Perhaps a 2011 moment Bede Durbidge would like to forget? Pipe Masters wipeout. Photo: ASP/Cestari

Words: Bede Durbidge

It’s amazing what a bit of adversity can do … like motivating you for starters.

Last year was a rough one for me on the ASP Tour. I was carrying a few injuries and getting used to a life that completely changed for me and my wife in having our baby while also building our new house. It was a lot to juggle while trying to compete on a global tour.

I had some setbacks in terms of my results but by the end of the year, I was steeled again.

You know within yourself if you’ve still got something left and I know where I stand on that question. I haven’t been this excited about a season since the first year I qualified for the tour. My body is 100% fit and injury free, and I’ve settled into fatherhood.

So now I feel I can concentrate on achieving my goals. They are to get back into the ASP Top 5 and have a really good crack at the title. I’ll be 29 this year, so I’m in my prime. I also have seven years of experience of being on the world tour under my belt. So I’m all geared up for a great year with my wife and little girl by my side.

Bede brought the family to Hawaii in 2011. Photo: Andrew Shield.

Preparation is always critical and I reckon you can’t beat surfing in good waves for that. So I feel fortunate to have had some quality waves in Hawaii pre-Christmas while on the North Shore for the season-closing Pipe Masters. Pipe was insane. We got the biggest waves in years and everyone was going for it like mad men. It was so awesome to see Kieren Perrow win, especially after last year when he had such a gut-wrenchingly close defeat in the final minutes. I thought at the time that he might never get that chance again. But he did and good on him. He was definitely one of the best surfers of the event, along with John John Florence. Kieren is always a standout when the waves get heavy so it was great to see him get his win in chunky Pipe.

After coming back from Hawaii, we then scored an unbelievable swell on the Goldie over the festive season. Talk about the all-time present over Christmas! We got gifted a perfectly-positioned cyclone that produced some exceptional waves at Burleigh, The Alley and Kirra. The buzz around town was pretty cool during the swell. Everyone was on holidays and scoring perfect waves. I got my share, having some really fun sessions out at Burleigh doing step-offs with Jay ‘Bottle’ Thompson.

During my break I was also heavily involved in my Bede Durbidge Surf Camp held at Casuarina. It was really cool to mix with and give back to the up-and-coming groms. It’s funny but I can clearly remember when I was around 13 and attending the Mark Richards camp. I just got so much out of it. It was so cool being a grommet for the day too. Those kids just have so much energy. It brought back a lot of memories of how fun it was being a kid and just living to surf every second of the day.

I worked with the groms, providing tips and watching their footage with them, giving them a Fox goodies bag, autographs etc. And, of course, I went surfing with them. That was the best part.

Bede givin' back to the groms at his Surfing Australia surf camp at the HPC in Casuarina. Photo: Surfing Australia.

In amongst scoring some good waves and re-living my grom days, I’ve been training really hard with Gary Elkerton and Wes Berg who look after that side of my preparation. I feel fortunate that I’ve found a great balance with working with both of them and I’ve seen great results over the last month with my fitness and consequently with my surfing.

Add in a lot of time in the shaping bay with my shaper Wayne McKewen tweaking my boards (I’ve made a few subtle changes which have resulted in the best boards I’ve ever had from Wayne) and I’m feeling pretty rounded in my preparation for the tour and the opening event here on the Goldie.

Reflecting a bit wider on the 2011 season, I think it’s positive that the ASP has gone back to letting everyone have a full year on tour, dropping the mid-year rotation process. I feel that a rookie really needs a full year to get used to the different breaks on the tour and the new formats. I remember my first year on tour was so hard. I only just stayed on, and then the next year I had a really good season and got my first contest win. You see a lot of guys with a lot of talent but they need the whole 12 months to adapt to the world tour before they really start fulfilling their potential and hitting their stride.

I also support the drug-testing procedures being put in place. The bottom line on this one is that if we are going to call ourselves a professional sport, we need to act accordingly and get in line with every other major sport in the world.

From a contest perspective, it’s a bummer New York is going but it’s highly unlikely they will ever get waves as good as last year’s event again there. If I had to choose, I’d far rather have Fiji back on the schedule anyway. Fiji has always been my favourite spot on the tour. The waves are mind blowing and you’re just in paradise. All the boys are frothing to have it back on the schedule. Fiji is everyone’s favourite comp. What I like about it that it really showcases everyone’s ability to surf reef breaks because it’s not just a barrel … it’s also a great canvas for big turns.

And perhaps the highlight of his year. Bede dropping in on his perfect 10-point ride at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal. Photo: Sean Radich

As the Quiky Pro draws nearer, I’m increasingly being asked whether 2012 will be a reasserting of the old guard. That’s an obvious reference to all the new faces in the Top 34 and some of the standout performances from emerging stars like Gabriel Medina, along with the ones we’ve all been expecting such as Owen Wright. There’s no doubting that the new talent on tour is lifting everyone’s work ethic and performances. For that reason I think the usual suspects will do well. But I still expect a lot of mixed results this year similar to the back half of last season where the waves suited the new generation’s style of surfing.

And of course you can’t talk the tour without talking Kelly. He’s definitely going to be back and surfing as good as ever in 2012. His performances last year were mind blowing. The fact he is proving that age doesn’t matter is an inspiration to all of us.

That said, here’s to a great year of surfing.

– Bede

Surfer mag recently put out this great how-to for couch surfing. Check it out below…I’m thinking this should be required reading for any and all house guests.

There are two kinds of traveling surfers in this world: those who are perennially invited back to crash at a friend’s place, and those who were only invited once. According to Alex Gray, a man who’s always met with an open invitation while scouring the globe for surf, it all comes down to knowing the basic rules of being a good houseguest. If you want to leave your bridges intact, follow Alex’s tips below.

The number one rule is to always leave the place the way you found it. Whether it’s the house you’re staying at or the beach you’re surfing, always pick up your trash and never create a new mess.

You’re a guest, never forget that. Families and cultures differ from town to town and country to country. Observe, listen, and respect. See if you can’t learn something new and adapt it into your own life. It can never hurt to try and fit in a little more when you’re in an unfamiliar environment.

At the Volcom house it’s all about sweeping and dishes. There are no maids on the road. Clean up after yourself. Nobody likes to clean the dishes after a hearty meal. Of course you’d rather sit on the couch and relax right? Wrong. Be that guy. That guy is the person that is already doing something like cleaning the dishes or sweeping the porch when no one asks. It needs to be done right? Might as well be you. This is foolproof. It’s the simple things that go a long way.

Always share. Lend a board, sunscreen, wax, a few bucks, a wave, whatever. I don’t know anyone who likes to live with a selfish person. It just isn’t as fun when you’re not sharing the good times with someone.

Be thankful and show your gratitude for being invited into someone’s home and life. It’s a fact that most moms love wine. It’s a really simple and thoughtful gift that goes a long way. It’s also a good idea to always try and leave something behind: clothes, wetsuit, or even a board. It’ll only bring the cost down of your baggage fees for the flight home. Giving gifts of gratitude like that will go further than you can ever imagine. It doesn’t take much to make a friend for life. You can never have too many friends, especially ones that live at perfect waves.

Don’t take traveling too seriously. I promise you, it’s the hard times on the road that you will laugh about later in life and always remember. Now get out there, and enjoy. Everybody gets home sick, but home is always just a plane flight away. Hang out and wait for that next swell. That’s why you’re there, right?

What’s your tip for being a good houseguest? Leave your answer in the comment section below.

Click here for more tips on the How-To blog.

Click on any of the photos below to check out Dion’s blog and see more.

Wavejet – Cory Lopez Demo Day Reel from WaveJet Propulsion on Vimeo.

Still Single from rustyintl on Vimeo.

HONOLULU – (Jan. 31, 2012) — He came to Hawaii looking to fulfill a childhood dream and humbly gain experience at the world’s most revered and feared surf spot: the Banzai Pipeline. But 20-year-old New York pro surfing rookie Balaram Stack scored one of surfing’s rarest waves: a perfect 10 on a fearsome day deemed only for warriors at the Volcom Pipe Pro. Fifteen-to-20 foot Pipe doled out its fair share of injuries, snapped surfboard and bruised pride today. No-one imagined that the kid from New York would steal the show, unscathed.

Stack was up against one of Pipeline’s most respected riders today – Kalani Chapman, 29, and a pair of rising Hawaiian stars in Granger Larson, 21, and Tonino Benson, 22. He had a nail-biting start; skittling to the bottom of his first ride on his stomach, and following up with a short tube-ride that almost knocked him off. But none of his challengers were fairing much better in the rogue lineup and Stack surprisingly took a slim lead.

Hit the jump to read the rest of this story…

Then with three minutes to go, a huge A-frame peak pushed through and Balaram, sitting deepest, swung and stroked over the ledge. He dropped weightlessly, set the rail of his surfboard on edge and pulled up into a gaping, hollow barrel, arms outstretched. When he exited in a plume of spray and whitewater, he was standing casually with hands held behind his back… in disbelief.

Stack also scored a bonus $1,000 as part of the ELECTRIC Perfect Ten bonus awards. He is now among the final 32 surfers left in the event and will next face defending event champion John John Florence (Hawaii). The Volcom Pipe Pro is expected to wrap up and crown a champion tomorrow.

“It’s what I’ve always wanted – to have a heat out there in pumping waves,” said Stack. “I just thought that if the wave came, I was going, if not, I’ll regret it forever. I knew the waves were firing and there were only three other guys out. That never happens, so I was just hoping I would get a wave. The stars aligned. I got one.

“It was pretty nerve-wracking just being out there. All I was hoping was to make another heat and make it to the next round, but now I don’t even care if I make the next round, that was the best thing ever.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever surfed a contest out here and it’s definitely a dream I’ve had for a while.” On taking the heat from Kalani Chapman with a perfect 10: “Yeah, that definitely wasn’t supposed to happen.”

Late in the afternoon, Puerto Rico’s Dylan Graves and Maui’s Dusty Payne also found perfect 10′s and, like Balaram, scored a bonus $1,000 each. Maui’s Ian Walsh called today “one of the best days of the year”. The swell pulsed relentlessly and the lineup broiled with huge tubes, massive peaks, and more than the occasional unrideable steamroller of whitewater.

Walsh put the Pipeline experience into perspective: “You’re not really surfing against the other guys like you are in most of the events around the world. It’s more of a battle between yourself and Pipeline. When you’re out there you feel all the shock waves coming through the lineup.”

California’s Alex Gray surfed the very first heat of the day and overcame a hobbling injury he sustained while surfing gigantic waves on the North Shore’s outer reefs yesterday. With his calf taped up to protect the stitched wound, Gray threw caution to the wind and charged into some of the heaviest barrels of the day. “We surfed the outer reefs yesterday and unfortunately I broke a fin off in my leg and was in the hospital at around 7 o’ clock last night,” said Gray. “Nothing too crazy, but really sore this-morning and I was wondering how it was going to be. But we’re here to surf Pipeline and you can’t let a previous day’s wound stop you.

“It’s big today. My last wave backed off on the reef and allowed for a really steep drop. In those moments it feels like the whole ocean is going against you, trying to pull you back up the face and I was just hoping that my fins and my rail were going to stay in the water and I was going to make it to the end of the wave. Pipeline is so heavy and dangerous that you always hope for the best but expect the worst and I was glad I made that wave. This is a contest but the best part about surfing at Pipeline is you’re at one of the world’s best waves so it is possible that you could get the wave of your life.”

San Clemente’s Tanner Gudauskas had a lucky escape and advanced, but not without needing eight staples to his skull. Tanner sustained a massive wipeout on his opening ride that pinned him to the reef, lacerating his arm, back and head. He eventually managed to shake off the nerves and try again, taking some of older brother Dane’s advice onboard.

“Dane always says when you take a wipeout like that you’re one step closer to getting the wave of your life, so that’s how I think about it,” said Tanner. “I’ve been taking nothing but wipeouts lately so hopefully one’s coming around the bend.” On his wipeout: “Mentally I was thinking I (had the wave), then last thing I thought, ‘I don’t have it’ and I was up and over. But the way I landed I didn’t penetrate. I went up and over the falls and landed square on my back and my head hit as well. I was really shaken up. I got lucky because I got a smaller one that barreled after that and made me feel better inside. Then I thought a little bit less about the wipeout and a little bit more about getting in the barrel.”

Defending Volcom Pipe Pro champion John John Florence (Hawaii), who was crowned champion of the Vans Triple Crown in December, scraped through by the skin of his teeth today in a heat that could well have been a final in its own right. Up against former Pipe champion Bruce Irons, Australian Anthony Walsh, and North Shore local Sean Moody, Florence had his work cut out. It didn’t help that he was also surfing injured after almost separating his finger while surfing a few days ago. Florence made a last minute barrel to steal second place away from Walsh and advance.

“I was pretty nervous, I almost wasn’t going to do my heat,” said Florence. “I have a really bad kink in my neck, and my hand… I kind of sat there the whole heat and luckily got a wave in the end. Anthony Walsh is so gnarly. That was definitely a scarey heat to have.. Moody and Bruce too… There’s a lot of wash-through sets. It’s fun but there’s these crazy double ups that come in.” Bruce Irons was the day’s highest scorer with 17.47 out of 20. He locked in two solid tube rides to Florence, Walsh and Moody battling for second.

The Australians charged today, but none advanced despite scoring more than a few incredible rides. Josh Kerr, Anthony Walsh and Stephen Walsh put on a great show but the highest scores eluded them. Organizers will assess the conditions at first light tomorrow morning to determine if there will be an 8am start. Tomorrow could be the final day, possibly crowning a champion at around 3pm.

RESULTS:
Surfers listed in order of 1st through 4th. 1st & 2nd advance.
Remainder of ROUND 2

H14: Alexander Grey (USA) 13.00pts ; Olaman Eleogram (HAW) 8.93pts ; Sidney Guimaraes (BRA) 5.93pts ; Dylan Goodale (HAW) 2.67pts

H15: Evan Valiere (HAW) 9.24pts ; Koa Rothman (HAW) 5.27pts ; Franklin Serpa (BRA) 4.17pts ; Jason Shibata (HAW) 3.10pts

H16: Ian Walsh (HAW) 15.14pts ; Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 11.84pts ; Brett Barley (USA) 9.33pts ; Krystian Kymerson (BRA) 2.70pts

Round 3
H1: Torry Meister (HAW) 11.97pts ; Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 8.73pts ; Kevin Sullivan (HAW) 7.50pts ; Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) 5.60pts

H2: Kai Barger (HAW) 13.17pts ; BIlly Kemper (HAW) 9.17pts ; Nils Schweizer (USA) 7.30pts ; Dean Morrison (AUS) 5.17pts

H3: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 12.34pts ; Mason Ho (HAW) 12.17pts ; Hank Gaskell (HAW) 8.83pts ; Dane Gudauskas (USA) 6.47pts

H4: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 10.34pts ; Tim Reyes (USA) 6.67pts ;Makai McNamara (HAW) 5.10pts ; Derek Peters (USA) 4.03pts

H5: Tyler Newton (HAW) 9.20pts ; Tanner Hendrickson (HAW) 5.50pts ; Shaun Joubert (ZAF) 3.27pts ; Brandon Jackson (ZAF) 2.47pts

H6: Gabe Kling (USA) 14.03 ; Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 9.83pts ; Gabriel Villaran (PER) 8.26pts ; Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 6.10pts

H7: Jamie O’Brien (HAW) 8.94pts ; Ricardo Dos Santos (BRA) 8.17pts ; Gavin Gillette (HAW) 6.34pts ; Joel Centeio (HAW) 4.53pts

H8: Reef McIntosh (HAW) 9.17pts ; Flynn Novak (HAW) 9.13pts ; Josh Kerr (AUS) 7.20pts ; Koa Smith (HAW) 1.47pts

H9: Bruce Irons (HAW) 17.47pts ; John John Florence (HAW) 9.26pts ; Anthony Walsh (AUS) 8.57pts ; Sean Moody (HAW) 7.17pts

H10: Chris Ward (USA) 14.40pts ; Joan Duru (FRA) 7.50pts ; Kiron Jabour (HAW) 3.27pts ; Stephen Walsh (AUS) 1.67pts

H11: Balaram Stack (USA) 13.67pts ; Kalani Chapman (HAW) 5.10pts ; Granger Larson (HAW) 2.23pts ; Tonino Benson (HAW) 2.00pts

H12: Carlos Munoz (CRI) 15.60pts ; Sebastien Zietz (HAW) 9.26pts ; Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 6.76pts ; Rudy Palmboom (ZAF) 3.76pts

H13: Nathan Yeomans (USA) 11.23pts ; Jonathan Gonzalez (CNY) 10.56pts ; Olamana Eleogram (HAW) 10.33 ; Myles Padaca (HAW) 5.90pts

H14: Dylan Graves (PRI) 15.00pts ; Alexander Grey (USA) 12.00pts ; Leandro Usuna (ARG) 6.50pts ; Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 2.23pts

H15: Evan Valiere (HAW) 12.00pts ; Mitchel Coleborn (AUS) 5.90pts ; Roy Powers (HAW) 5.53pts ; Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 2.73pts

H16: Koa Rothman (HAW) ; Ian Walsh (HAW) 12.26pts ; Dusty Payne (HAW) 10.00 ; Marcus Hickman (HAW) 8.60pts

A talented line-up of surfers were seen battling the tall waves at Peahi yesterday, including Rockstar’s Albee Layer and Matt Meola. 30 ft of wind blown waves made it difficult for anyone without a jetski. Some of these surfers were seen being blown back off of the crests of waves as they were trying to drop in, halted by the force of the wind. Surfer Matt Meola’s only ride of the day, around 10:30 a.m., resulted in a very messy tumble into a large wave, and his favorite board broken. Meola says it’s hard enough to catch waves by paddling in without jet-skis at Peahi, but when tradewinds are introduced, it’s all the more difficult.

DAY DREAMING from Rick Rifici on Vimeo.