The Skeleton Bay Shootout presented by Monster Energy took place over three days in late June in non-stop three-to-six foot barrels in Namibia. The speciality event looks to recognise the standout surfers of the swell at the best wave in the world and the rules are simple – show up and pull in.
“The Skeleton Bay Shootout is a peer-judged event and it’s pretty underground. No-ones really knows when it will happen, it’ll just pop-up depending on the swell and whoever is there is there,” says Eli Beukes, who put in a solid showing on his first trip to the iconic left-hander on the edge of the Namib Desert. “It’s pretty cool because it’s mostly going by word of mouth and whoever has been the surfer of the swell or gets the best barrel will get a bit of a cash prize at the end.”
This was essentially a dry-run for the concept. Now Now Media is planning a series of Shootouts based on the same idea at some of the most incredible waves around the world in 2024 and looking to bump up the prize money significantly. The prizes are a nice way to recognise who was charging but it’s not about the money. There’s always so much stoke when waves like this are firing and anybody who gets a good wave out there is a winner the end of the day. The Shootout is essentially a celebration of that.
Here we are, back in Nanibia, Skeleton Bay.
I'm so happy to be back.
The sun is back together and the swell just hit.
It's a couple of waves, it's a little bit foggy, a bit cold too, but it's going to be
a good day.
What's this?
Assets?
That's for the winner.
Yeah.
We get the best wave of the four days.
Skeleton Bay shootout is a peer judged event and it's pretty underground and no one really
knows when it's going to happen.
It pretty much will just pop up judging by the swell and it's pretty cool because it's
almost going by word of mouth.
Whoever has been the surfer of the swell or has had the best barrel will get a bit of
a cash prize at the end.
Hopefully a few more sets start coming through.
Yeah, I got a really crazy wave first time here so I was a little bit scared at the beginning
but I was really happy to get that one and make it.
I hope I push women's surfing and more women will come here to surf and get barreled.
It was one of those ones, you know, the old school donkey where you can see there's no
entry entered but I thought I'd just give it a go anyway but I kind of knew that if
there was no waves I was going to get, you know, it's sucking so hard up the face and
you're paddling and you can't get the speed down the face of the wave so I kind of just
went for the free fall.
Without a doubt this trip I've seen more quality waves ridden by more surfers over
a period of three days than I've ever seen before where everybody was just getting good waves.
Once you get your one little wave then you kind of can relax and have a good time and
settle in.
But it's, you need some amazing surfers out there.
Yeah, it was the best wave in the world.
No, it's amazing.
Waves of fire.
I had the quad in but Simon told me to put the thruster in and yeah it seems to be working
even better so I'm stoked.
It was so long, I was so deep and it just, the whole way.
I think I got it from halfway, probably like a 45 second barrel.
Oh my god!
That one section I think we all kind of almost thought that you were going to make it out.
Really?
Don't doubt me bro.
I was in the barrel like, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.
It crumbled a little bit so I had to bottom turn around it.
I'm not very good at that, the weaving into it.
But yeah, thankfully he just managed to do it.
Who was that?
That's Brendan.
Oh my god.
Brendan!
Beachy!
Hi Beach!
He's coming!
When you came out you just couldn't help but put both hands in your hair.
Yeah, I know, yeah.
I guess it's a claim, no claim, no claim.
Yeah, so far, to be honest, like yesterday and today, Jordi's had the longest.
Jordi had a...
Yours today was good.
Max.
I'm stoked you got that.
Nick got a good one.
I think it's incredible to have a contest here, like, a different format.
Like, you got all the ways you can and the best one who got the best barrel wins.
I think that's beautiful.
Nadia.
Nadia!
Cheese!
