Taj Burrow is frothing. "This is the best thing I've ever done in my life,” he says. “Forget calling Macaronis a skatepark. This is the skatepark!"
The two-stroke Jet Ski jerks the rope taut and yanks Taj toward the oncoming wave, his fins tearing up the ankle-deep tiles as he blazes out of the shallows. There's not much room. The Ski veers, the rope whips and Taj catapults into a racing carve, channeling his speed toward the second section, where he blasts a lofting 360 air over an otherwise gutless section. The lifeguards hoot. Somber Muslims, wearing head-to-toe swimsuits, clap their hands in modest admiration. The crowd continues to grow.
Trent Munro drives the rope back over to Parko, who has just completed installing a front footstrap onto his board and is equally hyperactive for his next crack of the whip. The Sunway Lagoon theme park looms around them everywhere, a garish carnival of all things non-surf: towering skyscrapers, mega-plex movie theaters, underground bowling alleys, roller coasters, pirate ships and massive shopping malls. Despite the pseudo-religious dcor, little is sacred here. Skis. Footstraps. Wave-pool tow-ats with photogs poised and video rolling. Surfing's holy men may shudder at the scene in this Southeast Asian metropolis, but Parko, Taj and Trent aren't feeling an ounce of guilt. All they feel is their fins skittering across the tiles toward the next liquid ramp.
By Sam MacIntosh
Photos by Bill Morris
For the complete story on Taj Burrow, Joel Parkinson and Trent Munro's madness in Malaysia (plus an interview with Taj), grab at copy of the November issue of SURFING wherever fine magazines are sold. Or save yourself the trouble and just subscribe. Why aren't you subscribed already?!?