Watch: The Dizzying Swatch Nines Surf Highlight Reel

One of the many things that stood out from the 2025 Swatch Nines Surf event was how skilled and efficient the filmers, photographers and editors were. It’s a three-day event in late June in Waco, Texas. Even sitting poolside, it’s sweltering. Some lensmen got in the wave pool, but most stood on the perimeter with their cameras, drank water, swatted flies, found slivers of shade and kept the cameras rolling all day. 

But when the lights and waves were turned off, their work didn’t end. Instead, they piled into a car and drove down the road to their abode they dubbed “the roadhouse.” They opened laptops, dumped SIM cards into hard drives and edited the footage well after midnight. This went on for two nights, and then the team scrambled on the third day to upload more footage before the final dinner and awards ceremony on June 25. By the time the lights dimmed and drinks were opened, the edit was 90% finished. Like I said, they’re efficient.