There's something to working with wood that makes it truly special. Maybe it's the smell, as each fibre of the tree that once stood tall; gets inhaled through your nostrils. Possibly the texture as the raw wood gets sanded back to form smooth contours. Could it be the fact that a hand shaped wooden surfboard will never be truly symmetrical, straight and perfect?

Putting all those emotions into a board makes surfing it a pretty special thing. Alaia's are special anyway, thanks to their niche following and tricky handling characteristics, but when a surfer like this grabs a rail and slides backwards into the pocket; one might be forgiven for letting out a slightly audible groan with envy. Noa Ginella sure knows how to surf a plank of wood.

No rocker. No fins. No leggy. Maybe some Wax.

That's the mantra of the Alaia, and although this one has some channel trickery going on near the tail to help with grip, this one's a beauty. The film is superb too, expertly shot, telling the story of this boards journey from the forest to the ocean. With plenty of amazing surfing to see you through.

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