Billy with his head in the shed earlier this year
This whole surfing athlete thing is a doubled edged sword. On one hand we admire their talent and part of that is respect for the hours they must have put in to get to where they are. The dogged determination.
On the other hand there's a bit of envy. Envious of their ability in the line up to make impossible sections. To somehow always sniff out wave of the day and make it look incredible. And the life they seem to live on social media [and in magazines back in the day] a seemingly perfect surfing lifestyle and chasing and scoring perfection.
Bill in the pool with Dave from Woody's Movement Workshop
Most of it is lies. Not big, hoodwinking, con artist lies; but a collection of insidious fibs. Hashtag livingmybestlife. Posting the happy ra ra stuff that the sponsors want the athlete to portray. Them in an idyllic setting, leaning against their vehicle. The fact the remains the vehicle is only on loan.
What you don't see behind the scenes is the graft. Our NZ top surfers couldn't do what they are trying to do without the support of family and friends. Exceptional support, supporting your kid well into their 20's or 30's. Partners holding down a job and paying the rent. The constant cap in hand drive to get funds to compete at the top level. Ending every year financially, where, if you are lucky, you started. Of course from an accounting point of view, that's going backwards. A year older and a year further away from your peers who have jobs and mortgages.
Billy and Ella at the press day getting their Olympic kit
Our 8x National Champion and first Olympic surfer Billy Stairmand is the prime example. He doesn't complain about it though, he just gets on with it. Ever affable, ever grateful to everyone that helps him compete. On the other hand, I am incredulous. I can't believe a proven athlete ...as in 8 National Open Championships and an Olympian has to graft.
Earlier this year chasing Coromandel gold
2021 is a massive year for Bill. He became an Olympian, went to Tokyo, but he also made the cut for the WSL Challenger Series. In a way it's a bit of a hospital pass. Straight off the bat from Tokyo he has to scramble to find the funds to get back to to America, Portugal, France and Hawaii.
Added to the work is Covid. Bill got back from Tokyo and the strict restrictions that were in place there, straight into MIQ for a fortnight. 24 hours of freedom before we were all plunged into Level 4 lockdown for another fortnight. When he returns from Hawaii he'll have to pay for another 2 weeks in MIQ.
Out of a month of no surfing, bet you he's doing this right now.
Now you could be all hard arsed and go 'That's his job.' And fair enough if he had any sort of salary, he doesn't. Long gone is that era for NZ's top surfers.
Anyway, I could bleat on about this for pages, bore you to death and the point be lost. The point is Billy scrambling to get the funds together to get on the World stage. Because of our current Delta situation, he has had to set up a Givealittle page. I think he's low balled himself only asking for 10K.
Bill, a few days before winning his 8th Open National Title January 2021
The Givealittle page is HERE.
I've done it, could you please help out our Champ too.
The Recreationalists: Intrepid Kiwis And Their Campers
YES, 4 pallets of the book have arrived on schedule!!!! That's kind of a thing aye. With Auckland in Lockdown for a few more weeks I don't know how that effects getting my mitts on them. BUT Pre-Sales are now open, and I have to say trucking along real nice- thanks fellas!!! As a bit of an enticement, Postage and Packaging is free. If you want to see the whole book, find out a bit more about it AND maybe just maybe take up the Pre Sale offer check it out HERE
From The Galleries
Piha Peak...ohhhh if only we could go play, soon my friend, soon. You can check it out bigger HERE