The LAGO Podcast

BIG NEWS! The LAGO Podcast has officially partnered with the legends at Motorino!These guys have supported the pod from the early days, and we're absolutely stoked to be taking things to the next level and working more closely together moving forward.On this week's episode, we break down who's heading to Taiwan, who desperately needs a result and why this event is no ordinary QS. We then turn our attention to STAB High China, discussing who we think will take it out and what it'll take to come away with the win.To wrap things up, we run through the Fantasy results from the Philippines Pro and take a look at who's sitting in the hot seat to claim the Major League prize – 9 nights at Macaronis Surf Resort!As always, thanks for tuning in and supporting the pod. We appreciate every single one of you!One more thing... Leave a comment below with what you think Zac should say on the WSL Broadcast. 😂

We watched the Finals of the Philippines Pro while recording this one, and we give you our LIVE reactions to what unfolded in the final — no cuts, no edits, just raw reactions as it all went down.Was this the best event to watch all year? We own what we got wrong, and give ourselves a bit of a pat on the back for the calls we actually nailed. We break down how Gabriel Medina took the win, why Caity Simmers is officially the queen of Cloud 9, and what made this event such a spectacle.Plus, a shoutout to our mates at Surnui. Get yourself a pair of undies that are friendly on your old fella… and the environment. Your bits will thank you.Check them out here: https://surnui.com/#LAGO #WSL #PhilippinesPro #Cloud9 #Surfing

This week on The LAGO Podcast, we’re breaking down the Philippines Pro and giving our picks for who we think will take the win. We also bring in our very own LAGO Intern, Scrap (Harry O’Brien), to share some firsthand experience surfing Cloud 9.On paper, Cloud 9 looks like the perfect wave, but having surfed it ourselves, we know there are some hidden challenges that make it a lot harder than it looks. We share a few stories from our QS campaigns out there and discuss why the wildcards could cause some serious havoc for the regular tour surfers.We also give a mate a call to chat all things STAB HIGH before finishing up, as always, by answering your questions.👇 Drop a comment below: Who do you think will win the Philippines Pro?

DOES THE WSL HAVE A JUDGING ISSUE? | RIP CURL PRO PORTUGAL RECAP 󰐨Have the judges got it wrong, or are we surf fans just a little too passionate? 👀This week on The LAGO Podcast, we kicked things off by diving into some of the WSL scores that had everyone talking. We unpack the controversial calls, debate whether there's a judging issue, and get into the rivalries between nations that make professional surfing so entertaining. Sometimes we might get a little too carried away… but that's half the fun, right?Then we break down everything that went down at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal in Peniche - the standout performances, the big talking points, and everything else that caught our attention.As always, we get brutally honest about what we got right, what we got wrong, and what we learned from the latest event.And to finish, we dive into the LAGO Fantasy League to see who came out on top and who's got some serious work to do before the next event. 🏆Drop your thoughts in the comments…do the WSL have a judging issue, or are we all just a bit biased?A big shoutout Surnui - Made with wood sourced from responsibly managed forests, TENCEL™ Modal fibers are plant-based and known for being exceptionally lightweight and soft. Support local businesses. And your balls.Get some here - https://surnui.com/ 🎙 The LAGO Podcast — Honest Surf Talk.00:00 Beagle TV Update — Blow Ups in Indo09:00 Does the WSL Have a Judging Problem?29:30 Breaking Down the Rip Curl Pro Portugal35:00 Why Griffin Colapinto Dominates Portugal40:00 Women’s Event Recap & Standout Performances47:45 Fantasy Surfing — Who Won?52:00 LAGO Fantasy League Winner & Prizes59:00 Listener Questions

This week, we sat down with Oscar Berry to unpack the highs, lows and realities of surfing on the world tour. Oscar opens up about managing expectations, dealing with tough losses and navigating life on the road when things don’t always go your way.We get into how he stays positive when everything feels stacked against him, the mental challenges that come with competing at the highest level, and the lessons he’s taken away from his first year on tour.To wrap things up, Oscar shares what he’s learned, what he’d do differently, and what it’s going to take to earn his way back onto tour next year.It was truly special to sit down and chat with such a humble and honest bloke. We hope you enjoy this yarn as much as we did!

Who’s Winning in Portugal? | Peniche PreviewWe’re breaking down everything that went down at the recent Challenger Series event in Ericeira, Portugal.  A few underground lads rose to the top, but once again, the CT surfers showed why they’re on tour, causing absolute havoc for the new recruits coming through.We chat about who’s already punched their ticket to the 2027 CT, who’s looking good to make the jump, and who might be starting to sweat as the qualifying race heats up.From there, we turn our attention to the upcoming Rip Curl MEO Pro in Peniche. We dive into the forecast, make our predictions and put our reputations on the line with who we think is going to get the job done.We compare fantasy teams, debate who’s beating who, and finish things off by answering your listener questions.As always, thanks heaps for tuning in and supporting what we’re building with LAGO. We appreciate every listen, comment, share and bit of support from the LAGO community. It doesn’t go unnoticed.

Is the Surf Industry Actually Dying?In this episode, we sit down with industry experts Sam Griffiths and Lincoln Eather to take a deep dive into what’s really happening behind the scenes of the surf industry.From the current state of legacy brands, the impact of private equity and licensing, and whether brands like Quiksilver, Billabong and Rip Curl are still relevant, to the changing relationship between surfers, brands and consumers. We get into the stuff that usually stays behind closed doors.We talk about what it actually means to be a “Core Surfer”, whether social media has helped or hurt surfing, the rise of surf influencers, the importance of product vs marketing, the returnof Y2K and heritage collections, and why Rip Curl’s Archive Collection has been such a success.We also unpack how ABG and Boardriders operate, why Brazil is such a difficult market for surf brands, where the money has gone for professional surfers, and whether the industry needs to grow at all.This is a rare and honest look at where surfing and the surf industry sits right now and what’s working, what’s changing, and where it could go next.As always - Thank you for tuning in! Drop a comment below about your thoughts on the industry?

On this Ep, we kick things off with something we definitely didn’t see coming… Ethan Ewingriding asymmetrical boards shaped by Ryan Burch. What is going on there?! Is this thecombo we didn't know we needed? We also spill the beans that we too have some asym’s coming and whether we will convert…Then we dive headfirst into all things Challenger Series Brazil. Who stepped up when it mattered, who surprised us, and which surfers shockingly fell short? With CT-level talent filling the draw, the battle for those all-important Challenger points is heating up - and if you didn’t know who Ryan Kainalo was before this event, you definitely do now.We break down the standout performances, the biggest disappointments and everything else that caught our attention from Brazil.We give you a little teaser for a massive episode dropping Wednesday, where we ask the big question: IS THE SURF INDUSTRY DEAD? Ft Sam Griffiths & Lincon Eather. You won’t want to miss this one.Honest surf talk, as always.🎙 Subscribe to LAGO for weekly surf talk, industry debates and everything happening in the world of surfing.#surfing #surf #wsl

In this EP, we allow our intern Harry O’Brien, who you might recognise from our Central America vlogs, to the studio for a deep dive into everything happening in the world of competitive surfing.With the Challenger Series kicking off in Brazil, we break down who we think has what it takes to win, we question the Aussie-on-Aussie friendly fire in the heat draw, and the big question: should CT surfers be competing in Challenger Series events and taking crucial points away from the guys and girls fighting to qualify?We then dissect the controversial Natural Selection event. Was it a groundbreaking success or did they completely miss the mark? We get into the format, the location, the hype and whether the event actually delivered.And finally, we talk about Quikfest - A stacked field of surf legends and current stars going head-to-head. Who came out on top and who consumed the most beers. As always - Thank you for tuning in! Means the world <3 

🔥 LAGO LISTENER EXCLUSIVE — 25% OFF CHILDE EYEWEARWe’ve teamed up with CHILDE Eyewear to bring LAGO listeners 25% OFF storewide for a very limited time only.👉 https://childe.co/LAGONow, onto the Trestles Pro...This week on LAGO, we break down one of the biggest talking points of the event: WHO GETS THE CUT? We look at who’s safe, who’s on the chopping block, and which surfers won’t be making the next two events.We dive into Erin Brooks’ incredible three-peat, chat about how Miggy Pupo just keeps getting better with age, and unpack some of the biggest performances and storylines to come out of Trestles.Then it’s time for the LAGO Fantasy League. We check the scores, see who came out on top, and find out who’s making moves as the season heads towards the business end.To finish things off, we chat with two of the future champions of the sport Loci Cullen and Leihani Zoric, fresh off their wins at the recent ISA World Junior Championships.Two names you’re going to be hearing a LOT more about.As always, thanks for listening and supporting LAGO. 00:00 – Thank You for 100 Eps!06:20 – The Trestles Pro & Who Gets the Cut?12:30 – Who Won’t Be at the Next Two Events?25:00 – Erin Brooks’ Three-Peat29:20 – Miggy Pupo Just Keeps Getting Better40:00 – Breaking Down the Trestles Results45:50 – LAGO Fantasy League: Who Came Out on Top?01:03:30 – Listener Questions01:10:50 – Loci Cullen & Leihani Zoric: Future World Champs01:32:00 – ISA World Junior Champs & What’s Next