Interview by Sam McIntosh
11.30am. Poolside at Joel’s crib.
Stab: So, you’re 23, a millionaire, got a healthy kid, a hot chick, why do you need a world title?
Joel: Nah, come on.
Well?
I’m a competitive person. I just need it. The grass is always greener. My whole life, all I’ve done is surf and compete and I owe it to myself. I won my first contest when I was nine, what would be the point in doing this tour now if I wasn’t chasing a world title?
Do you feel like you need it?
You don’t need anything like that… it’s not gonna do anything for my personal life. My personal life’s unreal, it’s for my competitive career.
How will your life improve if you get a world title?
My life won’t improve at all.
Won’t improve from what it is today?
My career will, not my life. It’s a sense of desire. Even when I was in the world grommet titles I really wanted to win. It’s the desire to be the top of your sport, even though it was only under 16s, it didn’t feel any different. You just want to be able to say you’re the best under-16 surfer in the world. Here’s how I look at it: I think the best thing that has happened to me the past few years is I’ve had two seconds. Not too many people out there are as keen as me. After second last year after missing two events I think, give me two more events and see what I’d do. That was last year but this is this year.
So, why does Andy have three world titles and you have none?
He’s older, he’s got more experience. I mean, fuck, when he was my age he’d just gotten back on the tour (Andy fell off the tour before requalifying and schooling the world). His surfing has been more mature in the past. It’s hard to say when surfer’s peak. When is the peak age for a surfer?
“I’m a competitive person. I just need it. My whole life, all I’ve done is surf and compete and I owe it to myself. I won my first contest when I was nine, what would be the point in doing this tour now if I wasn’t chasing a world title?” Joel Parkinson.
I reckon it has to be before 26.
You reckon?
Yep.
Well, look at the average of the world title winners.
Yeah, but you can’t include Occy and Sunny. You can’t.
Well, keep going. Kelly, Andy.
Andy’s 27 this year.
Well, what are you saying?
Before 26 is when you confidently rule the world and feel invincible. And, in saying that, I reckon you realise that the time is now.
I know the time is now. I’m 24 this year so…
Why do you think it’s now?
It’s hard to answer when you’re gonna peak but after seeing Sunny surf in Hawaii at Sunset and stuff it was like he 20. You couldn’t fault his surfing at that age.
So, are you the best surfer in the world this year?
Well, I’ve only had one surf this year and I was surfing that bad. After a week in Canada, I still thought I was snowboarding.
What about people last year who said you went mad but you had nothing to lose because you were showing off to your mates?
Yeah, for sure I was showing off.
So, it’s true, you had nothing to lose so you’ll never be able to get on that much of a roll again?
I think I was caring more. People thought I wasn’t because I had more of a relaxed head when I was competing. I was smiling, joking before I was surfing a heat, I just thought there was no use in psyching myself up, and getting out there and skitzing out. I was competing better under the circumstance of being happy and enjoying it. It made my mind and body feel a lot more relaxed.
So, is that a happy façade you can put on while deep down you’re caring?
Yeah, that’s it completely. Like, if I listen to heavy music and try to bash myself around I don’t do my best surfing. I do my best surfing when I’m smiling.
So, what do you do before a heat to get in that headspace?
I sit there and watch the waves. It’s like this: Everyone surfs better when they free-surf, true or not?
True.
Everyone does.
Even Andy?
Watch him surf Off The Wall and he’s way better free-surfing, not way better but still definitely better. You’ll free surf twenty more times than you’ll surf in competition. And when you do you walk or even stroll down the beach, paddle out and paddle onto a wave. Two minutes before you catch that wave you’re not fired up but the moment you stand, you’re amped. My thing is to not get psyched before the heat and doing everything the same as the free-surf then come alive when I get to my feet.
You get rattled surfing against Kelly?
Kelly? Hmm, he’s just a name. He’s just as beatable as Mick and Andy.
Postscript: Say, we can sure pick em. In 2005, Joel had his worst year since joining the tour (he finished 12th). In the ensuing two years, Joel has inched a few steps closer to number one, finishing sixth and fourth. This year? He’s our pick. Taj too. And Mick. And maybe Andy.
