Words by Wasted Talent / James Royce. Film and edit by Nick Green.

Dion Agius and a lesson on how to break in a new board.

There are few things more exciting than a fresh bit of fibreglass, right? 

Put it under your arm and then balance it on your toe so the nose is eye-level and you don’t dent the tail. Look at that wax-free sheen. Feel those sans pressure dent decks. Daydream of all those compliments from friends, all the future hacks, and all the ones you’re going to be sneaking into behind the peak. 

Ever notice that subsequent tingle in the back of your neck? That’s your amygdala being triggered and dopamine getting released. A chemical reaction you know as, “Anticipation.” But of course, every personal action is met with nature’s reaction. Like clockwork: three-week flat spell.

There is the rare occasion where things work out, though. Proper surf and a fresh blade to break it in with? An aristocratic pleasure, no? Yes, but also, no. It can happen to anyone. Take a Mr. Dion Agius, our subject here. Watch him as he flies around on a fresh "Untitled V2" adored in a limited ‘Haydenshapes / Wasted Talent’ art series special release during a New Zealand secret strike trip that happened in-between lockdowns. 

“It’s been a weird time for me in Taz,” he says. “I’ve been going a little stir crazy. The winters are cold here and there are no waves. I’ve been here all winter. 

“So in-between lockdowns, we snuck over to a secret spot in NZ that rarely breaks. Well, an island off New Zealand. We’ll call it Pingu Island, on the lee side. There’s no one around and Nick (Green) and I rented a 4x4 that we then dismantled and put on various canoes negotiating a treacherous night crossing with the stars as our navigation. We then re-assembled it and drove it overnight through a swamp to get to this mythical wave, cold and notoriously snaky. But it was fully worth it. 

"With Covid restrictions, I was only allowed to take one board, so I of course chose my Untitled in WT signature artwork in a 5’6”. That wave is built for a shorter fun board, tight little tubes and turns and airs, in and out under the radar. It’s kind of the ideal wave for shorter boards and that thing flies. I surfed until my little lizard wings couldn’t shuffle anymore. It was then time to head home and repeat the journey in reverse, but that my friends is a story for another time.”

Judging from the video an Untitled is ideal for these uncommon but extraordinary circumstances. The slightly fuller design gets you up to top-speed in any conditions. The FutureFlex materials aids performance vitality. The black on black paint-job is there because it looks good. No, it looks the business. Write that down.      

For a limited time, add exclusive Haydenshapes / Wasted Talent artwork to any board on HSSTUDiO for free, here. You'll also receive a complimentary issue of Wasted Talent magazine.

Or, pick up the Haydenshapes / Wasted Talent Untitled V2 via Wasted Talent Boutique, here.