Malakai Lamby

Malakai Lamby is a Sunshine Coast based e-foiler known for his wave riding, snappy turns and efficient riding. He has been riding waves since he could talk, surfing, foiling, E-foiling or boogie boarding, anything with waves goes. He lives for the next swell, session or wave.

We asked Malakai:

Why SurfShell?

SurfShell is such a good product for e-foiling, especially if you’re just cruising. Riding multiple sessions a day, regardless of the discipline, exposes your face to the sun A LOT. Sunscreen alone doesn’t always cut it. On an e-foil, it’s hat or helmet, head protection or sun protection. SurfShell changes that. Having the piece of mind knowing my head is protected if I come off whilst also protecting me from the sun is so nice. SurfShell is the best of both worlds.

What’s your favorite local break and why?

The Mooloolaba bay has to be the best spot in the world for foiling. You can expect unbreaking waves that roll for up to a km, perfect for honing turns unpowered whilst still having a few critical sections to hit. Best on a low tide this spot offers walls of unbreaking water that stretch at least 300m across all year round. Due to the mouth of the river, it has super easy access. Whether it’s 1-2 foot or cyclone swell this wave works, ALWAYS.

AND on a high tide the shore break offers prefect hollow close out barrels great for the boogie board. The bay wave is often called the ‘foil park’ and the shore break gets compared to pipeline, a jack of all trades kind of wave.

Whats your biggest achievement so far?

I have had two standout moments and one standout swell. The first moment was when I smashed the single battery e-foil distance record by 18km. It took so much planning and was such a cool experience. Surf Shell was perfect for it. Slow, low risk e-foiling and 4 hours in the sun. Another achievement that I think stands out for me is my longest wave. I caught a wave for over 1km unpowered on my e-foil. When you can spend this long unpowered you can fit in a LOT of turns.

Cyclone Alfred really pushed my boundaries as to what I would go out in. I got the biggest wave of my life in that swell, by a long shot, and took the biggest beatdown of my life as well. Gotta pay to play.

Who or what inspires your surf journey?

I’ve always been super keen on anything to do with the ocean. I think my biggest inspiration is seeing the waves. It’s hard to look at them and not want to jump in. For my e-foiling, Matty, a local legend who rips harder than anyone I know on an e-foil, is someone I have always looked up to and tried to learn from.

What advice would you give someone new to the lineup?

GET OUT THERE!
It doesn’t matter how bad the conditions are, you will always get a wave and have fun.

What does safety in the surf mean to you?

Head protection in any sport is so important, the less you hurt yourself, or hit your head, the longer you can ride for. I don’t ever want to have to stop doing what I love due to a head injury.

Goals and aspirations for the future?

My biggest goal is to become a Fliteboard team rider.
And travel around the place with my foils, surfboard and boogie board in my van, just riding, always out there, always having fun.
Also having 3 wetsuits would be nice so I don’t ever have to put a wet one on, then I’d know I’ve made it.

 

Instagram @efoil_grom

Drone Shots @geoffaquino
Shooting & production Wes Greene

We love having Malakai as an ambassador for SurfShell and are so excited to follow his amazing Fliteboard journey!

Watch Malakai smash the Single Battery Efoil Record here