Regular foot Aussie powerhouse Caleb Tancred just picked up his first major WSL QS victory with a win at the 6,000 event in Tahara, Japan. Caleb is back chasing his competitive surfing dreams after a six year hiatus, in which time he graduated from university with an architecture degree. The 24-year-old now balances a full time job with a hectic QS schedule and sits 2nd in the Australian rankings, with a likely shot at making the Challenger Series next season.
Earlier this year we caught up with Caleb to learn more about him, his decision to step away from competitive surfing and eventually return. Check out the piece below.
Balancing a full time job while competing on the WSL QS and chasing your dreams of qualifying for the CT is common practice in the current surf industry climate. It’s a tight rope which most would not like to walk. However, for Caleb Tancred it’s a challenge which he is relishing and if given the option not to work, he would still do so anyways.
It’s the first time the 24-year-old plans to do a full campaign on the QS since 2019. Six years ago he decided to temporarily pull the plug on his surfing aspirations in order to be close to his family during a difficult time. Throughout his hiatus Caleb did not sit still, he went to university in Sydney and got a degree in architecture. Now he’s finished his studies, he’s ready to get back on the Q grind, albeit under different circumstances.
“When I was 16 I transferred from Billabong to Hurley that was when I started taking surfing seriously. Because of the opportunity Hurley came forward with, I was able to step away from school and chase surfing full time.
“I stopped competing in 2019 due to family stuff, I wanted to be at home with my mum and little sister to support them. I then got dropped by Hurley at the same time that everyone was getting cut, but I kind of knew it was coming as I was no longer on that full time surfing program which made getting that phone call a little easier.”
While at home on the Central Coast, Caleb’s mum encouraged him to go back and finish school. He then enrolled in a course to complete his school in one year.
“Mum didn’t want me to sit at home and go backwards, so I finished school and then she suggested doing a degree. Mum’s a teacher herself and she’s been such a great influence on my life. It wasn’t easy initially, finishing school felt like a bit of a waste of time, but I realised that I had a passion for design, whether it be fashion or architecture. I’d also done some work in the construction industry so I paired the two and landed on studying architecture.
“Once I got it rolling, I realised the extent and difficulty of it. I’m not a natural academic and there were periods where all I could think about was getting to the end of it. When I had 12 months to go in my degree, I knew I wanted to get back to competitive surfing but trying to juggle the pair was impossible. I jumped the gun two years ago and tried to do both but instantly my studies dropped off a bit and the comps didn’t go well either, I was competing on borrowed boards and my head wasn’t fully in it.”
However, Caleb is now transitioning into the world of full time work as he’s scored a landscape architecture job up in Byron Bay. He believes the time spent studying and now working has helped shape him into the person he is today.
“You find out a lot more about yourself, you realise you’re so much more than just a surfer and I’m so much more confident in my own skin now.
“I’ve had so many job interviews but everyone wanted me in the office full time and that’s just not going to work with me as I’m following the QS around Australia and Asia. Luckily, the job I’ve landed are going to let me compete so I’ll be doing both.
“I’ve spent the first half of the year just focusing on surfing and getting rid of some the rust but I always understood that I’d have to work and surf. Even if I was getting paid to surf full time, I think I’d still work a couple of days per week. We have so much free time to improve ourselves and I’ve realised you can fit so much more into a day than just surfing. By funding myself, it makes me more disciplined and hungrier to succeed.”
Caleb has just returned from Indo where he competed in the Krui and Nias QS 6,000 events, finishing 5th in Krui and 25th at Nias. Since the regular footer hasn’t competed on the QS full time for a number of years, he’s instantly seeded in the first round which means he has to surf up to four more heats than some of his Aussie peers if he wants to go deep into an event.
“The first one in Krui was a keeper result and then I made a few heats at Nias, it was great to be in the mix there too. I’m just loving being back in the rashie, I always thought competing was a strong point of mine when I was younger.
“The goal this year is to qualify straight away for the Challenger and then be in the mix there for a couple of years and eventually qualify for the CT.”
Caleb also has a number of high profile figures in his corner, including Julian Wilson whose brand Rivvia is currently slapped on the nose of Tancred’s board, as well as former CT surfer Glenn ‘Micro’ Hall who’s coached him since he was a grom.
“It’s been so inspiring to see Julian making his own comeback. I feel like we can really feed off each other and hopefully I’ll be following him up to the Challenger and eventually the CT. As for Micro, I’ve always worked with him, we’ve had an amazing connection and I’ll be forever in debt to him. He’s given me so many opportunities in and out of the water.”
It’s clear that Caleb has all the ingredients for success. At 24-years-old he has a wise and mature head on his shoulders, as well as a natural drive to constantly improve himself. With the backing of his family, friends and other key figures in the industry, there’s no reason why he can’t go all the way.
