Registered or Premium Member? LOG IN | Not a Premium Member? TRY PREMIUM FREE NOW
|
November 3, 2006
|
|
In only his second year on tour, Timmy Reyes has managed to blow plenty of minds.
The speedy regularfoot from HB is making sure there are three Californians in the Top 16 this year, the first time that's happened since ... well, we don't remember that far back. Unfortunately, Timmy suffered a year-ending knee injury last week at the O'Neill Coldwater Classic. Surfline's Mike Cianciulli caught up with the 24-year old in between couch sittings to find how he was getting along.
The whole day the waves were pretty good. I don't really surf the Lane too much, it just so happened to be pretty good the last few days of the event. It was really glassy inside of the cove and along the cliff there was still a little backwash coming off the cliff. It made it really difficult sometimes and hard to read the wave. |
|
Previous
1 of 7
|
While coming up to do a floater, it was a pretty big wave and I missed the lip a little bit, I mistimed it as I was coming down freefalling with the lip. A little backwash came up the face and made my right foot slip off and my left leg was still on the board. My knee on impact with the lip came all the way down to my board. When I was still physically standing with one leg, my other leg was off my board. It was really painful actually. What was your diagnosis? Warren Kramer, a doctor and really good friend of mine, felt it and couldn't tell at first because it was so swollen. I got an MRI and found out they had to operate. I've never had an operation before, so I'm pretty scared but I know I'm in good hands. I also am kind of excited about getting the operation because then I'll be one step closer to getting better. I ended up tearing my MCL and ACL. My ACL is basically no longer. My MCL is holding on by a thread. But, hopefully I'll be back in the water here before too long. What's your timeframe for recovery? Hopefully I can get back before the Gold Coast or back for Teahupo'o next year. It all depends on how I'm feeling. It's going to be really stiff and hard to move. I'm going to be wearing a brace so I'm going to want time to surf before just going right into an event. So, you're definitely not doing Pipe? No, I don't think so. I can't push myself over that ledge this year. [laughs] "My goal next year is to make the Top 10. Hopefully it doesn't stop. I'm ready to make it. I'm ready to get a trophy next year, that's my goal."
-- Timmy Reyes
What have you been doing to occupy your time? I've been just taking it easy. Just cruising -- mostly on the couch. I feel good this week, so I've been gimping around with my knee brace, walking around the malls, getting some snacks and trying to move as much as I can while being really gentle. You've been having such a great second year on tour, how's it feel to have your momentum stopped at a WQS event? I love doing that event [O'Neill Cold Water Classic]. I think it's a great event and I was going to do it no matter what. It's just kind of crazy to do something pretty radical and hurting your knee at a 'QS event and not a 'CT contest because God knows only how many times I've gone over the falls on big waves and hit reef on tour. So doing it at a simple spot like the Lane is kind of weird. What'd you do differently this year on tour compared to your rookie year? I just relaxed this year. I felt last year I was surfing good, but wasn't relaxed and wasn't feeling confident. This year I've had that. I felt like my surfing was improving through the year. It feels like it takes so long to improve and everyone is such a good surfer. I'm working out more too. This year has been really, really good to me. I've lost against a lot of really good guys and had a chance to shine for sure. It must feel good to be seeded high enough to requalify. My goal this year was to make the Top 16 and it looks like I'm going to probably do that. I'm going to finish with the same amount of points that I have now, so it's going to be close but I think I've got it. Out of 45 guys, 16th is pretty good. I've always seen the guys in the magazines in the Top 16, Top 10 and Top 5. My goal next year is to make the Top 10. Hopefully it doesn't stop. I'm ready to make it. I'm ready to get a trophy next year, that's my goal. MORE SURF NEWS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |