Owen's guide to sobriety and surfing Bells on your backhand
There was a time when Owen used to booze hard like the rest of the pea-brained youths (Author's note: Yeah, I’m one of ‘em. What’s it to you?). “He was heaps funny - all gangly and chasing girls,” says an anonymous junior surfer of Owen, pre-sobriety. Also saying, the only reason it was amusing was “because we never saw that side of him.”
That side has been scooped from his rippled frame. Not since a snowboarding trip to Thredbo last June has he tasted the demon’s pit oil and it’s reaped enormous professional rewards. But socially?
Here, Owen discusses the side effects of sobriety, his preparation for Bells and how you surf that tempestuous bitch on your backhand.
Stab: Have you changed anything about your strategy, training or preparation?
O Dogs: Not a great deal. Last year was working for me, so I'm still surfing and training (CHEK and Yoga). I went to Aussie Pipe (a left barrel on Australia’s south coast) recently. I’m not sure if you’d call it preparation for Bells but I got some sick waves.
Are you still yet to touch a drop of that sweet, sweet amber?
I haven’t had a beer since halfway through last year when I went to the snow for a break and some fun. I don’t mind it. I’ve found that once you don’t do it for a while, you get used to it and it’s, you know, whatever. But when I first started it felt like I wanted to go have some fun (i.e. drink). Now, I won’t drink and I will still go out for the same time as the other boys but remember everything in the morning and have a better time teasing them about it.
What’s your advice for maintaining the freak when sober as a stone?
It’s pretty true that [being drunk helps you have fun]. When I first stopped, it wasn’t the funnest times at all. But now I’m having fun, I guess. Each to their own. My dad was never a drinker, so I guess the apple doesn’t fall to far from the tree. My advice to the groms is to do what you wanna do and listen to your parents.
Bells is a bitch of a wave on your backhand. What's your secret?
We surfed it a lot throughout the juniors but I never had any results. I made a lot of mistakes surfing Bells and I’ve tried to iron them out. It’s really important to have the right board for the conditions and choose the right wave once you’re out there - one that has a wall, ‘cause heaps of ‘em go fat.
Who’s the biggest threat to the Bells crown other than yourself?
I don’t see myself as a threat but I would love to do it. I will be trying. I think Taj is on a massive roll. Whether or not he can still keep it up - he’s a professional. I think he can. Mick is the champ. And Joel and Kelly. Bede and Jordy too.
Um, that’s like most of the top ten there.
Taj definitely has the momentum and Jordy because he came so close last comp and will want to go one better. He had a good result here last year too.- Jed Smith
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Reply #20 on : Tue April 06, 2010, 01:01:05