JC: When Scotty left school, he followed in his father’s footsteps and headed to university to become a teacher. But something inside was telling him that he should follow his true passion and take a chance and try and make something out of windsurfing:
SM: “My time at university was a long, drawn-out process that came to a critical moment. I didn’t really know why I was there to become a teacher, I just came from a family of teachers and when the pro windsurfer thing wasn’t really working out for one reason or another, I felt going to college was something that I had to do in life. Then when I was 21, Neil Scheltema (My Board sponsor) put the thought in my head that I should give the tour another crack. Quitting college seemed irresponsible, but there was an overwhelming force at play. In one of my teacher practices I had this almost out-of-body experience looking down on myself at what I was doing. I tripped out and ran to the beach in tears with an inner knowing there had to be change. Thankfully my practical examiner was my ex-girlfriend’s mum and took compassion on me knowing my past and what was driving me when I lost it”
JC: Like many aspects of Scott’s life story, his initial collaboration with Starboard seemed to just flow from being in the right place at the right time. After a bust up with his previous sponsor ‘WindTech’ Scotty sent out an email to Svein Rasmussen:
SM: “I remember being without a board sponsor and thinking I was f****d. But I shot a mail out to Sveiny, who was just starting out and had just signed Steve Allen. He couldn’t afford to pay me any cash, but said he would supply me with boards. I was racing back then as well, so it was still a big outlay for someone who hadn’t sold any boards yet. That was when he first sponsored me. My first contact with Svein was a drunken wrestle with him in a car park in Geraldton in 1987. I was 17 and he was a touring pro who used to come and train in Oz’. He was also the guy I overtook on the last run to the finish at the Ledge to Lancelin race in 1992 too! The win (By 1 step on the run to the finish caravan) gave me enough cash to quit college and give the tour a crack. So you could say Sveiny and my paths have been closely linked for a while now. So we’ve been working together on boards since 1996/97. Initially, Jean Louis [Colmas] and Svein were the slalom freeride guys and I kinda looked after the waveboards. The thing that has always impressed me about Svein is his drive! It’s unmatched by anyone I’ve ever met and even puts the ‘Energiser Bunny’ to shame. Borderline manic compulsive perhaps, but it’s also his great vision. He see’s things coming before anyone else gets a sniff”