Story by Tim Baker I have managed to resist the alaia movement thus far. The fact that I can barely remain upright on a standard, finned surfboard might be part of it. I was convinced the alaia and other whacky finless designs were for those wildly talented individuals who find surfing so mindlessly easy they are forced to ride impractical equipment to keep it interesting.I also harboured an uneasy sense that I was being “sold” something with the alaia, that this was another contrived, retro, watermanly marketing exercise to convince cashed up, white, upper middle class wave riders to part with some more hard-earnt to connect with their Polynesian roots. And so I can say it loud, I am an alaia virgin and proud. All these pre-conceived notions were put to the sword, however, on making the acquaintance of the founder of the modern alaia movement, Mr Tom Wegener, formerly of California, USA, more lately of Noosa Heads, Qld. For one, Tom actively encourages surfers to make their own alaia...
