Below is an interview between Doc from fluidzone.com and Jared Houston while Jerry is in Chile for the GSS Arica Challenge event. Make sure you check out the live webcast at ibaworldtour.com/live to watch the action at arguably the best event on the tour!!
Jared Houston is impressing everyone with his hard-core, gutsy surfing and his high-flying aerial skills. Jerry took time out from his Arica preparations to fill us in on where things are at.
Interview by Doc & Photos by fellow South African - Spex
FZ: Hey Jerry, You're in Arica at the moment, how is the vibe over there?
JH: Hey Doc! Yeah man been here for over a week now, heading on for two and it's been cool. The pace of life here is incredibly slow once your done surfing for the day at twelve when it goes onshore you pretty much just hang at your hotel until bedtime. My girl arrived today so all smiles.
You and fellow Saffa Mark McCarthy have been killing it this year, both currently holding 3rd and 4th on the world tour. How is it having a saffa mate to hang with on the tour?
JH: Yeah we're actually equal 3rd. Travelling with Mark is by far a highlight of the tour for me. He is a bit older and although he hates it he is kinda like a big brother to me and helps me out so much! He pushes me heaps and there is no bad competitve blood between us which is epic!
You're both supported by Emerald Surf City in Cronulla. Dessie spotted your talent early in the piece, spotting you before anyone else realised your potential. How much support has Emerald given you along the way?
JH: Ah man, lets just say Emerald surf city has had my back since day one, he actually originally thought I was a blatant kook but for some reason took me in anyway. No australian trip I do to this day would be possible without Dessie's support and Im so grateful to them, Emerald has been paramount in my success. In other words, literally impossible without them.
Arica is a pretty mean wave. You're known for pulling some pretty tech moves over dry reef. Is El Gringo a wave that makes even an air maniac like you think twice?
JH: El Gringo is the most dangerous wave on tour. I am incredibly scared to hit the left, but I am usually pretty scared whenever I hit any big or heavy section, it hasnt stopped me yet.
You're riding for Turbo Surf Designs on a Turbo 5. Are you on a stock board we can all get from the shops, or have you had a custom unit made up for your comps?
JH: This year Im actually riding the Turbo 5 limited edition which is a board Turbo and I came up with together. It's a sick shape, great colours and features a sweet deck contour as well as a unique three stringer system Kingy and I both use.
It hasnt been released yet but I'm pretty sure what I'm riding now you will be able to buy 'as is' in the shops. I have no problem riding stock boards with Turbo, they are always up to scratch.
What core are you running in Arica?
JH: PP. Same always, dow is just to weak and Im not a fan of 3D. PP kills - speed, projection, power. The only place I felt a bit uncomfortable on it was at Luna's last month. Challenging to say the least.
Board technology is taking a few steps up. How are you finding the boards are lasting these days, especially under your big landings, compared to a year or two ago?
JH: Man, I go through boards incredibly quickly, I don't know if it's the way I land or what but they just don't last. That being said, out of all the boards I have had, the ones I had last year each last a fair while longer than anything in the past 6 years. So far this year I'm off to a bad start with two snapped clean in a month, but you get that on these big jobs.
The world tour - how are you finding the locations, format, judging, points system and locations for the GSS?
JH: Im just so stoked and blessed to be a part of it all. Im loving it. The new format is harsh, but sick because you surf 3 times. It can go many different ways thoug, poor form and you get embarrassed three times, surf your heart out three times you could still lose, win three heats feel like the king of the world. It's good and interesting!
Sixty40 mag is going digital. Kelly, Gareth, Sampi, Damo and the fellas there have been putting out a great hard copy issue for years. How are your feelings about it going digi and what benefits do you reckon it will bring to the South African bodyboarding scene?
(note to you, the reader - if you haven't checkedthe latest 'Voyager' issue of Sixy40 online - do! But only if you like fresh waves, killah stories, crisp editing and talented graphic design of course...... )
JH: I have not had to much contact with the boys lately. At the end of the day its cheaper to make and free to read, but for me I love print, its just so prestigous. Im 100% behind their decision though, aslong as South Africans have some kind of mag then I'm stoked!
Give me five words to describe each of these Saffa characters:
Wattsy: heart. caring. good manners. driven. silent achiever.
Spex: knowledge. sensible. tech as hell.
Mac: annoying. hilarious. unselfish. deserving. thinker.
Rat: compulsive liar. driver. calculated. shreds.
Kelly: works hard for free. legend.
Gareth: quiet. heavy metal. warm. plett.
Sampi: jawline. spanish wife. designer. wedge. legend.
Damo: studies. smiles, relaxed. good mind.
Cobus Bosman: Intelligent. tequilla. honest. real. entertaining.
Al Taylor: quiet. calculated. hard worker. father
Pik: Good looks. heart. yes man. love.
Si: one of my biggest supporters, the man.
Saffas seem to be getting the recognition they always deserved these days. What are few reasons you think this is happening?
JH: They want it and they're prepared to work for it. Work ethic is a key, globalisation of bodyboarding is another. Australians' eyes have extended further than the South Coast for the first time in many years. There are very good bodyboarders out there.
One of the things we're always impressed with it that, no matter how successful or how hard you ride, Saffas never let it go to their head. You guys are always a pleasure to hang with, ride with, have dinner with. What is it that keeps you all so level headed and bloody real?
JH: Thanks Doc, I think it's just an appreciation of life and just how lucky we really are. SA is a great place to grow up in but it moulds you in ways that other countries don't. Australians (if I had grown up there I'd be the same) take a lot of things for granted that I particularly don't. Take for instance, riding public transport, that shit is cool man! I cant do that at home. I can't just cruise around with my ipod in my ears, my little brothers and sister couldnt just go to the park alone and play because you always have to expect the worst. It's not like your gonna get shot at every second or raped and pillaged by the minute, but that stuff happens, everyday. So when we are crusing the streets of some faraway place, following our dreams, I guess we seem cool and happy because we are, genuinely happy. I don't know, it's the only reason I could really think of besides we're just all legends! haha
Big wishes for the tour Jerry, thanks for your time man.
You can keep up with Jerry at his blog http://jaredhouston.tumblr.com/
Don't forget to check out FLUIDZONE.COM for more pics of Jerry in action!
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