Doc: Hey Sacha, where are you and what are from in South Africa and where
are your local waters these days?
SS: I grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, spending most of my time in the
icy waters of a heavily localized wedging beachie on the South Cape
Peninsula, called Llandudno. In recent years I have been traveling a
fair bit, thus not spending as much time at home. Hawaii, Oz, Europe
and the odd trip to Indo have become my staples for waves when I am
out of SA.
Doc: What mix of DK and prone do you ride and in DK are you goofy or natural foot?
SS: I seem to go through phases with DK and prone. But overall I switch
between the two at about a 50%/50% each way. Sometimes I will not get
up on the knee for 2-3 weeks and then I will have a hand full of
sessions where prone does not even seem like an option. Watching me
ride goofy on the knee makes little sense to some people, since I am
natural on a stand-up and skateboard. Dunno how that happened.
Doc: What boards are you running in your current quiver and what are your
current faves?
SS: Nomad are my board sponsor. On my recent trip to Queensland, I managed to get my new favorite board, shaped by Glen Edwards. Unfortunately time ran out on my trip up there, so I am currently traveling with
only one board, but I should have another of the same in my board bag
soon. Its a really different shape to what most of the guys are riding
at the moment, with a curvy wide point and a pulled in bat tail. It
seems to go well on the knee, but I will be bringing out both a
crescent and bat tail version as the next generation of my signature
model in SA.
Doc: What dimensions and core compositions are you finding hot for your
riding at the moment?
S.S: I am riding a shaved down PP core with a carbon fiber stringer and
shaved down deck contours from the elbows to the nose.
All I can say at the moment is that its a 40.5/18/..... Pretty wide
and curvy, making it super responsive in anything from 1-6 feet.
Anything slabby and bigger than that I will be reaching for a really
beat up PP or Dow version with a crescent tail.
Doc: And how about accessories – leash, fins and wetsuits?
SS: I am using a Nomad wrist leash. Big fan of the wrist leash. Recently I
have been experimenting, trying out different fins, but have been
using Vipers since the beginning. At the end of last year I signed up
with a new wetsuit brand in SA called DEREVKO. they are dedicated to
bodyboarding and I should have signature Bodyboarding wetsuit on the
shelves soon.
Doc: D.O.B height and weight?
SS: 25/08/83
168cm
62kg
Doc: Fave breaks – local and overseas?
SS: SA: Landudno, Koel Bay, Plett Wedge and a couple spots on the South
Peninsula and up the West Coast.
International: Hawaii Shoreys, Pipe, the Box and plenty more
Doc: What would be the biggest wave you’ve taken on?
SS: Dunno. I picked off a couple big ones at 2nd reef Pipe last season.
Maybe 10 feet. Hard to say.
Doc: And what’s the toughest wave you’ve hit up?
SS: Pipe is probably the trickiest/hardest wave to surf that I have had
the opportunity to ride.
Doc: Can you give a description of Cave Rock as a break? Any stories you
can tell from the place? (your own or even second hand yarns are all
good - crazy place)
SS: Cave Rock is the equivalent of Backdoor. It shallow with uneven reef
and raw swell pushing in from deep water. It handles massive swell. I
recently saw some footage of Alistair Taylor getting some 10-15 foot
drainers. Living 18 hours drive from Cave Rock, have only surfed it a
hand full of times, so minimal firsthand stories of my own, but plenty
crazy stuff happens there on a regular basis. I know that Ben Gohl
broke his collar bone out there back when he was still living in SA. A
few other guys have had their cars ripped off whist in the surf,
donating skin and bone to the reef. T.I.A. = This Is Africa
Doc: Do you have a crew you hang with in the water?
SS: We got a solid crew of spongers that regulate the lineups in SA. Guys
like Jarred Houston, Josh Kleve, Aadam Grant and Wesley Potts are
solid keepers of the spots around the Cape Town area. As you move up
the East Coast, you will more than likely run into Samuel 'Sampi'
Kamffer, brothers: Mark and Ryan Jucker and fellow DK guru Warren
Canepa dominating the lineups. Durban has a historically tough and
very competitively driven crew of guys headed by Jonathan 'Oros'
Oliff, Stuart Bradford, Michael 'Ratt' Ostler, Wes Fisher and Mark
McCarthy who lives another hour and a half north of Durban in a port
called Richard Bay.
Doc: What’s the maddest roadtrip you’ve been on?
SS: In 2006 I did a 3 week roadtrip with Jared Houston and Ian Kruger
(current publisher of SA bodyboarding mag 'Sixty40') from Cape Town to
Richards Bay and back without a single day of average waves. It was
banging all the way!
Doc: Best boat trip?
SS: 2001 Supersuck, Scar Reef and Desert Point with the Llandudno Crew. 11of us on a boat with epic waves for a week.
Doc: Who are some of your fave photogs?
SS: Scott Aichner, Conan Whitehouse and Caleb Bjergfelt.
Doc: Board history – any chance you can remember and name the boards you
have had under you over time? Fave ride ever of all of them?
SS:
Custom-X :
X-ray
Doug
Quest
Booth
System
Izm
Matrix
Winchester
Spex
Toobs:
icon
Morey:
Pro Comp
Comp
Manta:
Sabre
Concept
BZ:
Hubb
Nomad:
Chris James
LTD
Thurston
Spex
Doc: Scariest moment on the boog?
SS: Paddling over to seal Island walking across the island and paddling
out to 'The Slab' at Dungeons. Lots of big guys in grey suits out
there looking of an easy meal, nevermind the 10 foot plus monsters
unloading onto the ledge. Otherwise getting caught inside at pipe with
a whole bunch of surfers in front of me deciding it would be a good
idea to bail their extremely long and pointy boards as 2nd `Reef
washes through.
Doc: What do you love most about the BB culture?
SS: The fact that there is no set direction or definitive culture. Its all
about good times.
Doc: What do you reckon BB needs most at the moment?
SS: BB needs a clothing brand that will appeal to and is marketed to the
general public who are searching to follow a trend. It needs to go
mainstream to capitalize on the people who are spending their money on
surf wear and know no better. Its probably the most hardcore and
extreme extreme sport ever, so the underground side of the sport will
always remain. It could definitely use a company who is setting trends
on a global level that will be able to see returns if it invests in
BB. BB will always be BB.
Doc: Who would you like to give a shout-out to?
SS: Mom and Dad.
Doc: And finally who are your sponsors?
SS: Nomad South Africa, DEREVKO Wetsuits and Sport 'n Surf, Surf Store.
1. Rider: Sacha Specker Photographer: Mike DC
2. Rider: Sacha specker Photgrapher: Sean Tickner
3. Rider: Sacha specker: Photgrapher: Mike DC
4. Rider (well if he was on da board – haha) hard wipeout: Sacha Specker Photographer: Colin Van Dongen
5. Rider Sacha Specker Photo: courtesy 662 mob
6. Rider: Sacha Specker Photo: Courtesy 662 mob
