Bede Durbidge
‘I’ll Take That!’ – Bede Durbidge recaps the year with us
Wins in Brazil : photo ASP Kirstin/Covered Images
Bede’s Blog
‘I’ll Take That!’ Bede Durbidge wraps up his year for us
: – - If somebody had said to me on January 1 this year that I would finish the year having jumped from No. 5 to No. 2 plus pick up a CT contest win along the way, I’d have gone: ‘I’ll take that’. That’s how 2008 has ended for me and I’m stoked with how the year has gone.
Would I have wanted to have finished No. 1? Of course! But Kelly just had such an amazing year and was nearly unbeatable. That might have demoralised others on the tour but it didn’t me. Quite the opposite actually. I learnt heaps from this year, both from watching how Kelly went about remorselessly hunting down that phenomenal 9th world title, and from my own experiences.
I will take that all into next year. Kelly is an amazing athlete that pro surfing is so fortunate to have. I’ve seen articles comparing him to Roger Federer and Tiger Woods. He’s definitely in their company in terms of what he has achieved and that has helped the credibility of surfing so much. But in 2009 I won’t be out there to lie down for him. I know he wants 10 world titles.
My plan is to be in the way. I know it’s a massive task but I’m up for it. When I reflect on this last year, there are some good memories. Winning in Brazil was obviously the highlight but I actually felt I probably did my best surfing at Trestles at the Boost Mobile Pro. Trestles is just such a high performance wave when it’s on plus I had an amazing board I could do no wrong on.
Bede Durbidge, 2nd at Bells Beach : photo ASP Kirsten/Covered Images
My best heat was probably against Owen Wright at The Search in Indo. The waves were pumping and we had a really close high scoring heat that went down to my last wave before I shook him off. I think another key this year has been that I kept my training up all year and didn’t slacken off like I have done in the past. That made for more consistency in my performances.
I also changed my backhand tube-riding technique and that worked so much better on some of the barrelling lefts on tour. I made a few mistakes this year that cost me. I’m not losing any sleep over that because you learn from your errors. A good example was not ffollowing Kelly over to Rincon in the Bells final when I held the lead and priority.
That ain’t ever going to happen again! I’m also stepping my training up even more for 2009 and I will also make an additional trip to Tahiti just to put a bit of extra time in there. People ask me that now I am No. 2, do I feel like I’ve now permanently shed the underdog status thing. Not entirely, I believe. I still don’t get the media attention like the other guys but there has been a huge difference this past year.
It was good to close off the year with Hawaii having one of its best seasons in a long time. There were so many good days plus we got really good waves for the Triple Crown too. The last day of the event at Haleiwa was pretty insane. Other than the semi-final heat Parko and I were in when no waves came through at all (it was really bizarre…it just stopped for 20 minutes), the surf was awesome that final day.
One guy who caught my eye this winter was Dusty Payne. He is such a talented surfer, and he can do it all whether the waves are big or small. He has a massive future in surfing. I felt Adrian Buchan made big gains on the tour this year and is a guy that we should be watching for.
Ace had such a good second half of the season and finished 6th overall, so he is improving really fast. I’m spending the Xmas/New Year break relaxing and spending time with family and friends up at Stradbroke Island, enjoying myself before I get back into a heavy training routine. Have a great Christmas everybody. Hope you all get some waves and I will talk to you in ‘09!
Bede’s Blog: Defend the Crown
GOLD COAST, Australia (Thursday, November 13, 2008) – It was really cool to arrive home to Stradbroke Island in Australia and find my family and friends had organized a party for me after winning in Brazil.
It was a great buzz and drove home the good feeling around securing my third ASP World Tour win and moving to No. 2 in the ratings behind Kelly ahead of Hawaii.
I’m a believer in celebrating your victories, but you can never stop moving. So my mind has also been fully focused on the Pipe Masters and the Vans Triple Crown where I am defending both titles.
It’s given me a real focus for Hawaii.
Basically, Parko and/or Taj need to win at Pipe to overtake me in finishing second on the ASP World Tour for 2008. I’ll be stoked if I can hold the position as it will complete a solid season where I will have moved from No. 5 to 2 – providing real confidence for a shot at the ASP World Title in 2009.
We’re all ping equal ninths in terms of our best results counting, so it’s going to be hard for people to make up points with just one event remaining.
But it’s a bonus to also have the Triple Crown to aim for as well as Pipe.
I was stoked to take out last year’s Triple Crown.
The respect the Hawaiians alone hold for the Crown makes you proud to have won it. I guess it’s because the three events are often held in such diverse conditions at different North Shore breaks and it’s a real challenge to prove consistent across all of them.
The opening event is at Haleiwa which I reckon is an awesome wave. It gets huge (and a bit scary) there, but it’s still a real high performance wave even when it’s big.
The contest at Sunset is different. When Sunset is on, it’s a full ocean wave with its own unique feeling to it. Longer boards are required and conquering Sunset is a feat in itself.
Then you finish off with the Wimbledon of surfing, the Pipe Masters. It’s the premier event in the premier wave. To have your name on that trophy is just so awesome.
But I’m greedy….I want to see it there twice!
The Pipe Masters also has the best trophy in surfing. You get a handcrafted special board made by Gerry Lopez. I’ve had it on display in the Mt. Woodgee shop window in Coolangatta for the past 10 months and it certainly draws attention.
For obvious reasons, Hawaii is also the ultimate proving ground for your equipment.
I’m taking over 10 boards. With the five I left over there from last year, I’ll have 15 in my quiver all up. The lengths range from 6’2 to 7’6 and the reality is you could surf your shortest board and longest one on the same day – the swell can rise that quickly, often within hours.
My boards went insane there last year so having the best of last year’s batch and a few new ones as well has me amped.
It really helps that my shaper from Mt. Woodgee, Wayne McKewen, has spent so many seasons in Hawaii himself. Wayne is so onto what is needed there and knows exactly what I need to surf well in those kinds of waves.
I’ve tried a few Hawaiian shapers’ boards in the past, but Wayne’s just felt better – and that gives me plenty of confidence.
My wife Tarryn and I will be staying in a nice little studio at Sunset with a nice family we know who have two young boys who surf. We stayed there last year and I am really looking forward to getting back, seeing them and surfing some big hollow waves.
Aloha everybody.
- Bede Durbidge
Bede blogs on Brazil, jet lag & big changes on the Tour
Bede Durbidge : photo ASP Kirstin/Covered Images
Hey everybody, it’s pretty bizarre sitting here in Brazil and seeing how many seeds have passed up the current stop on the WCT. It must be a record for the number of wildcards who have gained entry into the main event – last count, I think it was about 16!
I’m not complaining. I’m sure certain guys have got good reasons for not being here but it never crossed my mind not to come. You only get so many chances to win a CT contest and you won’t see me passing any of them up. It was great to get my own campaign away with a win in my first round today. It was my third 1st round win of the year, and it’s always good to get that extra day off, under this format.
But more so for me than ever because of the jet lag I have. It’s such a long flight from Australia and it’s the total opposite time – 12 hours difference. That can wreak havoc with your body clock, but I’ll be right after one or more sleeps. This event won’t be any easier for the absence of so many seeds. There are so many good competitors among the Brazilians that we will have to be on our game. It’s looking like we’re going to get some fun waves for the event again this year. Last year, the Brazilian event delivered some really good waves.
It’s timely I should mention the event format as that is a hot topic among CT surfers and administrators right now. The ASP has just held a pretty historic board meeting where they’ve attempted to address some long-standing concerns about the current tour format. The result will be some changes to the 2009 Dream Tour.
The main change is all of the events are going to be given the chance to run with a format that can complete the comp within three days. Under the current 48-man format that’s pretty much impossible as you need four days. The problem with a lot of events is that while a 12-day waiting spell sounds good in theory, it’s actually rare to get two consistent swells into that time period.
Most of the breaks are good for three good quality days maximum. Too often that means we have one day of the event in less than average conditions which is not what we or the spectators want. It ends up putting a bit of a dampener on things, especially if that poor day of surf coincides with the finals.
So events are being given the option to run with a new 32-man format which means comps can be finished within three days, allowing the organisers to pick the eyes out of the whole waiting period. How does it work?
Round 1 will have 32 surfers instead of 48. They’ll be man-on-man heats among the guys ranked 17th to 27th on the CT plus six wildcards and the top 15 guys on the World Qualifying Series (WQS). The top 16 ranked surfers will be seeded into round 2. I like that because it’s a true reward or bonus for the guys that have competed well over the whole year. The new format has already been adopted for all of the Billabong events on the 2009 tour – the Pipe Masters, J’Bay, Teahupoo and Mundaka.
But events will retain the ability to choose the 48-man format. Quiksilver has already decided on this for the opening event on the Gold Coast. Their thinking is that Snapper at the time of the year generally does produce four good days within the 12 and that the whole event can be run in good waves. Rip Curl are yet to let us know what they plan for Bells and The Search. I’m a fan of the new 32-man format.
One of the reasons is that it does away with three-man heats which means a lot less hassling for waves. You can just concentrate on surfing good and catching the best waves without having to worry about someone paddling around you or blocking you. Sure, you lose the double life under this format but I’m not worried about that. The vibe on tour is that everyone is pretty stoked with the changes being made for next year.
Pre-Brazil, I had two insane weeks at home on North Stradbroke Island. We had the Straddie Assault teams contest there where we scored some good waves and our club won the pairs event. I also got in some hell training sessions with Elko (world masters champ Gary ‘Kong’ Elkerton) to get my fitness level back up after six weeks away from home and ahead of the Hawaiian season. In my next blog, I’ll look ahead to the awesome challenge I have of defending the Triple Crown and the Pipe Masters titles. I’m frothing for it!
Lowers Recap and European Insights
GOLD COAST, Australia (Wednesday, October 1, 2008)
Hey everybody, I’m in “hold†mode here with the rest of the crew in Spain waiting for the Billabong Pro Mundaka to get into the water.
I’m frothing at the chance for some classic six-to-eight foot Mundaka at some stage of the event, but chances are we won’t get through this event using Mundaka only.
What’s gone on here in recent years around the harbour dredging is pretty well documented and there’re lots of views about it all.
The reality is that the break is now too tidal to work all day and anything more than a three-day swell cycle is rare for here at this time of the year.
That means getting a good part of the event done elsewhere, still in pretty good waves, and then hopefully engineering the end to finish the Finals in classic Mundaka.
That’s a big challenge, as we’ve seen the past three years.
In the past, the back-up wave was Bakio, but it just wasn’t up to it, and that has caused lots of frustration at times.
This time, Billabong has moved the back-up beach to Sopelana which is further away but a much better quality wave. Round 1 was held there overnight, but hopefully the second round (where I am the first heat up) will be back at Mundaka.
I know a little bit about Sopelana as it has hosted ASP events before. My coach Kong (Gary Elkerton) won an event there and has tuned me about the break.
The ASP was going to the losers’ round in this event, but the pros were worried that would cause too much hassling in the first round. So we came to a compromise that if we ran the first round at Sopelana before the swell comes for Mundaka, then the losers’ round would retained.
Personally, I think Mundaka is a bit too fickle to run an entire ASP World Tour event there. It’s so tidal and needs a solid swell to work. It’s a contest director’s nightmare.
But when it works, it’s one of the best waves in the world.
Hence the dilemma on whether to retain it as a stop on the Dream Tour or not. Rumours are they looking elsewhere in Europe.
The past month has been pretty active for me.
My wife Tarryn and I called into New York before the Boost Mobile Pro at Lowers. We’d never been there before and I got to admit, it was pretty cool to do the full-on tourist thing and just get lost in that monstrous city.
Back in San Clemente, it was full contest mode with sponsor and trade show appearances and the event itself.
I felt really good at Trestles. I had the most amazing board and enjoyed taking on Kelly in the Semis. The waves didn’t really pulse during our heat, but they were still fun.
I always love surfing against Kelly. It brings the best out of me plus I get to surf against my hero. There’s never been a heat I haven’t learned from.
This one was so close with only 0.5 the difference in the end. I fell on my best wave on the last section, trying to doing a little air. Maybe if I’d made it the heat might have been mine…but you can’t make any mistakes against Kelly.
Surfing Trestles is always enjoyable for me. It’s like a high-performance skate park for surfers. It’s a wave that’s been good to me over the years and I feel really comfortable there.
This year the waves pumped for the whole comp too. Personally, I think the best surfing all year on the tour went down there.
France was a bit more frustrating. A few of us top seeds went down early and I got put to the sword by “The Spartan†in Round 3!
The Spartan is Michel Bourez. We call him that because he’s ripped and buffed like a Spartan fighter. The guy is so fit and that was the hardest heat I’ve surfed this year.
Michel came out of the blocks firing with a 9.8, but when I countered with an 8, I thought: ‘sweet, I’m in the heat, I just need another good one before he gets another one’.
Next thing – bang! – he’s nailed a 9.7 and I’m combo’ed. I will never give up and I waited and waited for a good wave that never came. It was pretty hard to beat a 19.5 heat score in those conditions. He smashed me.
Michel beat Parko the heat before and Kelly at the same event last year so he’s definitely on the rise. He surfs with lots of power and big turns, and I think he will be around for awhile.
The French event was frustrating for me. The banks were a little weird and we didn’t get much swell. But it was so awesome to see one of my good mates Ace Buchan win the event and take down Kelly in the Final.
It showed Kelly is beatable, and it was a pretty wild night for the Aussies celebrating Ace’s first win.
This event will be about Kelly wrapping up his 9th ASP World Title and pretty much the perfect year. I think there will probably be a few people skipping Brazil.
As for me, I am just amping for some quality Mundaka.
Bring on those sick waves.
Mundaka wait is on so bring on the waves!!
Sopelana scene : photo ASP Cestari/Covered Images
Bede’s Blog: The wait on in Mundaka, bring on the waves!
Hey everybody, I’m in ‘hold’ mode here with the rest of the crew in Spain waiting for the Billabong Pro to get into the water. I’m frothing at the chance for some classic six to eight foot Mundaka at some stage of the event. But chances are we won’t get through this event using Mundaka only.
What’s gone on here in recent years around the harbour dredging is pretty well documented and there’s lots of views about it all. The reality is that the break is now too tidal to work all day and anything more than a three-day swell cycle is rare for here at this time of the year. That means getting a good part of the event done elsewhere, still in pretty good waves, and then hopefully engineering the end to finish the finals in classic Mundaka.
That’s a big challenge, as we’ve seen the past three years. In the past the back-up wave was Bakio. But it just wasn’t up to it, and that has caused lots of frustration at times. This time Billabong has moved the back-up beach to Sopelana which is further away but a much better quality wave. Round one was held there overnight but hopefully the second round (where I am the first heat up) will be back at Mundaka.
I know a little bit about Sopelana as it has hosted ASP events before. My coach Kong (Gary Elkerton) won an event there and has tuned me about the break. The ASP was going to drop the losers’ round in this event but the pros were worried that would cause too much hassling in the first round. So we came to a compromise that if we ran the first round at Sopelana before the swell comes for Mundaka then the losers’ round would retained.
Personally, I think Mundaka is a bit too fickle to run an entire WCT there. It’s so tidal and needs a solid swell to work. It’s a contest director’s nightmare. But when it works it’s one of the best waves in the world. Hence the dilemma on whether to retain it as a stop on the Dream Tour or not. Rumours are they looking elsewhere in Europe.
The past month has been pretty active for me. My wife Tarryn and I called into New York before the Trestles WCT event. We’d never been there before and I gotta admit it was pretty cool to do the full-on tourist thing and just get lost in that monstrous city. Back in San Clemente, it was full contest mode with sponsor and trade show appearances and the event itself.
I felt really good at Trestles. I had the most amazing board and enjoyed taking on Kelly in the semis. The waves didn’t really pulse during our heat but they were still fun. I always love surfing against Kelly. It brings the best out of me plus I get to surf against my hero. There’s never been a heat I haven’t learned from. This one was so close with only 0.5 the difference in the end.
I fell on my best wave on the last section, trying to doing a little air. Maybe if I’d made it the heat might have been mine…but you can’t make any mistakes against Kelly. Surfing Trestles is always enjoyable for me. It’s like a high performance skate park for surfers. It’s a wave that’s been good to me over the years and I feel really comfortable there.
This year the waves pumped for the whole comp too. Personally, I think the best surfing all year on the tour went down there. France was a bit more frustrating. A few of us top seeds went down early and I got put to the sword by “The Spartan†in round 3!
The Spartan is Michel Bourez. We call him that because he’s ripped and buffed like a Spartan fighter. The guy is so fit and that was the hardest heat I’ve surfed this year. Michael came out of the blocks firing with a 9.8 but when I countered with an 8, I thought: ‘sweet, I’m in the heat, I just need another good one before he gets another one’.
Next thing – bang! – he’s nailed a 9.7 and I’m combo’ed. I will never give up and I waited and waited for a good wave that never came. It was pretty hard to beat a 19.5 heat score in those conditions. He smashed me. Michel beat Parko the heat before and Kelly at the same event last year so he’s definitely on the rise. He surfs with lots of power and big turns, and I think he will be around for awhile.
The French event was frustrating for me. The banks were a little weird and we didn’t get much swell. But it was so awesome to see one of my good mates Ace Buchan win the event and take down Kelly in the final. It showed Kelly is beatable, and it was a pretty wild night for the Aussies celebrating Ace’s first win.
This event will be about Kelly wrapping up his 9th world title and pretty much the perfect year. I think there will probably be a few people skipping Brazil. As for me, I am just amping for some quality Mundaka. Bring on those sick waves.
Bede’s sponsors include Xcel Wetsuits, Mada, Ocean Minded and Mt. Woodgee surfboards
‘Somewhere’ and prepping for Trestles
Bede Durbidge : photo Rowland/ASP Covered Images
I guess you could call it an opportunity lost. Not just for me, but for a few of us in the Top 10 who were trying to chase down Kelly’s big lead going into The Search in Indonesia. With Kelly having a third round exit, a few of us got excited about making some headway on that points gap. But then most of us, including myself, go and bail out in the very next round!
With the exception of Taj, who reached the Quarters, those of us who went into the event ranked from two to eight weren’t really able to make a dent. I was spewing, but you have to get over it quickly and move on. Which means getting the focus right for the next event at Trestles in California.
Fortunately, that’s not hard for me because I have a soft spot for the Boost Mobile Pro. I broke through for my first ASP World Tour win there two years ago when I was able to beat Kelly in the Final. I’ve always enjoyed Trestles as a wave and California as a place, so I’m confident of being in the right zone for the event.
I’ll tune up before leaving with a few training sessions with “Elko†(Gary ‘Kong†Elkerton) and get some time in with my shaper Wayne McKewen on my quiver. I’m away for six weeks on this next stint so it’s important to get things right before I go.
Reflecting on The Search, once again, it was an insane event. We had really good waves at different times. So much so that the event was wound up within five days which is a rare occurrence on the tour. (CENSORED) was such a great choice of location and I hope Rip Curl come up with somewhere just as good next year.
Occasionally, the event was a bit frustrating when it got super tidal. You could have one heat with guys getting nines and the next heat with guys getting fives and still getting through. The conditions could shift that rapidly, so it was often really hard to know what kind of waves you were in for in your heat, or where to sit.
But your competitor is in the same boat so it kind of added an extra element and edge to each heat. Some amazing surfing went down during the event. I was caddying for Timmy Reyes in that heat he had with Kelly. I’ve never seen surfing like that…it was freakish. Freddie P. was also on fire the whole time we were there and Bruce Irons’ barrel riding on the final day showed he was a worthy champion.
As per usual, (CENSORED) also delivered out of the water. It’s one of my favourite places in the world. I took my wife Tarryn and we had an awesome time. We fit pretty easily into the local lifestyle! In terms of the Tour, my strategy from here is to just keep chipping away without giving up. I am due a win and I know it’s there soon.
Eyeing Rip Curl Search site eases Kelly pain
Bede Durbidge : photo Rowland/ASP Covered Images
24 July, 2008 : – - Gold Coast — Just about everybody I’ve run into since J-Bay has asked me the same question – have the rest of us on the Dream Tour given up on catching Kelly? Well, personally, I can tell you I haven’t. And sitting at third on the current ASP World Tour rankings, I have to back myself.
But I’m also a realist. And right now I’ll readily admit it’s going to take a minor miracle for any of us to run down Mr. Slater from here. Going into J-Bay, I was thinking, “Okay, he’s had three wins but it’s still possible to peg him backâ€. However, winning four out of the first five? Come on! None of us expected that and it’s going to take a herculean effort to reel Kelly in over the course of the rest of the Dream Tour.
So how is it that he is dominating so incredibly? I wish we all knew. What is plainly obvious is that Kelly just keeps surfing better and better every year. I don’t care what others are saying. In my book, he is definitely surfing better than I’ve ever seen and offering the best displays on tour so far. His win at J-Bay has just made the task for the likes of Parko, Taj, Mick, Andy, myself and others that much harder.
His experience is also really coming to the surface now. He’s also looking as relaxed as I’ve ever seen him and is clearly enjoying himself. That makes more of a potent package for his rivals. Outside of my equal fifth, J-Bay was also nice because we got the best waves of any event this year. It pumped the whole time except for the last six heats when the wind went onshore. It was so good to get really strong free surfing sessions in as well.
I felt I had a pretty good comp, but my timing wasn’t good on finals day. I woke up at around 3am that morning spewing up with the worst stomach cramps. I felt a little bit better for my Quarterfinal because of the adrenaline you get before you compete, but I felt well down on energy which is that last thing you need against a guy of Parko’s calibre.
Other than Kelly extending his lead, all of the current Top 8 on the ASP World Tour reached the Quarters so there hasn’t been too much jumping around among us on the rankings. I’ve grabbed a week at home on the Goldie to get some fresh boards from my Mt Woodgee shaper Wayne McKewen and also to have Gary ‘Kong†Elkerton touch up my fitness levels.
But I’m off again on Sunday for next ASP tour stop “Somewhere†for Rip Curl Pro Search We’re not allowed to tell anybody where it’s being held, but I’m pretty stoked with the venue. I love Rip Curl’s Search format. Having a mobile event on the tour each year is a buzz and keeps us frothing over new venues.
More details in a future blog once I arrive at “Somewhereâ€! Sincerely, Bede Durbidge
Inspiration & perspiration courtesy of Kong
I call it Kong’s Boot Camp, or KBC for short. I’ve just checked myself out of KBC to get ready to jump on a silver budgie and fly to South Africa to surf one of my favourites waves, J-Bay.
It’s time for a few of us, me included, to fire a few shots back at one Mr. Kelly Slater, otherwise it’s no-race for the ASP World Title this year – that’s easier said than done, of course, and after Kelly won at Cloudbreak to extend his lead, I knew I personally had to put some real energy into the break between the South Pacific leg of the Dream Tour and the Billabong Pro at J-Bay.
So it was off to see King Kong to submit myself to a mental and physical beating. Kong is, of course, Gary Elkerton – and I sometimes question my sanity in telling him that I need him to hone my act ahead of a big challenge.
That’s because Elko is not a bloke to be messed with. He only knows how to do things one way – his. Those who know him instantly recognise that trait. It was one of the things that made him such a formidable competitor on the ASP Tour for over a decade, finishing runner-up on the world rankings three times.
Growing up on Straddie where there’s a strong fishing community, Kong was already a legend for having grown up home-schooled on his Dad’s trawler, discovering big-wave outer-reefs along the way. His big-wave riding still blows me away, and the big fella’ hasn’t slowed down one iota.
It’s crazy how fit he is. I feel like I’m at the peak of my fitness but I have to go so hard-out to stay ahead of him in some of the conditioning we do that sometimes I’m certain I’m going to die. All he’s doing is showing me is that I can push harder.
Kong’s won the past three ASP World Masters Titles (aged 35 years and over) against fierce competition from fellow legends of his era like MR, Rabbit, Shaun Tomson, Tom Curren, Martin Potter, Cheyne Horan, Michael Ho, Terry Richardson and Damien Hardman. Elko was hugely bummed when the defense of his title in Brazil this year was delayed because he’d been training the house down.
Kong was behind my preparation for the start of this year’s Dream Tour, and I’d never gone into a season so confident, and I think that showed with the equal 3rd and runner-up at Superbank and Bells in the first two events. Mentally and physically, I felt really strong through the Australian leg. That was a direct result of the particular work Elko and I did together in January and early February.
The two South Pacific contests were always going to be about consolidation for me, and I feel I achieved that in holding down the ASP World No. 3 slot coming into J-Bay. But to meet the challenge Kelly has thrown down to all of us means digging deeper. I needed some KBC time between legs.
Kong approaches things differently to other coaches that I’ve seen with some of my peers on the tour. I’m not going to go into detail because I genuinely feel some of the stuff he’s imparting is giving me a real edge, but this is a guy coming from a knowledge bank as big as some of the slabs of waves he likes to be towed into nowadays. Not only is there his ASP experience, but also his involvement in the early coaching direction Quiksilver was getting into.
Elko has worked recently with me on physical conditioning and mental preparation. The thing is I can talk to him about really critical things because I know he’s been in the same situation so many times during his career. He’s really candid about what he got right, and what he got wrong.
My heat management has been one of the biggest areas of improvement for me over the past 18 months or so, and when Kong tells me I can get better yet, I know he’s right. We’ve also been doing heaps of free surfing together and that’s primed me too. This is my seventh time to J-Bay. I went there three times as a wildcard before I was on the tour and it’s a wave I love.
I’m chasing a strong result and it never hurts when the event is at a place like J-Bay which I feel suits my surfing. Keep an eye on the swell charts. Until next time, Bede Durbidge, ASP World No. 3
World #2 psyches up for dredging lefts of Teahupoo
28 April, 2008
When I first saw Teahupoo, I was 19-years-old and I don’t mind admitting it scared the living hell out of me as a rookie triallist. I’m 25 now – and the Billabong Pro starting May 8 will be my sixth time up to the legendary Tahitian reef.
I won’t say I’m any less intimidated by the prospect of what can happen if you get it wrong there, but I do feel a little more comfortable each trip. And now I get really pumped about this time each year because when you go to Teahupoo, there’s always the chance you’re going to get the best wave of your life.
Along with Pipeline, friends and others ask me more about “Chopes†than any other break. The key to Teahupoo is the take-off. Simple as that. You have to commit yourself.
Any hesitation, any second thoughts, any attempt to pull back…they all have dire consequences at that place. You’re going to get a heavy drilling. Damien Hobgood surfs that place better than 99.99 per cent of surfers, as he proved by winning last year’s event there. But Damo won’t be defending his title after getting sucked over the falls there the other week while getting in some practice time there.
He apparently broke his shoulder in three places, has had to return to the States for surgery and could miss the Globe Pro in Fiji as well as the Teahupoo event. Like I said, Chopes can be punishing.
But once you make the take-off (and your heart will be in your mouth more than just the odd time) you can pretty much enjoy what – most times – is a perfect wave. The biggest I’ve ever surfed it was the day after the trials at last year’s event. It was going off. When it’s like that, and you’ve got your act down in nailing your take-offs, it’s just such an amazing wave to surf!
The colours, the noise of the barrel, the short intensity of it all, the spectator craft out in the channel full of people hooting and photographers nailing the moment. It’s pretty special. And that’s why a lot of us on the Dream Tour really enjoy this event.
It’s got a different vibe to all the others. It’s so cool just hanging in the boat all day, watching the event and then getting ready for your heat. Because you’re looking directly into the barrel from the boat, you also get the chance to study up-close the backhand techniques of some of the guys like Kelly Slater and Andy and Bruce Irons who just have that place absolutely wired.
It might be the Stradbroke Island boy in me, but I really like it being in Tahiti and generally mixing with the locals there. They love having you there, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to surf their amazing break. Adrian Buchan, Jay Thompson and I stay with the same family each year, and they’re just such nice people.
I’m currently in Bali, getting in as much time on quality left reef breaks as possible ahead of Teahupoo. It’s been cool to get some time doing some filming and surfing with two of my sponsors, Mada and Ocean Minded while here. But I’m now focussing more and more on Tahiti.
Boost Mobile Surf Sho takes pros to the air
17 April, 2008
Bede Durbidge : photo ASP Hawkins/Covered Images
They call it ‘The Show’ and from this weekend a few of the boys such as Mick, Taj, CJ and I are planning to put on a damn good one! I’m referring to $40,000 Boost Mobile Surf Sho aerial tournament on the Gold Coast, running over three days at Surfers Paradise, starting with a junior exhibition on Friday.
I’m rapt to be included in the invite-only list drawn up by the organisers for a contest that I reckon is going to blow minds. Basically, the Boost Sho sits outside the World Championship Tour but contracted Dream Tour surfers like myself, Mick Fanning and CJ Hopgood are granted exemptions to compete.
It’s the second year of the event – Taj won it last year – and the reason for its growing popularity is that its format is completely different to a WCT event and is about showcasing aerial manoeuvres. In a nutshell, an aerial event is all about the scores you pull off for manoeuvres in the air rather than on the wave.
The whole event is set up to wow spectators with some of the more dynamic aerials and tricks that are coming into performance surfing. Of course, the Dream Tour pros are already trying to incorporate aerials into our competition repertoire as much as possible because of their high scoring value. I hardly need reminding of Kelly Slater’s aerial he pulled off at Rincon in the final of the Rip Curl Pro over Easter to beat me!
There was the value of a hell aerial sign-posted for all to see there and then. But aerials are also notoriously difficult to land and you have to weight up the risk versus capacity to pull it off. But aerial tournaments like the Boost Sho are different. That’s why they’re getting such a cult following.
They’re about that one great move on the move where you can go for bust and give it everything. Everything you do on the wave is about setting up for that money manoeuvre. That’s not something you can normally do in a WCT event. I love going for aerials – it’s the best feeling when you land a howler. And the fans love it too.
It’s a really cool feeling to be out there surfing with mates like Mick and Taj competing under a completely different format. Taj had jaws dropping all over the beach last year. I think Taj has rightfully gained a reputation as one of the premier aerialists in the world and he’ll be highly favoured this weekend. But I’d also be keeping an eye on Mick, world No. 13 Luke Stedman from Avalon and of course CJ Hopgood who knows plenty about getting air.
I really like the direction this event is going in because as well as having a handful of WCT surfers, it also targets the radical group of surfers who are really at the cutting edge of aerials but aren’t on the Dream Tour. I think of guys here from the Goldie like Dru Adler and Dion Argus. And then there’s Ry Craike from West Oz, Ozzie Wright from Narrabeen and Dave Reardon-Smith from the Sunshine Coast.
Those guys don’t have the profile of a Mick, Taj or CJ and a lot of fans wouldn’t even recognise them. But don’t be surprised if any one of them out-performs we CT guys. I’ve seen Dru and Dion achieve some amazing aerials. Ry and Ozzie are also amazing. Ozzie’s almost like a rock star in his approach and demeanour. He’s good value.
Keep an eye out for Julian Wilson from the Sunshine Coast too. The kid is an aerial expert. Fans can expect lots of fireworks from the 20 invited surfers chasing the $25,000 winner’s cheque for the best air. The event has a giant spinning wheel that decides which manoeuvre a surfer must attempt to pull off.
There will also be a tow-in expression session where we’ll be whipped into the waves by jet skis. You get amazing speed from being whipped in and the amount of air guys get when they hit the lip is amazing. Some of us might need oxygen because you get so high! If you’re in the area, get on down.
It’s not just the surfing that should be hot.
The organisers have some pretty cool music lined up too with the likes of Funky Mantis, Amy Meredith, Future Role Models, Kwerkshoppe and Razbin Sam all playing. They’ll all be going at it on a special 80m x 40m stageshow while we’re going at it in the water. Hope to see you down there, or otherwise tune in via the live webcast. It’s going to be mega!
Bede’s Blog: Prep plan for Chopes, Fiji all about the lefts
Bede Durbidge Teahupoo 2007 : photo Karen/ASP Covered Images
Bede’s plan of attack is all about ledgy lefts
- I’m into the next phase of planning for the Dream Tour – and for me that means honing my backhand attack. If Superbank and Bells light up the eyes of natural footers, it’s fair to say that the goofy footers start frothing about now with the prospect of the next two WCT events being held in primo left-handers.
The Billabong Pro at Teahupoo next month and the return of the Globe Pro at Cloudbreak means a quality opportunity for the right foot forward brigade to make their mark on the rankings. Currently, the top 10 has eight natural footers in it but you only have to look at the records of goofy-footers like the Hopgood brothers, Bobby Martinez and past winners like Mark Occhilupo at Teahupoo and Cloudbreak to know they are going to be contending.
The Globe Pro didn’t happen in 2007 due to all the government unrest going on in Fiji this time last year. It’s good to see the contest back. It was voted the surfers’ favourite event on the 2006 Dream Tour. We all love the event’s vibe plus you’re guaranteed great waves at Cloudbreak.
With Fiji returning to the tour and Rip Curl’s mobile Search event tipped for Indonesia this year, getting our act down in quality lefts is high on the minds of the leading pros. Frankly, it’s a challenge for we Aussies.
So many of our quality waves are rights. On the Gold Coast, it’s almost exclusively so. As a result, the backhand attack of Australian natural footers doesn’t get a huge amount of attention early in the season. In fact, it can be a like that for a long part of the year – including the contest season. Maybe that’s why Aussie natural footers haven’t fired as many shots in those contests as we would have liked.
There’s exceptions, of course. Dean Morrison is a huge force in qualify lefts. “Dingo’s†surfing at Pipeline has created new respect for Aussie natural footers in big lefts. But it’s fair to say that it’s been the American guys who have led the way in ensuring a backhand attack can be just as competitive at Teahupoo and Cloudbreak.
I’m mainly talking about Kelly Slater and the Irons brothers, Andy and Bruce, who all have great records in those events. I’ve been really impressed with Andy’s performances on his backhand, especially at Teahupoo where I believe he clearly leads the way. Andy is perhaps also an example of what I mean by a surfer often being a product of his own environment.
He and Bruce grew up on Kauai in Hawaii. When I was there for Andy’s wedding, I surfed Canyons which is one of the local breaks they know like the back of their hand. I found it to be a challenging slabby left that in many respects is a bit of a mini-training ground for Teahupoo (if you can ever say that about any wave compared to the amazing Tahitian break!)
I could see how time in the water at Canyons would have benefitted Andy and Bruce whereas in Australia, especially Queensland, we struggle to find those sorts of lefts.
So what do you do? Well, you’ve gotta go looking for them – and that’s exactly what I’m planning to do. I’m keeping an eye on the swell maps around Sydney and the NSW South Coast and in New Zealand over the next fortnight in search of quality lefts. Ideally, they’ll be reef breaks. I want to get used to the feel of reef waves again as quickly as possible so some good sessions in at places like Aussie Pipeline near Ulladulla would be ideal.
New Zealand has also been getting bombarded with swell this summer and autumn. They’re not reefs but breaks like Raglan, Shipwrecks and Whangamata Bar offer long, winding lefts that could be helpful for preparation for the Globe Pro in particular.
I’ve also got a fortnight-long session in Bali where I am doing some work for one of my sponsors, Mada. The chance to get into some nice clean lefts there will be a further part of my preparation. I think Mick Fanning has shown that dedicated and detailed preparation can lead to good results for an Aussie natural footer in this leg of the tour.
Mick made no secret of the fact he felt he needed to lift his act in hard-charging lefts. So he put in the time at Teahupoo last year. He’s now at the level where he and Dingo worry the hell out of anybody they draw there. The other bonus I have is my shaper is working with me on my backhand tube-riding.
That ordinarily wouldn’t mean much but my shaper is Wayne McKewen who is largely credited with pioneering the “pig-dog†backhand tube-riding style. A goofy footer on the Gold Coast has no choice but to get used to surfing on his backhand but it was Wayne in the 1970s who became the first local to consistently nail time in the barrel at places like Burleigh and Kirra.
That came via his lay-forward, grab-the-rail backhand style that was further popularised by an early Pro Junior winner Stuart Cadden and Hawaiian pros like Marvin Foster. Wayne is going to work with me on sorting out my backhand in terms of maximising time in the barrel at places like Teahupoo and Cloudbreak.
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