Dougy Joins Team Inverted

It’s not easy to stand out amongst the crowd when your hometown is the breeding ground of some of the best bodyboarding talent in the world, but Port Mac hellman Doug Smith has taken all the right steps. With a new signature board model under his belt and some impressive comp results, both nationally and internationally, the man is set for a bright future. His recent signing with Inverted can only help the situation. We caught up with Dougy earlier in the week.

Straight up. Are you the keenest man in bodyboarding?
Haha I don't think I'm the keenest – there is definitely keener people than me – but I'm probably up there.

How did this new sponsorship come about?

I met Ben Wells for the first time at the Box Beach Pro. He mentioned something about the Inverted team, and I implied that I currently didn’t have a shop sponsor. From there we were swapping signatures and slapping Inverted Stickers on my board ha-ha.

What does this new sponsorship mean for Doug Smith?

This new sponsorship will definitely help my profile as a rider, and hopefully get my name out in the bodyboarding world as much as possible.

Whenever I see you out in the water, it’s like you’ve had five cans of energy drink. What is the source of your stoke, and are there any narcotics involved?
My source of stoke just comes from being happy that I'm not part of the rat race, peak hour traffic that most people are these days and I can enjoy the littlest things in life, such as just going for a surf or catching up with mates. I do have supplements involved but not narcotics, and it’s Bio-Engineered, but it definitely plays a role in my level of stoke too.

You used to be a man of hard liquor and wild nightlife. How have you changed your ways, and what spurred on the change?
It’s crazy to think I used to be a man like that, but I think the main influence to my ways has been my girlfriend, Larissa. I have also noticed that saving money and quiet nights lead to a lot better things in the long run, like trips, feeling a lot healthier and no beer belly haha. But don't get me wrong; I don't mind a brew or two.

You grew up in Australia’s bodyboarding capital Port Macquarie, alongside the likes of Damien King. How has he influenced you as a bodyboarder, and as a human being?
Growing up alongside Kingy made the dream of being a professional a reality. Seeing that someone from this small town can become a professional, I wanted it even more. As a human being he taught me that life is funny and not serious 100% of the time. He turned bad situations to good and some good to bad too haha.

Just like Kingy, you have two dogs that you love unconditionally. How did that come about and how much does it cost per week to feed these critters?
At first my girlfriend was like "lets get a dog" and I wasn’t too keen on the idea because that means when I want to go away someone has to feed it, and it’s a massive responsibility. But when I went to the breeder's it was love at first sight. Then after time our dog "Meeko" used to get bored and chew heaps of our clothes, so it was pretty logical to get him a girlfriend, "Aura" and later on down the track we can breed them if we want. It costs about $20 bucks a week to feed both of them.

You are currently living in Shellharbour but working in Sydney at Coles. Why are you doing this and are you aware that there is a Coles in Shellharbour?
I started working at Caringbah Coles when I was still living in Wollongong, and it’s only like 30 minutes away. At first I wanted to work there for six months then transfer, but when I started there they were so lenient with my bodyboarding, and going away for competitions. Now I am living in Shellharbour, I did apply for a transfer but they said they couldn't with the new renovations coming along. I guess being with them and how they let me choose the hours I want and when I want per week and there cool with my bodyboarding, it’s pretty hard to find a job that is like that.

You are quite possibly the friendliest and most relaxed man in bodyboarding, but when it comes to comp surfing you mean business. Serious business. How do you mentally prepare for a comp? Do you have your eyes on the prize or does a more relaxed/laidback approach work best for you?
The best thing for mentally preparing myself before big competitions is to relax. I think of other positives to cancel out the nerves, for instance I was so nervous in Chile, but I was just so stoked to be in another country surfing pumping waves.  It made me forget my about my nerves and let me surf how I would if I was free surfing. In the first few rounds I have a laid back approach because it helps my nerves but as the competition gets more serious I have my eyes on the prize and completely focus on the smaller goals rather than the bigger ones.

What are your plans for the rest of 2012?
The rest of 2012 could be a big one. I have plans to head to the Brazil comp, then hopefully Venezuela and Mexico to try and qualify for the top 24 IBA World Tour next year. Depending how I go in those comps, I'll decide if I need to go to Fronton in December, but until then saving money, surfing and doing University. 



Who are you currently riding for?

I'm currently sponsored by Inverted Bodyboarding, Dunes Wetsuits, FIRE bodyboards, Bio-Engineered and Enough Threads.