Above shot by Matt Viesis
How do you think the current state of bodyboarding is travelling? Would you say it's progressing in leaps and bounds?
The sport is definitely growing at a pretty rapid rate with the live contest feeds and riders pushing it freesurfing insane waves. The comps over the past two years have been making me so amped! Sickest waves and riders ripping!
Sitting tight at his local // Photo Gleeson
Do you think your generation has just merged with where the older pros are at? Is this a good thing?
I'm not really sure, some of my generation are surfing really good, often blowing the older veterans out of the water. Some older guys are fading from the scene with work and family commitments which is cool, in turn letting the next gen gain more support from sponsors and live in the limelight more. Jake, Jerry, Rigby, Garner and Pierre are fucking shredding. But King, Lester, Ben, Rawlins, Hardy and Winny are still stepping it up and ruling!
Did you try and pursue bodyboarding more when you were younger compared to these days?
All through high school all I wanted to be was a pro bodyboarder. I half got there soon after and tried to do it for three years. Heaps of trips and freesurfing blowing all my money in the process. I was surfing good getting heaps of shots and footage, magazine and DVD appearances. Then I decided to slow up in 2009.
Lining up an Island Keg // Photo Matt Viesis
Where are you at now in terms of a career, surfing, working and balancing it all?
From 2009 to 2011 I was like all the effort and money I'm putting in trying to be a professional bodyboarder is giving me nothing back. I did score sweet waves that I'll cherish, an empty bank account after busting my ass working, none of my sponsors ever stepped up to help me out when I put forward insane trip proposals and promotional ideas or even needed help with comp entry fees or a flight paid for. Trips and ideas people are only just getting on to now four years later. It was really getting me down. My goal was always to get these amazing sponsors to help me achieve my dreams. I saved up and bought a truck and ski setup thinking my sponsors would have realised my potential by now. See that I had the gear none of my peers had and that my ability on a bodyboard would allow me to produce next-level promotional clips and shots.
I kept getting sucked into signing shit contracts and listening to great promises which turned out to be all lies. Contracts that none of my sponsors ever fulfilled or abided by. Contracts I look at to this day knowing these guys still owe me a few thousand dollars. I couldn't deal with it anymore, politics, shit deals, lies, deceit, kooks getting the good contracts. Politics are the foulest, lamest crap ever and people need to wake up, stop playing Mr. nice guy and sucking each other off to get places. I'm done with all that shit I threw in the towel, got a welding trade, rigging tickets and a whole heap of other construction tickets and started my own welding business which I've run for the last year. I can surf when I want, make good money and get satisfaction out of the hard yards I put in, which is incredible. I'm always getting sick waves at home, most of the time with no one around, having a great time with my mates, being loud, writing off and having a good laugh.
If you could change one thing in the world what it would be?
Something to make life better for the less fortunate, there's a lot of needy people out there really struggling to survive. I'd probably fuck off depression or cancer, they're both shithouse.
Also what's your thoughts on 'The Shire', as we just got a similar show called 'The G.C' which is arguably as bad.
Haha I'm mates with the three surfer guys on it and I still think the show completely sucks. I don't watch it.
What's in the future for yourself?
Plenty of insane waves, plenty of rock n' roll and plenty of good times with everyone I love.
If you could change one thing in the world what it would be?
Something to make life better for the less fortunate, there's a lot of needy people out there really struggling to survive. I'd probably fuck off depression or cancer, they're both shithouse.
Also what's your thoughts on 'The Shire', as we just got a similar show called 'The G.C' which is arguably as bad.
Haha I'm mates with the three surfer guys on it and I still think the show completely sucks. I don't watch it.
What's in the future for yourself?
Plenty of insane waves, plenty of rock n' roll and plenty of good times with everyone I love.
