With Finals Day firing at Jeffreys Bay, The Lineup returns to break down all the action from the Corona Cero Open J-Bay. Host Dave Prodan is joined by WSL commentator and part-time co-host Mitch Salazar to unpack Connor O’Leary’s maiden CT victory and Gabriela Bryan’s continued ascent to World No. 1 – both coached by Richard “Dog” Marsh, making it a banner day for the Dog Pound. The crew digs into Winners & Losers from South Africa, highlighting a rare all-goofy-foot men’s final, the underwh...
Jul 22, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 241
Re-air of Ep 159, the first “Watersheds” format episode highlighting Jordy Smith’s first CT win on home soil at J-Bay in 2010. This week, we’re premiering a new format of The Lineup where we zero in on an important moment from surfing’s rich and extensive history. Using sound bites from deep within the WSL archives and insight from this week’s special guest Pat O’Connell, we’re diving into Jordy Smith’s huge win at J-Bay in 2010. Travel back in time to the very different surf world (and world, p...
Jul 15, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 159
Former Obama speechwriter and bestselling author David Litt joins Dave Prodan on The Lineup to talk about his newest and most personal project yet, It’s Only Drowning: A True Story of Learning to Surf and a Search for Common Ground . Litt opens up about how a pandemic-era battle with depression led him into the ocean, and how a mismatched surf adventure with his brother-in-law Matt became an unlikely bridge across political, personal, and cultural divides. From his first freezing New Jersey padd...
Jul 08, 2025•50 min•Ep. 240
Reporting live from Brazil, part-time cohost and WSL commentator Mitchell Salazar rejoins Dave on The Lineup to break down all the action, drama, and implications from the 2025 VIVO Rio Pro presented by Corona Cero. California’s Cole Houshmand and Australia’s Molly Picklum claimed breakthrough victories at Stop No. 9 of the 2025 Championship Tour, but the event was anything but predictable. Dave and Mitch dive deep into the biggest Winners and Losers from Saquarema–from Griffin Colapinto’s title...
Jul 01, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 239
In a special two-parter episode of The Lineup, Dave Prodan sits down with fearless big wave charger and YETI ambassador Tom Lowe for two powerful conversations – one from before his nearly fatal incident in Tahiti in June 2025 and one after. In the first part of the episode, Tom rejoins us from Tahiti, still in recovery, right from the very place where he describes everything went very quickly from a dream to a nightmare. He walks us through the day it happened, at least all the moments he remem...
Jun 24, 2025•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 238
Dave and part-time co-host Mitchell Salazar return to break down all the highs, lows, and critical storylines from stop No. 8 on the Championship Tour—the 2025 Lexus Trestles Pro Presented by Outerknown. With iconic Lower Trestles serving up a playground of high-performance conditions, Brazil’s Yago Dora and Hawaii’s Bettylou Sakura Johnson both earned their second CT victories of the year, launching themselves firmly into the WSL Final 5 conversation. Dave and Mitch dive into the biggest Winner...
Jun 17, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 237
The Monday M.A.S.S. With Chris Coté and Todd Richards, June 9, 2025 On this episode of the World’s Greatest Action Sports Podcast, Chris and Todd team up with Dave Prodan of The Lineup Podcast as well as the Chief Strategy and Brand Officer at the World Surf League, a collab podcast, amazing. These three take a bunch of your questions, talk about the Lexus Lowers Pro, Kelly Slater, Jeremy Flores brain tumor, Kelly Slater quirks, Christian Fletcher X Steve Boysen legacy boards, Gui Khury skatepar...
Jun 10, 2025•1 hr 58 min•Ep. 235
Tatiana Weston-Webb returns to The Lineup to unpack her journey around the world and celebrate her latest film with the late, great Greg Browning. Recorded in New Jersey fresh off a Mentawais boat trip, Tati reflects on stepping away from full-time competition after two Olympic cycles and rediscovering her love of surfing away from the pressure of the jersey. She speaks candidly about her mindset on and off tour, knowing she is a World Title contender at her best, and the surreal joy of scoring ...
Jun 06, 2025•49 min•Ep. 235
Dave is joined once again by part-time co-host and WSL commentator Mitch Salazar to break down all the drama, triumph, and heartbreak from Stop No. 7 of the 2025 Championship Tour—the Western Australia Margaret River Pro. With Jordy Smith and Gabriela Bryan each securing their second wins of the season, both now sit atop the rankings and inch closer to their first World Titles. Dave and Mitch go deep on the event’s biggest winners and most surprising losers—from Lakey Peterson’s clutch performan...
Jun 03, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 234
In this deep and unfiltered conversation, Kanoa Igarashi joins The Lineup fresh off the Western Margaret River Pro—ranked fourth in the world and hungrier for the World Title than ever. We kick things off with Kanoa’s take on The Box, one of the heaviest slabs to return to the tour since 2019, where it’s either twos or tens, and every drop could be your ticket to glory—or a slam on the reef. He breaks down the difference between his Main Break and Box quivers, gets into the nuance of board desig...
May 27, 2025•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 233
In this episode of The Lineup, Dave Prodan is joined by cohost and commentator Mitchell Salazar to break down everything from the Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro Presented by GWM. They discuss Bettylou Sakura Johnson notching her first-ever CT win, Filipe Toledo reminding the world he’s still a title threat, and a wildcard venue proving the doubters wrong. With just one event left before the Mid-Season Cut, Dave and Mitch dive into what Burleigh told us about the rankings race, the veterans under pressure...
May 15, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 232
In this reflective and wildly entertaining episode, legendary surfer, writer, and director Sam George joins The Lineup to unpack over five decades of chasing waves, meaning, and himself. With the release of his memoir Child of Storms: A Surfing Memoir, In Progress , Sam shares the stories behind the stories—how a lifetime of surfing became a mosaic of moments that transcended simply riding waves. He opens up about everything from the formative sting of Dave Parmenter's tough love to the rare swa...
May 13, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 227
After a short break, The Lineup with Dave Prodan, along with part-time cohost and commentator-extraordinaire Mitchell Salazar, is back and firing as we dive into all things Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy and gear up for the Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro Presented by GWM at Burleigh Heads. Dave and co-host Mitch Salazar reunite to unpack the highs and lows of Event No. 5 on the 2025 WSL Championship Tour, with big shoutouts to Isabella Nichols and Jack Robinson for ringing the Bell. From mo...
Apr 29, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 230
Reporting from Surf City El Salvador, former CT surfer and current WSL commentator and Rip Curl athlete, Rosy Hodge, joins us on the podcast for another ‘ On The Road ’ edition of The Lineup. Rosy breaks down the latest shake-ups at Punta Roca, Isabella Nichols narrowingly making heat against Caroline Marks, upsetting her chances at a 3-peat win at the Surf City El Salvador Pro, as well as Rookie Bella Kenworthy defeating Erin Brooks in the Round of 16 despite her knee injury. Rosy and Dave both...
Apr 08, 2025•31 min•Ep. 229
Fresh off two weeks in Portugal calling the event, part-time Lineup co-host and WSL commentator Mitchell Salazar joins Dave to break down all the action from the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal Presented by Corona Cero. Mitch recounts facing the cold and stormy weather in Supertubos, Dave shares his concern over the lack of American men in the top rankings, and both discuss the struggle of the veteran surfers on tour. On the flip side, the duo celebrate the goofy footers having a standout event, prais...
Mar 25, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 228
The first Portuguese surfer to ever qualify for the Championship Tour, surfing legend Tiago Pires joins us on The Lineup. Calling in from his post-competitive venture, Twin Fin Agency, Tiago takes us through his transition from World Tour competitor to athlete management, social media strategy, and event organization. He opens up about the mental toll of his final year on tour, how fatherhood shifted his perspective, and what it was like growing up as a surfer in 1990s Lisbon. We dive into Super...
Mar 18, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 227
In this special collaboration episode between The Lineup and The Double-Up Podcast, Dave and Double-Up hosts Rachael Tilly and Shannon Hughes dive into the evolution of women’s surfing. From its scrappy QS days to the world-class performances we’re witnessing today, the women’s tour has undergone massive transformations, shifting locations, raising the stakes, and proving that when given the right waves, female surfers rise to the occasion. The hosts discuss how media coverage has shaped the spo...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 226
805 Beer Authentico and powerhouse surfer Lakey Peterson joins us on the pod from Brazil. We catch up with Lakey and discuss her working with Leandro Dora, who has given her fresh eyes on her surfing. Lakey also opens up about Making Waves , her new film with 805 Beer and fellow Santa Barbaran Morgan Maassen, reflecting on the thrill of competitive surfing, the heartbreaks, and the motivation she is still feeling today. Being awarded the 2025 Season wildcard, Lakey is back on tour after just bar...
Mar 04, 2025•58 min•Ep. 225
Following her win at the 2025 TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge, this week we are re-airing Ep. 35 of The Lineup with Justine Dupont. Big Wave surfer and waterwoman Justine Dupont discusses her diverse skill set in the water, how falling off the Championship Tour led to her Big Wave career, the Jaws invite that changed everything, paddle surfing versus tow surfing, and her best and worst Big Wave experiences. Follow Justine here . Play WSL CT Fantasy contest and join The Lineup Podcast Mega League...
Feb 25, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 35
Mitchell Salazar and Dave Prodan return to the pod to recap the Surf Abu Dhabi Pro. For the first time ever and for the second event of the season, the Championship Tour landed in Abu Dhabi. Mitch and Dave break down all the standout performances… and the not so standout ones as the Surf Abu Dhabi Pro delivered a wild mix of high-performance surfing. They talk through all the unexpected challenges and wave pool surprises like onshore winds, sandstorms, and water photographers that threw the comp...
Feb 18, 2025•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 224
Senior Director of Surf Experience at Surf Abu Dhabi and former Championship Tour surfer Mitch Crews joins us on the pod. With the CT descending on the region, Mitch shares his insights on who’s been standing out in practice—like Jack Robinson, Filipe Toledo, Ethan Ewing, and Samuel Pupo—and breaks down the high-stakes, pressure-cooker, exposing nature of wave pool competitions. Mitch and Dave dive into the groundbreaking technology behind Surf Abu Dhabi, home to the first public Kelly Slater Wa...
Feb 13, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 223
WSL Commentator and part-time co-host Mitchell Salazar returns to rundown the Lexus Pipe Pro Presented By YETI. We’re back, and the 2025 Lexus Pipe Pro did not disappoint! After navigating through tricky forecasts and running until the last day of the event window, the waves turned up, and so did the performances. Mitch and Dave discuss their Winners & Losers, breaking down everything from the major upsets, Kelly Slater proving age is just a number, the dominance of the Channel Islands team,...
Feb 11, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 222
Live from the North Shore, Momentum Generation icon, highly-acclaimed surf coach, and WSL commentator-extraordinaire Ross Williams joins Dave Prodan in today’s episode of The Lineup On The Road . Straight from the ground, the On The Road audio-only format aims to bring you quicker, deeper and better insight by checking in with our commentators and experts on-site at our various WSL events and airing these episodes as quickly as possible. These are the stories, the background, and the behind-the-...
Jan 28, 2025•53 min•Ep. 221
In this episode of The Lineup, we explore the life and craft of legendary surfboard shaper Eric Arakawa. From his roots in Pearl City, Hawaii, to becoming a celebrated name in surfboard design, Eric shares his journey of passion, perseverance, and innovation. He offers a candid look at life on the North Shore when the surfing world descends and casts its attention on surfing’s Mecca, discussing the unique mix of excitement and challenges the start of the surf season brings. Eric reflects on the ...
Jan 21, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 220
In our first episode back of The Lineup podcast, commentator extraordinaire and part-time Lineup co-host Mitchell Salazar returns to dive into a mix of topics to kick off 2025. We start things off with Winners and Losers of the off-season, highlighting rookie sensations, Vans Pipe Masters, Nathan Florence having ‘a moment,’ and wondering where the hell is Kelly Slater? Now in its junior year, we reintroduce the return of the Vissla CT Shaper Rankings and explore major team shakeups, bold predict...
Jan 14, 2025•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 219
In this special end-of-year episode, the tradition continues as producer Miguel Clemente takes over hosting duties to guide us through The Lineup’s 2024 MEGA Mailbag. Dave Prodan and Miguel reflect on a remarkable year in surfing, sharing (and clipping in) our personal highlight moments from the 2024 season – from John John Florence's third world title triumph to Caity Simmers' undeniable rise to greatness. From the year’s best heats, the evolution of the Challenger Series, the CT’s next generat...
Dec 17, 2024•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 218
Musician and storyteller Matt Costa joins us on the pod. Matt dives into his creative process, collaborating with filmmakers like Devyn Bisson on WSL’s ‘ As Told By’ series produced in partnership with YETI, working with Jack Johnson and Emmett Malloy on the film A Brokedown Melody , and his latest project with Adventure.com and Rivian, Explorations of Sight + Sound . Matt shares his fascinating journey, how growing up with parents in the travel industry and a passion for skateboarding shaped hi...
Nov 26, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 217
Legendary surfer, filmmaker, and environmental advocate Chris Malloy joins us on The Lineup. Known for his no-nonsense attitude and deep connection to the land, Chris dives into what it truly means to live authentically and reconnect with nature. He shares his views on modern conservation efforts, the surf film industry, and what it was like to watch legends like Tom Curren at Rincon in the early days. From hammering nails, cutting wood and driving tractors to fund his surf trips to taking a lea...
Nov 19, 2024•2 hr 12 min•Ep. 216
Dr. Chad Nelsen, CEO of the Surfrider Foundation, joins us on The Lineup to discuss his role in protecting the world’s oceans, waves, and beaches. From Surfrider’s hometown of Laguna Beach, Dr. Nelsen shares insights on the foundation’s 40th anniversary, their network of 200+ chapters, and the complex evolution of environmental activism. We dive into real-world challenges—mangrove deforestation in Puerto Rico and coastal erosion on Hawaii’s North Shore—and discuss how the Surfrider Foundation co...
Nov 05, 2024•58 min•Ep. 215
2025 Championship Tour qualifier and standout rookie Joel Vaughan joins The Lineup with Dave Prodan for an in-depth conversation. Joel dives into his exhilarating 2024 season, sharing the highs and lows of his journey to qualify for the Championship Tour in 2025. He reflects on the unforgettable moment at the Corona Saquarema Pro Presented by Banco do Brasil, when he realized the magnitude of his own qualification scenario, while celebrating his fellow Aussie rookie George Pittar securing his ow...
Oct 29, 2024•49 min•Ep. 214
