There comes a time in a pro surfer’s life when they can no longer rely on the spoils of youth. When it’s not enough to simply be a talented prodigy with boyish charm, good looks and an air-reverse on speed dial. At some point you need to toss some man turns into the mix and make some decisions about who you really are if you want to cross that threshold between gifted junior and fully fledged pro.
Do you toil away on the WQS in the hope of achieving WCT glory or be so bold as to adorn yourself with the Freesurfer tag? Maybe you’ll take an each way bet, but whichever path you choose, ripping will be a prerequisite and having an act out of the water will definitely be an asset. And of course there has to be time for a little fun along the way too.
Over the next week Tracks will be hanging out with four Australian surfing sophomores who are at a critical point in their careers. Check in at Tracksmag.com for updates on our time spent with Creed McTaggart, Matt Banting, Ryan Callinan and Noa Deane. The full story and photos will appear in Tracks August.
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