After the initial two live events at the Waco Surf, Texas in 2018 and 2019, Stab High shifted to an episodic series in the ocean, with contests in the Mentawai Islands in 2020, Central America in 2021, and Lakey Peak in 2022. In 2024, the event happily returned to a live format at Japan’s Shizunami wave pool. 

The Stab High Japan blow-by-blow was delivered by beer-hoisting commentators who regularly erupted in laughs, applause and insights. The whole event was a party that served as the perfect antidote to the WSL CT machine. And it all happened in a wave pool.

Divisions included The Lady Birds which was won by Kiara Goold of Tahiti while 15-year-old, Lucas Cassity of Mexico won the Bottlerockets division with each receiving $5,000. At the end of the day Eithan Osborne’s backside stalefish air-reverse earned him $15,000.

“That’s only the second one I’ve ever landed,” said Eithan. “I’m so stoked!”

See the highlight reel below. Main image by Nate Lawrence/Stab High