J.O.B. Has a Soft Side - Surfline.com Surf News

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Few people have so deftly navigated every surfing zeitgeist of the 21st century — from surf contests and magazines and DVD’s to surf stunts and social media and YouTube — as Jamie O’Brien has. We mustn’t forget that it was almost 20 years ago when J.O.B. made his first surf movie and won his first contest at Pipeline, a wave he would dominate for years to come (and still kinda does). And today, in 2021, J.O.B. is beyond relevant. He’s a straight-up celebrity. 

But a star is only as bright as the gases that heat it up — in Jamie’s case, it’s his rabid fan base. And this year, he aims to return the favor.

After collaborating with Red Bull and Catch Surf, Jamie will headline a new contest series, the Red Bull Foam Wreckers, at beaches all around the U.S.A. The first-ever soft-top contest tour, Foam Wreckers is “a participatory surfing event series where only softies are allowed.” That means, no fiberglass on the boards, and no hard-cases in the crowd. After all, this is being billed as “the world’s most fun surf competition.”

Here’s the deal: 13 clean, safe and socially distanced outdoor events held from May through October 2021 in five different bodies of water; totally inclusive for beginners and experts, young and old alike (although you must be at least 16 to compete); quality time and talk story with Catch Surf teamriders like Kalani Robb, Ben Gravy and Blair Conklin; mad prizes; crazy fun.

“The whole soft-board movement is so fun, and the relatability of people surfing carefree is so appealing,” Jamie explains. “I feel like Red Bull Foam Wreckers is the coolest contest in the world, because anybody could win. It’s not about how good you are, it’s about how much fun you can have and how creative you can be. I want to see all the kids, all the families and all the local heroes show up, and I want to put on the best event possible for them. This is what life is all about, having fun and getting together!”

Surfline rang up J.O.B. to learn more.

Jamie O’Brien. Photo: Billy Watts

Surfline: First off, how’s the knee? Hopefully you’ll be 100% for the first Foam Wreckers event.

J.O.B.: Yes, exactly. That’s the plan. The knee’s getting better. I’m already back in the water and standing up, but I’m hoping to be back full-bore soon. And Red Bull Foam Wreckers is gonna be a great event. We’ll be giving back to the community, actually going to the events and sharing the experience with people, and showing them what surfing’s all about: having fun.

Surfline: So, is this your brainchild? How’d you come up with the idea?

It was Red Bull’s idea. They came to me with it, and I was like, “Wow, this makes total sense! Partnering up with Catch Surf and Red Bull for a cool project like this — what an amazing thing to be a part of!” This is right up my alley.

Surfline: Aside from the injury, you’re still at the top of your game on your traditional [hard] equipment, evidenced by your performances at home this winter. But you’ve really embraced soft-tops, as well. What’s the allure?

I think, honestly, how many more times are you gonna pull into the barrel on your normal board before you figure it out and do the same thing? But on a soft-top, you challenge yourself a little more to have more fun and be more relaxed, so overall, it’s a win-win. I just think, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how old you are or what you’re riding. You can always have a blast in the ocean.

Jamie O’Brien. Photo: Domenic Mosqueira/Red Bull Content Pool

Media-wise, your entrepreneurial chops are second to none in the surf world. Do you just naturally evolve with the times, or is it more about making the times work for you?

I don’t know, I always looked up to Laird Hamilton. I just loved how certain guys like Laird or Kelly Slater were able to stay in the industry. Clearly, it’s all about hard work and motivation. And I think that the route that I took in surfing — just enjoying myself — I mean, it was my choice to take that route, but it kinda hindered me in the beginning. Some people weren’t behind it, but that’s what I wanted to do, so…

Apparently it’s worked out; after all, your YouTube channel has, what, 738,000 subscribers?

Well, I think surfing is interesting because there’s a lot of people out there, and you want to keep growing with your fans, the people that are following you. And what we’re doing with our YouTube channel, I mean, we’re so user-friendly. We don’t swear. We’re rated PG. All the kids and parents watch it together. Everybody trusts our show. It’s about being a positive role model for the kids. There’s just a lot of bad stuff on the Internet, and some kids rebel and watch whatever they want, but at least we’re providing something super cool and super honest that puts a good, positive message out to the world: Stay psyched and have fun. 

For the full event schedule and more information on the Red Bull Foam Wreckers, click here.

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