Where are you based now?
Now that I’ve finished with University I’ve moved back to Geraldton after 4 years in Perth. I have the best lifestyle here and the beach is so accessible. I can surf, windsurf or fish every day so for the moment Geraldton is perfect, especially while I am focusing on my windsurfing again.
What are your ambitions in windsurfing?
One day I’d like to be recognised as the best wave rider in the world, at least on port tack. Growing up I always wanted to be the Wave World Champion and that’s why I’m doing the tour now, to see if I can achieve that. I don’t think you need to be World Champion anymore to be recognised as the best wave rider in the world though and I guess Levi (primarily, but a couple of others are) is responsible for making me think like that.
How much was Scotty McKercher an influence on originally persuading you to do the world tour?
Scotty never persuaded me to do the World Tour, it was always something I wanted to do but when I was younger he just made it more appealing to travel. I enjoy travelling so much more when I have some of my mates with me. Scotty is really relaxed and we both like our space and getting away from the circus at the beach so we get along quite well. The first couple of years I travelled with him I was so quiet and shy I didn’t really talk to him at all. Once I get to know people though and start getting comfortable I’m the opposite and don’t mind trying to annoy them or giving them a hard time. Scotty has a good sense of humour too so most trips have a couple of belly laughs. I once let him talk me in to sculling a whole glass full of sweet and sour sauce for 5 Euros. He thought it was funny but it took me a good couple of years to even bear the smell of sweet and sour sauce again.
Hanging out with Scotty so much when I was younger though, and even now has definitely motivated me to progress my windsurfing further, especially my waveriding. He’s almost old enough to be my Great Grandad but he still hits bigger lips than just about anyone. Being around someone like that, when you’re looking at a big lip you just have to hit it or you walk up the beach with your head down and hope he didn’t see it. He still probably pushes my wave riding more than almost anyone else and to be able to travel and sail regularly with someone that pushes you so much is pretty cool.