Wrapping up the US Tour

Had a great end to the american summer, my knee was really touch and go this year which caused me to have to sit a few events out, but still really stoked with how I finished up and really happy with my progress by the end of the summer looking back on how I started out.

The Surf Expo was pretty cool as usual seeing the whole industry get together in one place.  It was really good to catch up with Bret from CTRL as well as Matty and Angie who have been doing the Cable Tour.

I stuck around for an extra week to try my luck in the Monster Energy Triple Crown at OWC and ended up making the semi finals in a cable contest, pretty happy with my efforts going against some of the best in the business, and has also inspired me to take on cable a little bit more seriously this summer.   I will be doing the cable tour as well as the boat tour and I'm really excited about it all.

Most importantly I'm excited to be going home and settling in with my family and be blessed with the birth of my God Daughter, Ayla Rose who is due about when I arrive home.

What a perfect way to end a perfect summer.

My first US Pro Tour Event

Had a nice flight to Knoxville and went and checked out the site. It’s a great location for people and crowds but it looked like the water traffic and roll back might be a problem. But hey, we all ride the same water so we are all affected the same.

For my first US Pro Event I was in Heat 2 against Julian Cohen, John Jeffries and Kyle Evans. I was first off the dock. I had a pretty solid ride, stand up pass which included a Toe 7, Back 5 and a Whirly 5. Didn’t need to throw down too much to get through and I was pleased to get through to the Semi Finals. I was stoked at the number of people who thought I was a podium chance. I just came here for the experience and to see what I need to do in the next 12 months to be a serious competitor in the Jr Pro Tour.

In the Semis I unfortunately crashed out on my opening trick (Whirly 5) which I never fall on and I crashed out on my opening trick of the 2nd pass (a tail glide) so I struggled to get enough tricks in my pass to get through to the final. It was a great event though and a really good one for Liquid Force and Australia with super nice people like Amber and Harley winning the event.

It was also good to have a talk with some of my Billabong Team Riders like Shawn Watson, Danny Harf and The Bomb. I met the Bomb at my first ever Pro Event on the Tour in Sydney 2 years ago, he is a cool guy. Shawn and Danny have both offered to take me riding.

Back to Clermont and riding with Danny Burnstein, I landed a toeside 9 and all of my other tricks. I thought to myself that this will be a good week getting ready for worlds.

Today I went out on Bennett’s boat with Aaron Brown and stuck more Toe 9’s, all of my 7’s and my 3 Mobe 5’s. Tricks come and go and sometimes when you learn something new, you lose something. I guess I am going through a solid phase at the moment where I have most of my tricks very consistent.

I have stopped free riding for the moment and I am just running my pass over and over.

Tonight I am heading to Aaron Browns to crash for the night. Tomorrow is the last day before worlds and I will get 3 or 4 sets in with Aaron and Nick Galotifiore am felling pretty pumped about it. Nick won the Overall Jr Mens Pro Tour, so he is the benchmark of what I need to be next year for my chance at a US Tour Title.

Worlds start on Thursday and finish on Sunday. It’s all about riding on Sunday, I hope I get the chance.