Mid winter dips, media hustles, weather bombs and long lefts. It has been a crazy week. The cameras have had a work out.
A better writer would distill the week that was with a succinct thread. The reader would follow a clever theme. The obvious one here would be an insight into a lead up week for our two Olympian surfers, Ella Williams and Billy Stairmand. The week did go like that, but it's not the full story.
Here's what happened. Part-time flatmate Billy Stairmand advised that he, his wife Leana and the fur babies would be residing at their Piha room for a few nights. He was training with Dave from Woody's Movement Workshop and had meetings in Auckland. Later that day Ella texts 'I'm coming up to Piha for the Olympic Announcement, I'd love it if you came along and be a part of it.'
That evening Woody rang; 'Ceepage, I'm training Ella and Bill tomorrow, could you come along and get some pool photos? Oh and I've told Billy whatever he does, don't tell you what we are up to, so you should text him and wind him up.'
Naturally a text is fired off to poor Billy. 'I know what you're doing, how come you're barring me'.
First day, it is bleak. Winter is here. Squalls and rain rage on the ridge. Woody holds court with our two Olympic surfers, explaining how cadence breathing works. Then it's off to the pool to put theory into practice. Woody has asked neighbours Johnny and Anna and they kindly offered their pool. It's cold, colder than the Tasman. Ella and Billy comply with all Woody's instruction. It's very clear the two are eager and open to anything that will assist with Tokyo in a few weeks.
Day two, Billy is up and out. He's got temperature coaching at the Millennium. Tokyo, well more correctly Chiba, reaches temperatures north of 40 degrees. He's back in time for the Olympic Announcement at Piha Surf Club. The Nation's media are gathered, Radio NZ, Media Works, TVNZ and a whole bunch more. Barbara Kendal officially announce that Ella and Billy are representing New Zealand as our first ever surfers to do so.
It's kind of a big deal. The two are politely pulled left, right and centre for each and every media entity to get a piece. They both do so with aplomb.
There's a moment as we leave. Here are two surfers I've known since they were 9 and here we are, they are Olympians. At times I've bought into the anti surfing Olympic thing. I understand it. It's a vacuumous argument, sensationalists' click bait. If you sat down with Ella and Billy for a beer and really talked about the honour and pride they share for representing their country. Understood the dedication and commitment it has taken. Well, you'd have to be a pretty twisted unit not to buy in to the stoke.
Later that day the observed weather pattern is indeed panning out. It's agreed, move the party to Raglan.
Day Three; leaving, travelling, arriving. The swell on the Points is raw and icy. The hopes of an evening Ledge session are dashed. That's ok, actually that's more than ok, the idea of swimming out mid winter during a Polar Blast isn't too appealing.
Ava Henderson dealing adeptly with the polar blast
Larry Fisher on a borrowed 6'10 finding the gems in the rough
Day Four; predawn, 0.0 degrees in Raglan Town. The Points are warmer, 3 degrees. Ok, ok, I know you Mainlanders will be going harden up, there's snow on the sand here! It's all comparative, imagine what Chiba's surfers would be thinking, they surf in 40 degrees.
Iconic Manu Bay hangs
Da Boys!
This is the tide for the Ledge, this is why we are here, camera and waterhousing at the ready. Nerves are high. It's still solid, 6 foot plus, ok, yep, I'll swim that. Wait, what, where's the Ledge? The rawness of the swell pushes sets wide of the Ledge. It's not happening. The carpark is full of loaded guns. Locked and loaded and no where to go. Hours are wiled away, car park catch ups, waiting, hoping somehow the tide will do its magic on the swell. It doesn't.
Quite possibly the most wrongest situation ever... there is nothing good in this photo
The sun is out, the gears shift from expecting a barrel fest to enjoying what's in front. Billy paddles out. Lets get some work done. Shoot, lunch, resume.
Billy...trademark
Between surfs Bill's time is spent fielding calls from sponsors. Organising more training sessions, training, chiropractors, boxing, saunas, organising Olympic drug and covid tests. Next week he and Ella go into their very own Olympic lockdown before flying out. The quote; Covid adds yet another layer of organisational challenges applies.
Billy looks on as an absolute warrior buries rail on a creased beat up weapon
Just a casual lip check for Bill
Matty Bennet precise as ever
running out of things to say about Bill at this point
Dane Simpson, good to see ya mate!
The swell settling
An early dinner with Billy's best mates at Ulo's. As we leave Billy asks another patron to take a group shot. One of the lads pipes up, 'he's off the to Olympics'. The patron replies 'Oh Ok then' pleasantly but clearly doubting the claim.... they will never know.
The swell settled
Day Five, keep to the routine, up before the sun, caffeinate, surf check. The arse has completely dropped out of the swell, the Points aren't the go at all. The beach comes alive with tasty peaks. Wait for the tide. The identified bank is really good, Luke Cederman and Billy convince me to shoot from the land...but I don't wanna fullas! They are right though. The left hander has a rip on it, and multiple sections, it'd be super hard to line up with the water housing.
7.30 am surf checks
Tom Billington joined for the super fun beach session
Text book positioning from our 8x National Champ
Luke! The big fella flings his rig through the air of the session
Billy and his whips
We get more good stuff. Billy bails to do some admin, Luke spies another bank up the beach. We say our farewells, never good bye; see you later bro. As I trudge up the beach ramp the whole beach is firing. I chuckle, I know I should pack the camera away and go for a surf.
I'm done. I know I'm making a mistake turning my back on pumping waves. The lure of home and expectation that the home breaks will be good anyway is all too tempting. Back up the Waikato Expressway, sneak into the AK before 3pm gridlock. Home by dark.
Give Away Time
Both these 250mm x 380mm glicee archival prints are up for grabs FREEEE!!! As in one winner gets both! To enter the draw you must have a New Zealand postal address, sorry O/S peeps. All you have to do is SUBSCRIBE HERE And you are in the draw. The Give Away will be open to new subscribers too, the draw will be done Wednesday 7th July 9am NZT.