Into the Wilderness...

Jaspur Ross showing his Uncle Dan (on the shoulder..) a few finer points of coming off the top for the next stop on the www.aspworldtour.com at J'Bay... "Just like grab the rail and boost..."

"Ok Dan, now watch how this puppy goes..." Jasper taking out a Wilderness Surfboard Shaped by the late great Wayne Williams of Angourie, RIP...

There's a cool story behind this bright boxy railed thruster, with a paint job you could never forget...

About 15 years ago whilst living in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, I was surfing on a cold and lonely Winter's morning and this micro grom paddled in my direction from nowhere.. As he approached with the nose riding high out of the water as grommets do, I noticed a strangely familiar decal on the underside, which triggered some familiarity with home... "Are ya getting any good ones Mister?" the grommet shrieked with a slightly broken high pitched voice, in the pouring rain... "Yeah, there's a couple of little lefts into this shoreeeee....." as I paddled into a throaty little runner... I flicked off to watch the ballsy grom stroke into a grinder and get minced as he goes over the falls... I couldn't help but notice the super bright fluro colours flash and the Wilderness Decals dominating the deck as decals did in the 80's, as the board played Followed the Leader over the falls... "Yeah Grommy, that's was a pretty sick one... can I have a look at your board..?" "Wow, grom this board is from up the coast where I'm from and the shaper passed away a few years back,,, can I buy it from you..?" "I'll have to ask my mum, Mister..."

Anyway, long story short, I paid cash for it and proudly bought it home to ride at The Point and it went like an 80's wet dream,,, flat and fast with big boxy rails and super drive with the extra volume...

A few passed and I had my brand new steamer stolen from my car immediately after a surf at pumping Burleigh and for whatever Gold Coast reason was short of cash... Nav had a spare back home for cheap and I reluctantly took the board to the pawn shop in Yamba at the same time Ben Ross was holidaying with family in the area...

5 years later, during the 50th Bells Beach Classic this year when we were staying at Ben's place to support Dan, I spotted the unmistakable Wilderness proudly positioned and stored in the rafters of his garage.... "No way Rossy........."

Enjoy Jaspur, that's a sick board...