Registered or Premium Member? LOG IN | Become a Member: TRY PREMIUM FREE
|
February 23, 2009
6502 visits
|
|
In surfing's competitive youth ranks, Jake Halstead is as legit as they come.
And at only 14 years old, Halstead has the type of upside you want in a competitor - a lot. The La Jolla up-and-comer is part of the brat pack that dominates the inside right at Windansea, and having grown up surfing the reefs and Windan, Halstead's style is pretty polished - and not just for a 14-year-old kid, for anyone.
|
|
A sleeper going into camp, this kid's a gamer who oozes a quiet confidence and should be one to watch on the Juniors circuit in the next couple years. Fresh off a WSA Prime series win in the Boys Under 16 division at Uppers, we caught up with Jake for a quick one on one. Where do you surf? I mostly surf the La Jolla reef breaks: Windansea, Big Rock, and Simmons. Sometimes I'll hike to Blacks. On south winds La Jolla Shores gets really fun. There's a pretty rich surfing history in La Jolla, especially at Windan. Talk a little bit about growing up surfing there. My Dad paddled me out at Windansea when I was eight years old. He's a local there so everyone was totally cool to me. There is a rich history for sure! There are so many great surfers that have come out of Windansea, like Bob Simmons, Chris O Rourke, Richard Kenvin. As for rippers that I see out in the line up there is Saxon Boucher, Peter King, Johnny Maher, Ian Rotgans, Derek Dunfee, Max Dias and Henry Hunt. Who do you surf with? Who influences your surfing the most? I surf mostly with a pack of groms at Windansea. We own the inside right. It is sick watching guys like the Rotgans' brothers, the Duponts and Max Dias who just rip Windan to shreds. "So far it has been an amazing experience for me. Joey Buran is a great coach, very encouraging and just good at what he does. I've made some really good friends on the team and the training camps have really pushed my level of surfing."
Halstead on his first-year experience with the PacSun USA Surf Team.
My first contest was when my Dad entered me into a small, local event that I won. Umm...That's a tough one, but I would rather surf the best freesurf of my life. Who's style do you try and model your surfing after? I really relate to Taj Burrow's surfing the most. I admire his power carves, and new-school airs and reverses. Is your backhand or forehand stronger? Which do you prefer? I think my forehand is stronger, but I really like backside tube riding; just taking off late and pig-dogging. Take me through your three favorite boards in your quiver and what conditions each board works best in? My all around performance board is a 5'7" squash tail Rusty EPS "Redline". It's just a nuggy board! I also have a 5'5" Rusty GTR small-wave board. It is basically a groveler for small contest surf. I have a 5'9" step-up board for traveling, or when the waves get big around here. If you had to ride one surfboard for the rest of your life, what would it be (shaper, dimensions)? I would ride my Rusty EPS "Redline" for sure. It's 5'7", 2" thick, 17.5" wide, with the FCS fusion fin system. Which local surfers do you look up to? I don't know, I guess I admire local guys like Johnny Maher, Ian Rotgans, and Derek Dunfee. They're nuts. Is this your first year on the PacSun USA Surf Team? What's it been like so far? The coach, the other kids on the team, the training camps? Has it made you better? Yeah, this is my first year on the Pacsun USA Surf Team. So far it has been an amazing experience for me. Joey Buran is a great coach, very encouraging and just good at what he does. I've made some really good friends on the team and the training camps have really pushed my level of surfing. You made the PacSun USA Surf Team travel squad as one of the alternates in the Under 16 Boys for the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Championships. What does that mean to you? I'm really excited and honored to be a part of the ISA travel team to Ecuador. For me, it is a huge opportunity to go and represent the USA Team against some of the best young surfers in the world. At 14, you're one of the younger competitors. What's your approach going into Worlds? What are you looking to take away from your experience in Ecuador? Going to Ecuador, I want to stay focused and surf my best and just learn from the other gnarly competitors. I'm hoping to get some really good surf, hang out with my friends and see Team USA bring home the gold! So you're home schooled. How does that work? Actually, I'm not home schooled, I go to San Diego Charter School which is pretty cool because I can do my school work around my surfing time. I know when I was a kid the best part about high school was the girls and the parties. It seems like being gone so much and doing the Charter School thing, you might miss out on that social element. How has the transition been on that front? Where I live all my friends hang out and surf together. Down here it doesn't really matter what school you go to, we all just hang out with the same people. Are you doing the new WSA Prime series? How are faring in those contests? How does it compare to the NSSA? Yeah, I'm doing the WSA Prime series in the Under 16 division. It is a pretty tough division this year, but I'm still pulling off some good results. 20 minute, four-man heats and good locations. Overall, it's a pretty sick series and I'm stoked to be doing it. What are your goals in the next three to four years before you turn 18? Pretty much, I want to just focus on my contest surfing, do some traveling to Indo and just have fun free surfing. I would like to win a National Title too. After 18, what do you think you'll set your sights on surfing wise? I don't know...I hope to be doing some 'QS contests and traveling the world to some mental slabs. QUICK HITS Guitar Hero or karaoke? Guitar Hero, for sure. Andy or Kelly? Andy. Dane or Jordy? Dane. I'd really like to go... skim board the Tijuana rivers. More than anything, I want to... work at Taco Bell. If I couldn't surf, I'd... be a pro scuba diver. SUP or sponge? Sponge, because I'm pro. The weirdest thing I've ever done... is sponged down my street in a hail storm. I hate... cold water. When I turn 18... I hope to have traveled to Indo. MySpace or Facebook? MySpace. If you saw my room... you would pass out! Before a surf, I usually listen to... my thoughts. Mac or PC? PC. I heard... that Obama is President. My worst fear... is sharks. I know... how to flat back people. Those are fatal! The best... is a surf with friends and Taco Bell. After I surf... I eat a Cheesy Double Beef Burrito. If I were... rich, I would buy an island. Want to see more from San Diego? Click here to go to the Surfline San Diego archive. MORE SURF NEWS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |