Dave Rastovich carves in Blue Horizon – on tour at the Gala Cinema in Warrawong. Photo: Jason Childs.
Impossibly perfect waves, iconic surfers, and the eternal question – is the soul of the sport found in free-surfing nomads, or driven competitors?
Jack McCoy’s Blue Horizon tried to answer that question 20 years ago.
The documentary follows free surfer Dave ‘Rasta’ Rastovich and all-time great competitor Andy Irons on his quest to beat Kelly Slater for a world title.
You can decide for yourself whether Jack found a definitive answer along the way at Warrawong’s Gala Cinema this weekend.
The recent lifetime achievement award winner is taking his film on tour to celebrate its 20th anniversary, remastered with new 5.1 surround sound.
“It’s a unique story from start to finish and I could not have written a better script if I tried,” Jack said.
“The race for the title between Andy and Kelly was the greatest in the history of pro surfing.
“It went down to the last contest, the last heat and the last wave as to who would be the world champ.
“The other colour on the checkerboard is that I’ve always been a big believer that surfing is not a sport, it’s an art, so nothing can be more truthful or faithful to that than someone who doesn’t focus on competition.
“You have Dave Rastovich in Tahiti surfing waves that make Andy’s eyes pop out of his head. There’s this mutual respect across two very different surfing lifestyles.”
Jack said the tour was an opportunity to introduce groms to a piece of surfing history – filmed in 2003, there’s a whole generation of surfers who weren’t there for the iconic showdown between Andy and Kelly.
There’s a reason closer to his heart for taking it on tour, however.
Despite being a legend in the world of surf documentaries, Jack’s ambition has stayed the same from childhood – to share the wonder and joy of surfing, the stoke.
He believes there’s something about watching a film on the big screen with a room full of people that can’t be replicated on a phone or laptop.
“I grew up watching surf movies and when something exciting happened the whole audience went nuts,” he said.
“It’s different to see it on the big screen, to bring the tribe together to sit and focus and connect.
“Back in the day it was a real social occasion, and I’d like to think I’m bringing a bit of that back.
“The greatest gift you can have is to share surfing with other people.”
Jack has certainly given abundantly to his community.
In recognition of his work over five decades, on 5 May he was awarded a 2025 Australian Surf Industry Association lifetime achievement award, as a Service to the Industry recipient.
The award recognises people who have made a significant and substantial contribution to the surf industry.
Jack, who grew up in Hawaii, said he was honoured by the recognition.
“If you spread your arms as wide as you can and that’s all of surfing history, somewhere in the middle is my teeny tiny contribution and that’s something I’m very proud of,” he said.
“I know my films are a bit different, but it’s still a small bit of a big history.
“It’s an incredible honour to be recognised for that little tiny contribution I made.”
He hopes his work and achievements can inspire more people to share “the aloha spirit”.
“When you go surfing don’t focus on yourself trying to catch all the waves,” he said.
“Sit there and share the waves, talk to people, help someone who can’t catch a wave or push them onto a wave, a kid, a girl, a beginner, a kook, that’s the aloha spirit.
“I got that from the Duke [historic surf figure Duke Kahanamoku] when I was a kid and that’s the greatest gift you can have is to share a wave, give a wave.
“Surfing is about having fun for everybody, not just you.”
To buy tickets to see Blue Horizon at Warrawong Gala Cinema at 7 pm on Saturday 17 May, follow this link.
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