave riding. The film comes hot off the heels of her record-breaking 8th World Title and serves as a reminder of her gr8tness. It’s got everything you’d want from Gilmore, style, speed and so much more.

Surfing ~ An All Girls Surf Film

This is one of the most fun, and feel good all girls surf movie. The Dan Scott edited film stars some of surfing’s best including Stephanie Gilmore, Nikki Van Dijk, Tyler Wright, Macy Callaghan and Dimity Stoyle.