As a surfer, to watch one of your best mates win an event is such an incredible feeling because you know how much effort, love, energy and hard work has gone into that win... Imagine what that person is feeling! Imagine if it was the Pipe Masters!!!!
I spoke to Kp the other day and asked if i could send him though a couple of questions to answer.
I had goosebumps reading his reply today as i waited for a delayed flight out of Cooly airport!
These were his thoughts...
#What did you have for dinner the night before the final? :)
Ahh, good question... I think we made a chicken and veg stirfry. might have snuck a few mouthfulls of ben and jerry's after that! haha
#One minute to go in the final against Parko, who has snatched wins needing 9's 1000 times before!... what kind of thoughts were running through your head?
Actually with one minute to go I knew I was going to win... I had priority and was not going to let parko get anywhere near a good wave, plus I could see there were no sets coming. Before that though I was nervous... when he had priority and got that backdoor one with 5 mins to go I watched him paddle into it and thought I was done! when his board popped up in the foam and he didnt make the wave I was so relieved... thats when I knew I would win.
#My chairing skills on your two biggest wins .. The steps at Margaret River.. and then here Haha:)
Dan Ross is the best chair man in the business! haha mate you have been there for me both times in my life when I have won big events, and the chair up the Margaret River stairs is an absolute mission (maybe 100 wooden stairs?)... you are a legend and I will never forget it. My turn to chair you next, better make it a short one or I will probably drop you hahaha
#The heat against Dorian and the wave you caught outside of him to take the lead!!!!!!!!!! My favorite moment of the event!
Did Dorian say anything to ya?
It was a huge moment for me too, and kind of came as a surprise really... I thought dorian would run away with it after his first huge bomb, but then with 6 or 7 mins to go I thought to myself well its only one wave I need to win so dont give it up yet! that one wave was awesome, one of the steepest drops I have ever taken out there and such a rush to make it. I paddled back out beaming and when they read the score I just turned to shane and said sorry mate im gonna have to be a prick here (if I made that heat I was back on tour!!), and paddled past him for the inside! he just laughed and said no worries, I know what it means. He was genuinely stoked for me which was really cool... shane is one of my favourite surfers out there and such a great guy.
#What was your favorite moment on any level- a certain wave, family there to see it, something someone said.....?
The whole event was so emotional for me, I had prepared for it to be my last ever contest and though I was aware that could happen I was so excited that the surf was pumping and I had a chance to do well and save my career for another year... that took the focus out of the win really, and then once I had achieved that I relaxed and just let it take me where it would... and that was into the final and first place!
having my wife and kids (tosh and frankie) there with me was just perfect, they have shared all the ups and downs of my career so to win for them was special. My brother simon and his girl came over too and he was co-chair with you so that was amazing for him and me. TB was a legend, he carried my board up the beach behind me getting chaired... him and johnny were beaming for me it was epic. And to surf the final with Joel after we have spent so much time hanging out on the road with our families... I was bummed that he lost but he was so stoked for me too and that meant a lot, I hope he gets his lopez board one day too...
#Did kelly say anything to you, because i heard he was almost tearing up commentating,
(Mark Mathews texted me that day saying... Best sporting moment he's seen!!!)
Haha yeah he did, he said 2 things actually... before I paddled out for the final he said "your not going to be bridesmaid again this time hey?'' and I said definitely not...
after the final he came up to me and said that he had shed a tear he was so stoked for me... I was honoured, it was really cool of him to go and commentate the final when he didnt have to (danielle said he was just sitting down in the surfers area and without being asked got up and went upstairs to the booth to do it).
#Has the win effected your belief and fueled the fire to win more events or is it a feeling of fulfillment in that aspect of your surfing.
Its a bit of both I guess, I have always had that belief that I could win if given the right opportunity and without making any mistakes... now I have done it I for sure want to win again, and will be pumped to do that this year. At the same time it has given me the fulfillment of achieving my career long goal to win a WT event... Pipe especially! it has banished the demons that haunted me for a year, after losing pipe the year before, and just put a huge smile on my face!! I can retire a happy man, whenever that is...
My favorite surf shot.. probably that one you had on your email! the perfect pipe pit... my first scoring wave of the whole contest... and the byron boys got that shot blown up huge and framed for me as a surprise. stoked!
Good to see an interview that comes across as a chat between friends.
ReplyDeleteAnd congrats to Kieren!