Jared Houston Interview

“I love nothing more than for people to go 'Holy Crap, did you just see that?!?'”

I took a moment to catch up with Jerry, who’s been missed at SABA events since his departure earlier this year. Jerry has been making a name for himself in OZ, turning many heads while he’s trying to break his back. Checkout what he had to say about it…

Hey bud, we missed you at SA’s this year. Especially cause it was on the ‘Wes Kus’ and you could’ve taught some of us East Coasters how to ride those waves. Did you miss not being a part of the Reef SA Bodyboarding Championship 2009 or were you too busy preparing for other things?

Hey Bro! Too be honest I missed being at SA's so bad this year. This has been a pretty tough year for me being away from home for so long and SA's has always been competitive yet a time to relax and catch up with all your mates and degrade some Groms. Some of my best friends made the team this year and I would have loved to have been there to see them do well.

That being said, I love “Famous Last Words” and would really have loved to show North Beach a thing or 2 hehe, just kidding you boys Kill it!

So yeah, never too busy for what’s going on at home! SAFFA for life!

"South Africans freaking rip man"

Where you and what are are you doing at the moment?

I am in Australia! I have been here since June with a short stint in Bali in September. I came over for the Shark Island event, did terribly and decided I had to redeem myself by staying on and doing as much as I can to get noticed.

In all honesty, Oz is an epic place and it’s a Bodyboarders world here, so I will be here for a little while longer, it’s easy to make money to fund my dream and it’s good to be surfing with professionals on a day to day basis! At the moment, I’m split between working a labouring job in Avalon(staying with the man Nick Kruger) and chasing swells with the Cronulla crew(namely Glen Sullivan, Des Govender (emerald owner) and Rich Robson(He is filming my resume).All these guys have looked after me so well and I’m super grateful to them!

“It is safe to say that I will be doing every tour stop I can afford next year and that that’s only the beginning!”

You made a pretty big decision when you decided to stay in Australia and not come home, compete here and carry on with life in Cape Town. Is it safe to say that you will be joining Mark McCarthy and Andre Botha on the tour next year?

Yes it was a big decision, a very hard one at that too, my relationship with my girlfriend of 2 years ended shortly afterwards and I was devastated to say the least. I miss my family and my friends but you know what, I’m sick of seeing every promising bodyboarder from South Africa just fade off the radar either coz they're too scared, lazy or get mixed up in different things.

South Africans freaking rip man and there are a few guys that could have done really well, it takes a few years of hard work to get there, but that’s what it takes!

It is safe to say that I will be doing every tour stop I can afford next year and that that’s only the beginning!

Who else, in your opinion, should be making the effort to get on that World Tour for 2010?

Hmm, this is a hard one, there are a few guys who certainly have what it takes, it’s just a matter of what they want more, you know?

Wattsy is a machine and I think he could definitely do well on the tour, Ratt is another one. Adam Morley gets forgotten about all the time (sometimes his own doing) but he rips and is for sure capable of great things if he wants them. SPECKER, someone get him a proper sponsor and let’s see him right up there with Mark. Wez Fischer too!

As far as the younger crew goes, Terence is still the biggest standout for me and the freaking Ozzie groms would not know what hit them if he had to come over here! If he steps it up in the heavy water and wants it bad enough, big things could await him.

“Shark Island is something else. Believe people when they say it’s not as heavy as it looks, its HEAVIER. WAAAAAY HEAVIER.”

You did really well at the Shark Island Event this year; hopefully next year it can be part of the IBA tour again. What are the events you would choose to travel to and why?

Man, I was totally disappointed with my result but thanks anyway. I was not familiar with the wave at all and it shows, spending the amount of time there that I do now though will see me in much better position next year I think though. If the ‘SIC’ (Shark Island Challenge) sees me banned from tour again next year I most likely will not do it, but we will see.

Unfortunately I have to sit the first half of the year out (Pipe, Brazil and the BOX) due to my participation in this years Island contest. The first event I’m eligible for is Arica which I will be at come Hell or High water next year! From there on I will hopefully do as many euro events as I can, just to establish myself as someone who is in it for the long run and then on to the Canaries in Nov/Dec.

I also hope to compete in as many Oz Pro tour events as possible, they have amazing events and I’d really like to see SABA get too that level soon, we have what it TAKES!

I’ve heard from a couple of guys that the Australians are really taking a liking to you, for your style and willingness to bust. How have you found it fitting in there? Has it been easy to standout?

That’s really good to hear. That’s how it works over here, word of mouth, if you get people talking your on your way.

That has always been my main thing in Bodyboarding, I love nothing more than for people to go 'Holy Crap, did you just see that?!?!?!?', so in a way you could say its been easy, but on the other hand, hitting dry closeouts at Shark Island when all the boys are out is pretty scary so it all balances out.

I froth so much when I hear that people were impressed by me, like after that big vert out the Island on this one swell, Griz(Chris James) tuned me he'd heard from a bunch of guys that I’d been flying, which was really sick. Makes things worthwhile.

I am so happy to be where I am right now, not that I’m this super famous Pro or anything, just happy to be where I am. Grateful.

I saw the other day on Facebook that you had a fun session at Whaley. I really had fun there too and I’ve heard the Player brothers frequent it as well. What have been your favourite places to surf so far?

Yeah, that was a fun lil sesh, Ozzies Froth on craving/snap reverses in the pocket and I had some real steep, pretty tech ones out there that day so I was stoked.

I loved the Box, although I never got it all time, it was sick. Nuggan is lovely, so is Ozzie Pipe.Shark Island is something else. Believe people when they say it’s not as heavy as it looks, its HEAVIER.WAAAAAY HEAVIER.

On the first day of the island comp, myself, Pik and Adam Luehman were getting a few at low tide surge pre heat and Adam confessed that some of the ones coming through on peak were as heavy as Cyclops if not heavier. My Top 2 would have to be Shark Island and a wave down south that I'll call Griz's right ha-ha! Maddest air-bowls ever!

How does Australia compare to home for waves?

We are so blessed at home we have no idea. Oz is sick and probably has more to offer 20ft Reef wise, but the majority of my home breaks are world class in my eyes!

I’ve witnessed it before and would agree with most of the guys when they say that you are the one to watch when Tant is firing, so do you miss it?

Thanks bru. Tant is a very special place for me and I love it! I miss it very much; a lot of guys will argue its overrated and too short and blah blah blah.

Its a fat pit with a massive air bowl, If I may say so myself, my first session back there could be quite something, I have a few tricks up my sleeve.

“I wanna hit some MASSIVE sections at backdoor…”

In Durban, Mark Watts and Charles Pass have been preparing for Hawaii with great enthusiasm. Are you pretty excited to get back to the “Rock”? Have you got any other plans, maybe a stay over in Tahiti or something we don’t know about?

Ha-ha! Can’t wait for the Rock, love it there! So happy there are a good crew of Saffas going this year too.

I haven’t got any immediate plans like that, but who knows, Hawaii is still a month away, at the moment I am keeping a very watchful eye on the charts pertaining to a certain lunatic left (if you catch my drift) and hopefully it'll all come together soon, we have had numerous 'almost' days and the last one ended up being pumping so bummed!

But back to the rock, Bru, I am so pumped! So freaking pumped man, this year I wanna hit some MASSIVE sections at backdoor and just rip every surf I have over there, make it count you know?

Are we likely to see you at any SABA events next year?

Bru, I’ll be home in April, so organise Margate and Possibly CT for then please???Ha ha-ha, I would love to compete in those two and the rock, bring on the rock! Also, if I may drop a mad plug, for those of you who love the other side of Bodyboarding, the side that usually takes place at night, next year the IAMMONSTER crew (which I am now a proud member of) have got some real sick plans for Margate event! So be there.

Thanks Jerry,

Any shout-outs you would like to give?

I’d love to thank God (even though I have been such a rat lately and am not deserving of his grace), shout outs to my family, I miss you guys so bad.

My sponsors, SCIENCE CUSTOMS, LIMITED EDITION, IAMONSTER.

Kruger, Lisa, I love you guys thanks for everything! Riviera Hill yewwwww. Des at emerald (actually everyone at emerald) but Des and Lauren, thanks for letting me crash at yours all the time and for the crazy Chow! Doc, Rich, Griz, Luehman, SULLY, Turoy, Brendo, Pence, Ross everyone who has helped me in some way in oz!

Photos by Sacha Specker, Damon Crawford, Steve Jones, Jared Houston, Sixty40 cover by Maurice Aubuchon