Throughout his teens, Bronson Meydi was described as the best 11, 13 and 15-year-old surfer on the planet. When he was crowned as the 2025 World Junior Champion in the Philippines and then surfed in the CT in Abu Dhabi, his progression has shown no sign of slowing down as he turned 20. With time spooling as fast as his rotations, for this Core Stories episode, we thought we’d stop the projector, catch up, start at the end and work our way back. How did a shy grom from Lakey Peak take over the surfing world? He walks through his life, in reverse, here.
On CT Desert Surfing
I found out I was in the CT about a week after I'd won the World Juniors, so I had a bit of time to think about it. I’d been to Kelly’s pool in Abu Dhabi in late 2024, and the wave was a lot better in my opinion. I felt I was surfing a lot better. However, they changed the whole settings so that nobody knew the wave, and it was pretty hard. Then I had Italo and Joel Vaughan in my first heat. I watched them in the warm-up, and they were going crazy. So I was super nervous, but as soon as I touched the water, I was ready. It didn’t work out in terms of a good result, but it was a great experience.
Going Big At The World Juniors
I tried to have fun because it was my first ever World Junior Championship. But it was also my last one, so I knew I had to go hard no matter what. I was a little nervous in the first heat and lost, but after that, I decided to go big and as radical as possible. That's what I do pretty much every day in the surf anyway. I think I'm pretty consistent in the air, so I kept spinning and winning. It was a big moment for me. That trophy is my most prized possession right now.
Being Competitive on The Changas
I’m mellow and quiet, but I get super competitive, especially if I've been losing for a little bit. That’s why I’m fired up to do my first Challenger Series in 2025. I’ve always loved travelling, and to do that and compete for my dream is super exciting. The goal is to hopefully win one or two Challenge Series events and qualify for the CT. That’s the only goal right now. That’s what matters. I want to surf against Italo, for sure, and I want to beat him. And surfing against Ethan Ewing would be epic. Those are my favourite surfers right now.
Work Needed
I think I’ll need to work on my wave selection. I love to catch a lot of waves. I try to stand up as many times as I can each surf. In the contests, I’m pretty much the same. And I don't get too heavy into the details of everything. I train well, I eat pretty good, and my boards from JS are sick, but for me, surfing is the best training. However, I’d love to get my body a bit bigger, put on some weight. But I’m pretty skinny, that’s who I am. I’ll make it work.
The Tandjungs
There were always surfers at Lakey Peak all year round. I met so many surfers from all over the world. But it was Rizal and the Tandjung family who had the biggest impact. Marlon had seen me surf and showed a couple of photos to Rizal and said that I should be sponsored. Eventually, I went over to Bali and met Rizal, and they took me straight in. They sorted out school and the surf side and treated me as family. They kind of taught me everything I know, really. Growing up, I wasn't a big talker, and I wouldn't even look at people’s faces; Rizal showed me how to be more confident. They helped shape the person and surfer who I am today.
A 12-year-old Backflip
I think I was 12 when I did a backflip at Lakeys. That was the first one I’d ever attempted, and I made it. It kind of put me on the map, even if some of it was covered by an umbrella, so you couldn't see the full thing! Last year Dane Henry told me it was that clip that had made him want to do airs. I’d watched all of John John's movies growing up and Albee Layer’s clips too. That flip went in my first movie, which got 200,000 views on YouTube. It was all a big surprise. I try to do one substantial clip or movie each year, and it all started with that.
It Started At The Peak
My mum is from Sumbawa, and my Dad is Australian, originally from Sydney and I grew up at Lakey Peak. I was around 7 years old when I got my first proper surfboard. I think it was a beaten-up 6’6” and I surfed the inside, cobblestone break. I was surfing there on the inside one day and a friend told me, “Let's go out to the peak and check it out.” I went out and it was wild. I sat in the channel and watched everything happen. I was taking it all in and looking far back at our home on the beach. I’m not sure if I even caught a wave, but I knew this was where I was going to spend a lot of my time. I knew that’s where my life would start.
Words by Ben Mondy
🤝 TRUSTED by surfers for a lifetime.
🦘 Born in Australia.
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