Freaky Times - Part 2

The inimitable Matt Biolos is touring South Africa to talk boards, go surfing, and plough some foam along the way. We got his take on the world of surfing.

WS: You are media savvy, au fait with media and branding, and you impart that knowledge to your surfers. What are young surfers doing wrong when it comes to exposure on surf mags, websites, newspapers etc?

MB: If you rip, you don't need to do much of anything. If your blowing up on every paddle out, all you need to do is keep your mouth shut and smile. The media will come to you.

WS: Our surfers tend to get social media wrong, publishing party shots, drinking and other stuff. What do you think?

MB: That's part of growing up.

WS: Surfing, for 98% of us, is having fun. Yet we often don’t get this. How to bring it back so that we are always having fun?

MB: Ride more volumes in your boards. http://www.lostsurfboards.net/whats-your-guild-factor-surfboard-volumes-explained/  Then build more man made reefs, and wave pools to spread the crowds out.

WS: What is the one major flaw in professional surfing right now?

MB: I don’t know if there is a major flaw. There are certain limits to the audience, though. It’s really hard to understand if you’re not a surfer. It’s also pretty boring, with a lot of down time. The same thing that makes it so real and natural and addictive to all of us also makes it a pretty rough spectator sport, especially for the non-enthusiast. On a micro level, it seems the Top34 is a bit elite right now, with the current qualifying structure, and harder than ever to break in, or rotate through athletes. I think it might be more exciting to see the bottom 10 fall off each year, no matter what! This would bring a fresh bottom 10 every year, making the match ups more fun and exciting to watch, give more chances to more athletes and also it would make the WQS better and more of a draw, because you would have a lot of former WT surfers doing all the events the year after falling off and thus more big names in the slog.

WS: What is the one saving grace in professional surfing right now?

MB: The live webcasts, and the Heats on Demand re-wind, if you miss some heats. They are fantastic. They, more than anything, have turned it into an International sport. They are without a doubt the most unifying thing in the entire global culture of surfing today. Where ever you go in the world, you can strike up a conversation about a minute detail from a certain heat at a certain event, and chances are, if the person your talking to is a surfer they will know what your talking about. I don’t know the exact size of he audience, but it’s got to be substantial, and it is rapidly raising the level of young surfers everywhere. I mean, look, the top two surfers in the world right now are from Brazil and Tahiti. I am positive that being raised on the Internet and live web feeds is a huge part of that happening. It has leveled the playing field. Living in OC California might make it easier to become a photo pro, but that tends to be a short-lived career and the money and respect are finite, compared to that of a WT surfer.

WS: Who is the most under rated?

Good question. It could be answered in so many ways. Every beach has some one that the locals think, "could smoke guys on the WT. "So to not get into that, I think Brett Simpson is the most under hyped, under performing surfer on the tour. He surfs so fucking good. He's not ever riding my boards lately, so its not biased, but he should be getting Parko-like results. I just don’t understand what’s kept him from being a top 10 surfer. I mean, he’s elite. Don’t get me wrong. Just to be on that tour is saying you’re one of the elite.

WS: Who is the next big thing?

MB: Well, everyone knows Jack Robinson and a few other in his range, so I am gonna go out on a short limb and say - Sammy Pupo (Miggies little Bro) I have been friends with the Pupos’ for 15 years. Wagner, The dad, was my back shaper in Brazil when Miguel was 8 years old, and The younger brother is going to be a monster.

WS: What is your biggest regret?

MB: Without getting into business or real personal things… not focusing on being a better surfer at a younger age. I don't mean trying to be a contest grom or pro, I simply mean that in my late teens, 20s and early 30s, I didn’t surf enough. I "wasted" my youth by working and partying and didn't really surf nearly as much as I should have.  Youth is wasted on the young, right? ...

WS: Right

the ...Lost Across South Africa tour will be leaving Durban soon and heading south (Cape Town) before heading for the western point of the Eastern Cape (JBay). Matt will be meeting, greeting, expounding the virtues of his equipment, surfing, drinking beers and generally chatting about the meaning of life to surfers, fans, groms, parents, interested parties and basically anyobody who will listen.

First up is Cape Town, where Matt will be heading for The House Of Machines to meet the local crew. This will take place on Wednesday 9th July from 4-6pm. The address of the House Of Machines is 84 Shortmarket Street, and the contact number at the venue is 021 426 1400

"It's been great in Durban so far," said Matt of his first leg of the South African tour. "We've done some great work, seen some amazing surfing, and ridden some great waves, but it's time to move on and get to see the rest of the country. Cape Town here we come."

After Cape Town, Matt and his entourage will be heading to JBay for the JBay Open ASP event and the JBay Winterfest. First up will be the Billabong autograph signing on 12 July at the Billabong Magnas shop along with top Mayhem team rider Tj Burrow and former world champion Joel Parkinson.

"I can't wait to get to JBay and see what's been happening there over the last few years," said Matt. "Just like every surfer on the planet, I love JBay, but I also really love watching the best surfers in the world riding one of the best waves on the planet."

Matt will be at the Billabong autograph signing at the revamped Billabong Magnas shop on Saturday 12 July at 6pm. There will also be a raffle on the evening, with the prize being a R10k pack comprising a Taj Mayhem Whiplash model surfboard, coupled with a Billabong Xero Enduro wetsuit, a massive windfall by anyone's standards. "The Taj Whiplash is the most refined and streamlined model in our range," said Biolos. "It's fast and tight, for radical surfing, and the fan who wins this, along with the Billabong wetsuit, is going to be stoked."

For more information on Matt's tour across South Africa check out the ...Lost South Africa Facebook page here www.facebook.com/Lost.Surfboards

For anyone wanting to get in touch with Matt, to talk about boards or surfing in general, please feel free to attend any of the meet-and-greets, or email him direct on info@lostsurfboards.co.za