A Look at Indonesia’s Incredible Run of Swell Through the Lens of Federico Vanno

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“It’s no secret that Rio Waida is Indonesia’s greatest hope for a WCT surfer. Finally. You know the difference between a WCT surfer and everyone else…with a WCT surfer, you can hear it. It’s really loud, the power and the will just emanates more from them.”

Italian by birth, Balinese in spirit, water photography specialist Federico Vanno is never in the wrong place in Indonesia. And he’s having a hell of a year. Thanks to the non-stop swells that have been hammering Bali and the Mentawai during the pandemic. With pinpoint local knowledge, technical mastery and an artist’s eye, Federico is the go-to photographer for locals and visiting surf stars alike. The following is a collection of his favorite moments of this season and his insights about them.

Editor’s Note: Photo captions as told to Matt George.