Introducing Chippa Wilson from BRIXTON on Vimeo.
Crazy to think that in this day and age someone as gnarly as Chippa can go months without major backing, but that’s how the cookie’s crumbled for the kid from Cabarita more than once now. Today arrives with fresh news that US brand Brixton have just added him to their line-up of ambassadors, where he joins a colourful collection of skaters, artists and surfers, including Lee Wilson and Oliver Kurtz. Whereas Chippa’s previous sponsor Fox was firmly entrenched in the action sports market, this new pairing sees him now riding for a company that is more aesthetically geared towards lifestyle and culture, which suits him down to a T. I caught up with the innovative goofy-footer to find out what excites him about this new venture and what’s in store for the future.
Tracks: So Chippa, tell us about your new sponsor?
Chippa: Brixton have been one of my favourite companies for a while now. Just because they’re kind of cultural and raw and not so action sports, y’know. A few of my friends from Analog are working for them now, too, so I’ve always kept in touch with them. It just seems like a good vibe. It seems like Analog back in the day.
What’s your role as an ambassador?
Just to keep doing what I’m doing, fucking around with motorbikes and cars and surf my best and just stay on the path I’m at. They were pretty happy for me to cruise at home and go to Indo a few times, but I’ll be doing way more than that.
You want to do some trips and stuff obviously?
Yeah, I’ll be doing a bunch. I want to go up to Canada, to the South Island of New Zealand again, and I’m pretty stoked I get to go check out Ireland in a week or two, I really want to go surf there. I guess cold water spots are kinda where I’m at.
What’s the appeal there?
No people, no crowds.
Are there particular ramps you want to go hit or is it just that the waves look fun?
There’s barrels and there’s usually an end section on most of the reefs. But it’s just more of an adventure.
What about personal projects? It seems like the 6-minute plus mini-movie is becoming a thing, is that something you’d like to weigh in on?
Yeah, one hundred percent. Now that I’ll have this sponsor I’ll be aiming to do one or two of them a year plus a bunch of other stuff for sponsors and magazines and stuff like that. Just keep busy and hopefully put some cool shit out.
You’re turning twenty-nine this year. How much time do you see yourself having in this game or is that something you don’t really think about, you just play it as it lays?
Just play it how it comes. I feel good, I haven’t had too many injuries and hopefully none of them will come up soon, touch wood. It could be a blessing signing with Brixton now. It’s a new chapter and the role I’m going to play could be a longer role, rather than just an action sports, high performance kind of deal.
When something like this happens in your career do you see it as an opportunity to reinvent yourself or at least reset the path you’re on?
This time I do, for sure. This feels like one hundred percent my vibe.
What about goals? Is there anywhere you’d like to take your surfing in terms of performance?
I definitely want to hit a few goals this year. It’s funny with hype and all that, like whoever gets the trick first, that doesn’t mean nothing. I could be the fourth person to do a trick and still be stoked. I want to do a few 540s by the end of the year, I’ve got too close too many times, and then some bigger tricks, y’know, bigger cleaner big-spins. I just want to keep going bigger and better.
