Contest wins, world titles and editorial coverage are just a minor glimpse into the real lives of our day-to-day surfing gods. With arguably the best surf team out there, Dragon is giving you the chance to see what these guys are doing in-between prepping for heats and putting stickers on their boards. In this month’s installment, check what Mick Fanning, Owen Wright, Rob Machado and Balaram Stack have been doing…’In between the heats.’

ROB MACHADO- Shaping Alaias is fun.

The kid comes out of the gates on fire! Wrapping up a 2^nd place in the Australian Open in Manly. He's off to a great start to the 2012 season, rated 12^th on the World Ranking. Let's go Evan!

Owen Wright wins 'Male Surfer of the Year'! The awards went down this last week and it was the 21 year-old taking home top honors in the Australian Surfing Awards.

Good on ya' Owen!

The Maryland kid is at it again. He spent most of his winter in Hawaii and was able to compile this edit. He's got it made in the shade at the moment.

Rob Machado and frontman of Switchfoot, Jon Foreman, hanging out one sunny afternoon collaborating on shaping ideas for Alaia boards. The boys chopping wood, check it out!

½ inch away from being paralyzed after a near career ending fall at Pipeline last week. Ricky broke his L1 vertebrae in his lower back during warm-ups for the Volcom Pipeline Pro.

Ricky recalls the experience:

"I woke up at dark to warm up before the contest which was rumored to run. Usually i get up super early to beat the crowd and sneak into some bombs but this morning was packed to the rim before light even peaked out. I ended up sitting an hour and a half before i caught my first wave. They announced over the intercom that it was a lei day. So everyone stayed out and the crowd did not thin. After about 2 and a half hours i finally got a bomb. I made the drop, pulled in then all of a sudden i was on my stomach and getting sucked up and over with the lip. There was no tension on my leash so I curled up into a ball and came down like a bag of bricks on the reef on my tailbone. I heard and felt everything crack in my lower back and instantly knew i was hurt bad. I tried to kick my feet as i swam up but i couldn't tell if it was kicking or the wave thrashing me around. I got on my board and could barely breathe from the pain in my lower back and stomach. I made it to the beach and walked up the sand and collapsed. The lifeguards weren't on duty yet but thankfully a guy ran up when he saw me collapse. The same guy happened to be a guy that i saved last year when i was warming up before the contest. He ran and got help and they came and put me on the stretcher and got me in the ambulance and off to the hospital. I spent 4 days in Queens hospital before i was released. I got beyond lucky. (Unlucky but lucky) I broke my L1 vertebrae. It compressed and broke outwards. If it would of broken any other direction I would of been paralyzed. God was definitely watching over me! Now i am in a back brace for 4-6 weeks then I will be doing all the rehab and whatever it takes to get back in the water asap!

WOW, lucky man!

During the Pro Bowl this last week. Reef took a few of the NFL athletes out for a surf with Kelly Slater. Saints quarterback Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham and former NFL quarter Doug Flutie to name a few.

In a quote by Reef, "I'm just blown away. I mean, Jimmy Graham is texting me right now!"

Not a bad month for Reef..... winning the Backdoor shootout, then straight into hobnobbing with NFL pros.

"Castles, Slabs, Perfect Waves and the most amazing trip of my life." -Evan Geiselman

Contest wins, world titles and editorial coverage are just a minor glimpse into the real lives of our day to day surfing gods. With arguably the best surf team out there, Dragon is giving you the chance to see what these guys are doing in-between prepping for heats and putting stickers on their boards. In this month’s installment, check what Mick Fanning, Owen Wright, Evan Geiselman, Ace Buchan and Taylor Knox have been doing……..‘In between the heats.’




OWEN WRIGHT - Couple newies from Byrne....Frothing!











ACE BUCHAN- Australia Day. We're doing it!











EVAN GEISELMAN - Just got home from Ireland. How's that Slab?! Love this place.











MICK FANNING - Happy Australia Day!










TAYLOR KNOX - So what!? I grew my hair out.

Rad clip of Brandon Scheid doin' his thing. Check it out, the guy is gnarly.