A New Standard in Craziness

Nathan Fletcher recently landed the cover of Carve Surfing Magazine tackling one of the heaviest sessions to go down in recent Teahupoo history.

There were plenty of folks calling his wave at Tavarua’s Cloudbreak in July, the ‘Ride of the Year’, that was before he freaked everyone out with the Teahupoo beast in August, where he set a new standard in craziness.

Now talking with ESPN, the dedicated surfer chatted about all things related to his art, his recent trips to various hotspots and what he hopes for down the road.

Q: We see you in Hawaii, Northern California, Southern California; where are you actually living these days?

Well, I guess I’m physically a resident of San Juan Capistrano. I spend the most time in Hawaii, and I travel out of Southern California in the summer. But mentally I’m not a resident of Southern California.

Q: How has big-wave riding changed in recent years?

It’s changed tremendously. It’s gone from a very tow-oriented focus to now, everything’s about paddle. There were so many huge days two years ago that it brought everybody together and we all started talking about equipment and strategy. Now all these people together have pushed it to where it is. But this is just the beginning of a new level of high performance big-wave surfing.

Q: What’s your take on big-wave safety and Shane Dorian’s new flotation invention?

I’ve always been a firm believer in making it as safe as you can. I’ve been wearing a paddle vest for the past 10 years, even when it wasn’t cool and everybody was calling me names. Slowly people have evolved. The ocean will always be stronger than any human, and it’s best to be safe because it’s not worth dying for. I want everybody to be safe. To see Shane wear his paddle vest for the first time at Himalayas, it’s incredible for somebody like that, with the name and recognition that he has to do what he’s doing. It’s long overdue and it’s going to help push the level of progression along even quicker.

Q: Thoughts on being considered one of the most well-rounded surfers around?

The only reason I can do all that stuff is because I love to surf. I grew up with my elders being kind of the first big-wave pioneers, so it’s upholding a family name and tradition. But it’s also just loving to be in the ocean. I love to watch the kids. I look at John John [Florence] or Shane, and they’re huge influences. If people want to think that, I’m more than grateful, but it just comes from wanting to be in the ocean whether it’s small or big, pretty or ugly. It’s the best thing you can do.

Q: What’s left to accomplish?

I guess being able to surf for my whole life — longevity. I want to keep surfing for the love of it and not get caught up in the other side of it. I don’t want to have the ego of a big-wave surfer or a small-wave competitive surfer. I want to be the surfer who does it forever, as long as I can, for the love of it, in all conditions.

Head Over to ESPN for the full story.

Check out the Carve Mag video here:

via: ESPN

Carve, ESPN, Nathan Fletcher, Teahupoo