Four of the Gold Coast’s biggest surf stars reveal all ahead of round one of the Nutri-Grain series
With the new Nutri-Grain series on the horizon and Coolangatta Gold this weekend, the Bulletinsits down with four of surf lifesaving’s big guns to find out their quirks, biggest pests and their ambitions for the 2019-20 season.
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WITH the new Nutri-Grain series on the horizon and Coolangatta Gold this weekend, the Bulletinsits down with four of surf lifesaving’s big guns to find out their quirks, biggest pests and their ambitions for the 2019-20 season.
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Your first nippers memory?
Matt Bevilacqua: “I remember I was at Clifton Beach surf club and it was a freezing cold day and it was the first carnival I got to see in under 7’s. I just walked up to the start line and wanted to have a race but they told me I was too young to race. I remember having to wait another year until I was old enough to compete.”
Courtney Hancock: “I lived on the beach at Sawtell, probably 100m away from the surf club so I remember running down there with my sisters and my little black and white swimmers then you sat there and waited for whatever you planned to do that day. I was very excited.”
TJ Hendy: “I didn’t really do nippers to be honest! I do remember though going down one weekend but I had a foot injury so everyone thought I was pretty cool. I was playing footy on the sand and there was some glass buried and that cut my foot up.”
Ben Carberry: “I can’t remember that much to be honest! It probably has to be my first session when I went down to train at Warilla. The likes of Hayden White and Ali Day were there as well.”
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The weirdest thing you’ve ever seen during a race or at training?
MB: “I remember sitting on Ky Hurt’s feet during a final at the State championships or something and it didn’t even feel like a wave came. I didn’t feel a thing. I was sitting on his feet and they disappeared from my sight. He caught a wave but I didn’t see anything and he disappeared and won the race.”
CH: “I’ve had a whale’s eye pop up right next to me and I thought it was some seaweed but then all of a sudden a whale popped up out of the water really slowly. Because you’re out so far, you see heaps of that stuff. I love turtles and I see turtles out there. There’s always this huge turtle out around Tallebudgera and I’ve seen it so many time the past six months.”
TJ: “I saw a dugong out on the water one day. Or at least I thought it was one. It came up beside me while I was training. It wasn’t a dolphin because it was bigger than one and sort of white and grey in colour. I’d never seen one before.”
BC: “I saw someone nose dive on a ski once and get spat out the other side of a wave. It was almost like they did a front flip. It was at the state titles I think.”
ONE WEEK OF COOLY GOLD TRAINING: NO WORRIES FOR STEELY SLEE
Biggest pest of a teammate?
MB: “Matt Poole, without a second thought. It’s a no-brainer.”
CH: “Hannah Sculley. She’s like a little sister to me, I love her. We have a game that’s been going on for a year where we have to scare each other. She’s in front by heaps. It can be anywhere. I’ve been walking past her car and she’ll be beep me. She’s probably aged me by about 10 years.”
TJ: “Zach Orchard for sure. No matter what mood you’re in at training, he’ll always have everyone covered for a bit of a joke.”
BC: “There’s three of them. Sam Frost, Adam Page and Jy Timperley. They’re always on your back about doing stuff. They’re all a bit younger and think they’re smart alecs.”
Race day superstitions?
MB: “Not really. I like to rub sand on my hands before I jump on the ski. I also have to have a fresh pair of goggle for the Gold.”
CH: “I used to be really superstitious but I’m pretty chill now. I like the number three. The day before, I might want to have three bananas or three eggs.”
TJ:“I’m pretty keen on sleep and getting to bed on time the night before a race. I also don’t wash my board off if it’s sandy before a race because I think it’s bad luck.”
BC: “I’m not really a superstitious person. I don’t really have any routines. I just rock up and race. I don’t really warm up before races so that’s something. I just go out there and catch waves if they’re there to be caught.”
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If not yourself, who takes out the Coolangatta Gold?
MB: “Probably Matt Poole again. He gets two mentions.”
CH: “You probably can’t go past defending champion Georgia Miller. She’s been doing really well at training.”
TJ: “I think someone like Jackson Borg could be a contender. I think he got fourth of fifth a few years ago in the Gold but he’s better than he was then.”
BC: “I think Kendrick Louis is one. He’s pretty strong across all legs, especially the ski. He’ll hold it down in the run as well.”
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