Welcome to another e-interview for DKS and this time round its Big Island boy Spirit Herrington. Now personally I don't know much about Spears but what I do know is that he's one dedicated mother of a DK rider. So sit back and read on.....

NAME:
Spirit Uhane Herrington, some people call me Spears though.
 
AGE:
22
 
WHERE YOU FROM: 
A small town called Na'alehu on the south shore of the Big Island!!
 
WHEN DID YOU FIRST REALISE DK WAS FOR YOU: 
Are u kidding...lol From the start brah !  Yeah.. never really liked to prone.. plus it got kind of boring to me after awhile.. sooh i would say  that's when i really took the approach more
serious at the knee.. which was about when i was 13. Then after seeing Aka & roach killing it on the
Knee Unbelieveably  &  other dudes like  Raffi , Fred booth & kainoa  charging & Just doing the most dopest sh#t on knee was like the coolest thing ever to me & was really hooked from there!

Plus.. i  was kind of lucky growing up.. I had two older bro's who wereheavy into the knee also.. sooh they were also a big influence... definatley!  They still are too..lol & There both also sponsored, the oldest
cartel & the middle bro is with Custom X !

Yeahh we all just got sponsored this year one at a time though.. But super stoked still !


WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCES:
lol.. got a bunch but here's a few!

Aka lyman, Paul Roach, Mason rose, will george, Raffi meyer,  Kainoa mcgee, Fred Booth, Scotty Carter, Kyle maligro, Chris won... when he's on the knee, Eric elison, Bret Roldan etc..

AND YOUR CURRENTLY SPONSORED BY:

Toys Body boards, Custom X fins, Nuisance leashes, Transparent bb shop, Diamond 12  & I got russ from
662 throwing me some shorts every now & then!
ANY TRAVEL PLANS:
Yeahh..lol,  I really been wanting to hit the North shore & Down under where u boyz
are soon... yeah i got a fat tax return check & may be if i save up ill have enough to hit the
DKS up with u braddahz. Hopefully the north shore next season though! But other than that.. been thinking about hitting cali up & visiting raff for awhile & Whacking some of his breaks!

 
JUST A RANDOM ONE, BUT WHO DO YOU THINK WILL TAKE OUT THIS YEARS DK SESSIONS:
ahaha.. u put me on the spot brah! Hmmm... I dont know..lol thats a tuff one.. well hopefully
any of the braddah's from hawaii & off the top of my head i would have to say Mason.. or dane pope... maybe that kid dylan.. i heard he's pretty dope on the knee!?

WHEN YOUR NOT HACKIN LIPS, WHAT DO YOU DO:
just trying to survive...lol & usually working, doing construction to make that dojo!!  other than that probably just..Camping, cruising, partying, with my homies & my chick at home.. Also love to hit up the space on my spare time..lol  & upload fresh shot's for the boyz like u guys who love & support Drop Knee just as much as i do!


ANY SHOUT OUTS:
Yes.. first & foremost  MAD RESPECT & LOVE goes out to Aka Lyman  Will George &  tOyS...THE BEST BOARD'S EVER!!!  Love u guyz to death !!!!!! Also  some more mad love to the rest of my sponsors , friends  familly & loved ones : Debbie at Custom X for being such an awsome sponsor, Raffi  Meyer, jordan stallard at Nuisance,  jackie  at Transparent,  Diamond 12 & my beautiful girl friend Deslynn for all the love & support over the years for my passion i what i love to do & also for all the hard work getting shot's and sticking it out for da boyz!!!! My two older braddah's for being such huge influences also in my dk & Paving the way for me.. along with
a bunch of  other boyz who really inspired me!!

And last but not least..  U CLAY & DKS definatley!!! ..ahahhah & The Dk4life braddahz, micah & evan.. for also the mad love!!!

U guys are the best brah!!


FINISH THIS SENTENCE, A GOOD DK RIDER.......
Is Humble & Has style AND POWER..lol & also  the mental caplebilty to make it look clean.. & just being Innovative & universal  by being able to go either way &  killing it,  weather it's Dk airs or Big snapps, Floater's or whatever.. u know !?

Ahh well thanks for having me &
I appreciate all the support  braddah clay!!

Dk4Life!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well here he is(thats seamus in the zone!).....DKS thinks this guy is the most under-rated photog/videographer in the world! His name is Seamus Makim and he is as humble as your mummas pie. DKS and Seamus first came together at the Cloud 9 Super Tour event. DKS just had to set aside time to ask Seamus a few questions about life, times and bodyboarding from around the globe so sit back and enjoy people.........

Q. As we usually start an interview here at DKS, we like to ask you to tell us a bit about yourself to enlighten the readers of who you are and where your from, so what's the Seamus Makim story?

A. Well, I spent the first 15 years of my life shooting roos, driving utes and ridding horses all day near a small country NSW town called North Star, would be at least 12 hours by car to the beach, so I never had been. At 15 I moved to Sydney to finish school. Boy that was a shock. Traffic lights, even traffic! People everywhere from everywhere, huge buildings and the ocean and beaches.

Was scared shittless of the waves, id never seen so much water and this stuff moved! For some strange reason though I just kept going back, getting drilled in the shorey, but then I was just hooked. Pretty much changed my life and my personality for the better. Taught me a lot about respect for all and that your not as good as you think you are and shouldn’t judge others because of what you think of yourself.

I bought my first video camera and housing just as Tension 1 came out, and was in the water everyday after school finished just filming mates and having fun. I wasn’t doing it for coin or a job or anything, didn’t even cross my mind, it was just sick to film my mates and make them charge harder and then watch the footage after and learn how do it better. That’s the best thing I always learn something.

To follow what I love and just do it no matter what has been the best decision of my life, the places I’ve seen, the people I’ve met, the waves I’ve surfed and more importantly the memories/photos I have on tape and film, what else are we here for, you gotta enjoy it.

Q. So how did you get into the sport?
A. like I said before, I was pretty intimidated by the ocean and waves and fully wouldn’t go out past knee depth! My mates were all surfing and my step dad was a good kneeboarder back in the day from Dee Why, so they just made me get over the fear and get out there and have fun. Since then im totally passionate about bodyboarding and live and breathe it and keen to do what I can to put back, cause that’s what its all about it is sharing the many fun times and experiences, giving back and spreading the good word.

Q. Now some people would know you from your worldwide travels and know that you spend alot of time overseas, where do you base yourself O/S?
A. Im lucky enough to have  been traveling non stop now since 2000. The last 6 years though kind of keep to the routine of 6 months northern hemisphere winter and then 6 months southern hemisphere winter. I spend most my time in the Canary Islands and Chile and come home when I can.

Q. Canaries has been good to you in regards to waves, people and photos/footage, how did you come about this place and what do you like about it so much?
A. Ending up in the Canaries was a total gift from I don’t know who or what, maybe my ex girlfriend who I packed everything up and leave to the UK for. That didn’t last, but I wasn’t just going to bail back home, so I found a job in London and worked nearly a year as a cameraman assistant, just making coin and drinking too much, no waves for a nearly a year! I remember saying to myself I couldn’t imagine myself with out surfing longer than a week! Anyway I was non-stop working until one day I had two weeks free, and I had to get out of London. I was like im going surfing but need sunshine and warm water and uncrowded surf, I thought morocco is close and hot and heard here were waves, I checked a weather map and there was this fat red blob of swell hitting morocco, but I noticed some islands further out getting more swell than morocco and thought shit if morocco has waves then there has to be a wave on these islands. So I just blindly booked y ticket to the closet island to morocco and went. I remember flying over the island and freaking at all the potential setups. I landed and rang my mate in England and said I love this place already. It’s such a special place, with this strange energy, and super strange landscape, but waves are a dream and once you get to know the people there are some of the most real, honest, friendly people. You do have to prove yourself a bit, cause they are so used to heaps of "gente de fuera" (people from outside), but if you make the effort and are chilled, genuine, helpful and respectful its insane the experiences you will have. I guess that goes for anywhere around the world.

Q. You also were invited to film 2 Super Tour contests a while ago being the Cloud 9 and Hawaii comps with cracking waves in the Phillipines, how was that?
A. Shit man to go to the Philippines and Hawaii to film the super tour comps in 2002/03 was a huge experience totally unexpected. I remember checking fluidzone and seeing that the next stop after indo was the Philippines! I was like damn there are waves there too? A few days later I get a call from Tristan Barfield saying he had heard about me filming and asked if I was keen to come in and have a chat to maybe going to the Philippines! Shit yeah and two weeks later I went.

Cloud 9 is out of control such an insane wave, and soooo good for bodyboarding. From the first day it just pumped, and in two weeks I don’t remember a day not surfable (which is rare as many a person since have been skunked). I learnt a lot in the Philippines, I learnt to totally let go and relax in any situation filming, and found this stamina I didn’t even knew I had, I pretty much was in the water all day, everyday for two weeks running on adrenalin and just to get as many good shots as I could and then the next day trying to get better ones. Was a lot of editing he he.

Hawaii was another step up for me. Living and surfing around tama and down south there aren’t too many setups that could compare to Pipe. I was pretty nervous going there to film, from hearing all the stories and  watching footage. But I just concentrated on swimming a lot and training, and see what happens. First day I bodysurfed and checked the setup out, lined up houses n trees and parts of the reef stuff like that, but really it all depends on the day. The comp was on and it was sick, 8-10ft and perfect, I just ran in and didn’t come out till it was over, such an incredible wave. Jeff Hubb won that comp, his first time, and the second and last comp I filmed at pipe he won again and the world title.

Q. You have obviously seen a huge mix of riders all around the world, so who's cuttin the mustard at the moment?
A. Man there are so many freakish charging technical kids out there, it’s so great to see. Every time I come back to OZ there is a new kid on the block just surfing way beyond their years, its great. For me though I have always thought of Australian bodyboarders as the best, totally bias I know. Id say here in oz , the top fellas just keep raising the bar and charging the biggest stuff im sure most of us have ever seen. I can’t see where it will reach its limit. You hear people say that’s too much or the most nuts thing they have ever seen, but next year there is some charger doing something double what you were frothing over last year, its crazy scary and exciting all in one.

What’s really cool is that when I started traveling and hanging out in different bodyboard cultures, it was nuts to see the motivation and performance matched or succeeded what I was used to seeing back home. The Canarians from the first day blew me away, it was like going to another planet and bodyboarding was there too. They were a little conected to what was going on in the rest of the world or "mainstream" but really they had their own style and world and perception of the sport and just did their own thing and how they thought of doing it. That’s part of the reason why I love it there. They way I see it the more rippers out there on the tour from all around the world making the sport more international the better, so I do my best to help them out.

Also now mainland Europe have some real good riders and they are pushing everyone, for example Amaury and Pierre. Just totally dedicated motivated bodyboarders gong nuts and doing it with style.

Q. Now being a DK site, we have to ask you the similar question as the one above, who yur fav DK rider/s right now and why?
A. Right now the DK fellas cutting the mustard id say would be guys like Mason, Maloney, Dubb and Lackey. Last year though in Hawaii I was real impressed with seeing Kim Feast, Bud Miyamoto, and Leroy Kaiwi. I had only heard about them until seeing them in maui06 and the expression session at pipe07, and it was pretty solid and just sick watching the guys fully going for it. I wish I could se Jack, AKA and Roach surf  in the flesh though, would just consolidate skill and power of DK.

Q. I believe you are in the finishing stages of your new website as well, give us the run on that?
A. Yeah im just working on my site with a good school/surf mate, Dave Kaziro from decreate design. I left him in the Canaries, but hope to have it up and blowing minds end of the month haha. It’s basically a place where I can document my travels/stories and archive all my previous work and all the crazy things to come. Got some plans for some more travel soon, I can’t stay in one place too long.. yet ;) www.thephluidity.com and www.decreatedesign.com  yeah plugs.

Q. Any shout outs?
A. Yeah gotta thank Mother Nature and her power and beauty. The family, my mates from OZ, Canaries, Hawaii and Chile cant wait to see you all soon. Thanks DKS and Clayton keep on spreading the good word.

Q. Lastly mate, will we see you at DKS this year?
A. Mate you tell me when and where and ill be there. yewwww

Now I know what your all thinking, "this is supposed to be a DK ONLY site, why the *uck is there prone photos on here" ... well this is just some of the super work from this freak and it certainly shows that DKS is quite able to spand its minds in the eye of the beholder.

Cheers Seamus!!  

Well we thought it was time to hassal another fantabulous DK rider for our profiles page and here he is... Jake Sharp!

Hailing from Coffs Harbour on the NSW coast in Oz, we take 5 with the humble goofy footer who just simply tears bags in any conditions,and here's what he had to say...

Q: Ok jake, just to let everyone know where are you from and what do you do?
I've just finished building a house in Coffs Harbour with my fiancee and were both stoked about it. As a job I co-manage a surf store in Coffs Harbour. It's called Coopers Surf Australia and there are actually 4 store's in the area with one of them being the largest single story surf shop in the Southern Hemisphere. Owned locally and run locally.
Q: So where do you usually surf at home? 
I usually surf a nice wedgy break called Gallows that is straight offshore in a northerly. But one of the best things about Coffs is that you can surf other breaks in a southerly wind that are offshore within 10mins of Gallows. Even though we don't get as much swell as other places north or south, we do have variety. 
Q: And how long have you been DK'n for?
Since I was about 20 ( bit of a late starter ). But I've been surfing since I was in high school.
Q: Now, contests have been pretty good to you in future years..give us a history on some results?
Good to me?............How many times do need to come second to Grant Maloney?????...( Only kidding! ). Grants a great competitor and I always enjoy surfing with him. I've had some decent result and would like to think I surf consistently, but generally the best part about comps, for me, is surfing. Doing nothing but eat, sleep and shit surfing. Maybe that's why when I've really needed to do well at a particular time in a particular event, I haven't had my comp head on. I try to comp surf the same as I free-surf and that doesn't always work. Or maybe it's just that the other guy's are tearing the bag!
Q: So do you think that people should judge you from your results? 
Well..........That's a tough one. If you were to rate someone like Lackey on his comp results, you probably wouldn't talk to him on the street. But he has done more for DK in Australia than anyone else in the past 4 years. Ever since you first starting seeing in in mags and in movies, every DK grom wanted to throw tail, ride barrels and draw smooth lines like Matt. On the other hand someone can win numerous comps and DK titles while being judged by a select few who may or may not even dropknee...I think both sides of the sport are equally important and people will always judge others on their results in both comps and free surf. It's just human nature.
Q: Who do you hang/surf with?
Like most surfing communities, I have a close knit circle of friends that hang out and surf regularly. Tico, Macca, Doggie, Dos, Nemo, Hansford, Jacka, Banshee. Just a few names from the motley Harbour crew. Most of the time I'll go surfing by myself and someone will be down the beach surfing.
Q: Beer or Wine?
Mainly Beer. I'd like to think I was sophisticated and could so I don't mind a nice chardonnay or a cheeky red, but really I'm a 2 can screamer and wine goes straight to my head. I bought some wine from a winery in the Hunter Valley a few years ago and haven't touched a bottle yet.
Q: Who was your first sponsor?
My Dad was my first sponsor ( as it is for most kids surfing ).  I've never really chased, looked or been approached by a sponsor. I've always done it for the fun and never really tried hard enough to gain sponsorship or involve myself in the sport that way. Don't get me wrong free boards and some coin would be good, however I'm not sure that I could provide a sponsor with the criteria they desire or justify them putting their time into me. No dramas.....still love to DK.
Q: What type of board do you like(shape/size)?
I like a DK template with a narrower nose and a lower wide point ( around about 22 to 24 inches down the board - just under the knee ) Anywhere from 41.75 to 42.5 inches long with a nice curve from the wide point to the nose. Not to much volume in the nose area but something that is stream line. I've ridden QCD boards for a while now and really like the quality of materials and the expert shaping that Todd and Jarrod provide. Turbo seem to have the ball rolling on a similar path and I'm sure they will do well.
Q: What do you think that Bodyboarding or DK in general needs to do different in the future?
DK riders in general need to stay progressive and not lose sight of the versatility of the discipline. Instead of 1 or 2 move waves, linking manoeuvres and surfing the wave more is necessary. Multiple moves and quick transitions (while still going big) allows for progression and a faster more radical approach. Aka Lyman and Paul Roach to me are the master's at this. Even though they go big all the time, they still link their moves and surf the wave with multiple moves which is amazing to watch.
Q: Who are your biggest peers from home and abroad? 
I've always loved the old school like Roach, Aka and Ballard ( just to name a few ) but the new school Aussie guys like Lackey, Mason and Maloney are just as inspirational to me. I've ridden stand-up most of my surfing life as well and respect and admire that disciple as well, but the sponge and it's appealing qualities have always been my passion. In general, just surfing with friends and pushing each other to excel is what I love. My friends are my biggest peers.
Q: Who's dominating right now?
Well guys like Mason and Lackey are getting alot of exposure ( and bloody well deserved ) and seem to be taking the sport to a new and exciting level. However in competition, I think Grant Maloney has set the bench mark for sometime now. Consistency, flow and power are the ingredients that he has adapted to his competitive surfing and it has given him an edge over fellow surfers in the competition arena. I respect that greatly and I can't see him slowing down real soon.
Q: Any shout outs?
To all the crew around the globe getting up and pushing the jack stance to it's full potential. Getting custom boards that are purpose built and realising that the right board can enhance the experience and develop a riders ability and skill level. Mainly I'd like to shout out to every grom giving it a go and mixing it up.
Q: Lastly...is it about the money or the cred?
Well if it was about the money, my manager would probably be doing this for me while I was booking my tickets to indo on my diamond encrusted gold laptop. No seriously, surfing always been about enjoyment to me so neither really interest me but I respect and admire the guys that have made a career from the sport and the companies and individuals that have helped them. They are the ones that you read about and get stoked on all the bullshit photos and dream of being there to experience that.
Thanks Jake and see you at Forster on the 2nd August!    yew.......

     

THIS WEEKS RIDER PROFILE IS NONE OTHER THAN THE BOYS BEHIND TOYS

AKA LYMAN AND WILL GEORGE SPELL OUT A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YA'LL! enjoy..

DKS: Hey Will/Aka, firstly let me say a big "Congrats" for starting up this brand on behalf of DKS and all DK riders in general. How has it been going so far?

AKA: Thanks for that! Yeah it's been good, I make Will do most of the work , hahaha.
It is good to see good DK riders that like our stuff.

WILL: LOL yea I do most the work. Everything up to now has been good.
We have been getting a good response from people and that's a good start.

 
 
DKS: Will, you have just returned home after some time on Aussie soil, how did you find here?
WILL: I love Australia!!! The people , waves , food , beer , I loved
it all! That  was my first time there. The Gold Coast reminded me of
Hawaii a little with the weather and water temp.
I got treated so good by everyone and that was rad. I want to say what up
to my Aussie family: The Leon's, Lackey, the Omrode Family, Mason, Dbah krew , Liam , Toby  , there's more but that's all the work my brain will do for now.

 
DKS: Most people wouldn't be aware of how it all started, so can you fill us in?
AKA: I started tOyS about 10 years ago. It never really got off the ground and it was over and done with in about 3 months. we ran a few ads and stuff like that , yet the business side of things was not done right and it was over quick.Then last year like in February of 2006 Will and I were just chilling at the house , I was telling Will we should do something. He told me he would be down for what ever , so tOyS begun! This time we made sure everything is done right and it has so far. The best way I can tell everything is going the right direction is the tOyS boards in the shops are grade A+ quality goods. That's makes me happy to see. We have really only been in business like 6 months or so cause from the time Will and I decided to do this till it actually got off the ground took quiet a while.
                                     
 
 
DKS: You also have a pretty powerful team right now, do you have any other riders in sight?
AKA: I think we had the team before we even had the company , LOL. There are a few more people I would like to have on a tOyS board...

WILL: Yea all the team is Aka and I's really good friends so as soon as they new we were doing this it was not even talked about them riding for us it was a given. Everyone said I'm down , now get me a board... I can think of a couple people I want to see on the team Roach , Lackey , Mason , Booth , Toby. See part of the deal being on the krew is you have to be in are krew , are circle of friends you know. Aka and I are just lucky cause all are friends happen to be good , really good!
 
 
DKS: Aka, how has this venture been for you?

AKA: I'm really enjoying it. For me now I'm all about family and doing stuff with the wife and kids. Last summer the whole family went to California to ride that Wave House , hat place is sick! The best part was getting to catchup with some old friends and get to ride that wave with my kids. There getting to be the age now where I can enjoy the ocean with them more. That is the part of tOyS I'm really digging is seeing my kids have fun in the water.

DKS: AKA, In regards to growing up at Sandy's and all the great Hawaii waves, who was your favorites when you grew up being that bodyboarding was relatively new?

AKA: I'm actually not from Sandy's side of the island. I'm a North Shore boy!
I grew up on the North Shore went to school there and all that. The spots I grew up surfing were leftovers and OTW/Insanities. I spent a lot of time at Sandy's and live there now cause that's where my wife Shawnee is from.
So as of now and about the past 12 years Sandy's , the South shore have been my home. The guys I looked up to were Kainoa mostly. I really looked up to his surfing when I was starting. Then also guys like Keith , Tharin Rosa and Dean Marzol. Yea The sport was just really growing when I started so it has been cool to see all the changes.

DKS: And the new school dudes,who's got game?

AKA:  I think guys like Mason Rose , Matt Lackey and Eugene Texiera are all really good from the younger dudes.

WILL: Yea I got to go with Aka's choices on this one , oh and I met this kid in Australia  named Dylan. Hes one of Lackey's side kicks. Hes only like 17 I think , hes got a good start.


DKS: And the ToYs vid,whens it look like reaching the shelves?

AKA: Ask Will...

WILL: Ask Aka... , LOL no date set as of yet still gathering footage. We will be done with it when its ready . It will be worth the wait...

                         
 
 
DKS: Will, who did you grow up looking at as the hottest in DK?

WILL: The first DK thing I ever saw was of Jack. I was like wow I want to DK. Then I saw Keith and that totally changed everything for me. Keith had style in and out of the water and was just a bad mother fucker. After Keith , Kainoa came along and was the first time I really saw a goofy footer with style. Same thing with Kainoa , he was just a bad leather Raider cap gold chain wearing mother fucker and I loved it. Then to seal the deal Aka and Roach came along and finished the circle for me. Aka and Roach really took everything to the next level. They blew my mind with the shit they did and the style they had and still have. Those four Keith , Kainoa , Aka , and Roach are who I still look up to. I have to also through in Raffi and Simon Mason. It's all about the style...
 
 
 
DKS: Working with Pete (PMA) must be great, you really have to rely on a good shaper these days to produce good product?
AKA: Pete is a cool dude and is one of the best shapers , so were really lucky.
WILL: Yea I had never been on one of Pete's boards till we started tOyS. Aka said Pete is the man so I said OK and it has paid off.
 
 
DKS: Finally, all of us here at DKS have one burning question.....will you be coming out for this year's tour?
AKA: I would love to yet I will be in New York for a BaseBall tournament for my oldest son.

WILL: I'm not sure yet. I have not entered a contest in over 10 years , we will have to wait an see...

DKS: Cheers boys and thanks for your time. Lets hope to see you both out here soon for the DKS! 


BUD MIYAMOTO

"The new kid on the block"

Welcome to the next instalment of our "Rider Profiles"

This week DKS caught up with Kauai ripper Bud Miyamoto and this is his story..

DKS: So Bud tell us a bit about yourself?

BUD: Well i'm 22 yrs old,born and raised on Kauai and lived there ever since. I have 2 kids in Namaka(7) and Jurney(2) and my wife-to-be Tierra. I work construction on Kauai and i'm stoked with my family.

DKS: What got you into the sport and why DK?

BUD: Well when I was a grom I was always at the beach and my dad was a surfer. I actually started riding a surfboard until about 10yrs old when i took up bodyboarding because it was more fun and I could do more tricks and stuff. Then I started watching video's of Kainoa and Roach and I started to DK then and I kinda caught on quick cause I used to surf.

DKS: What does Bud do in his spare time?

BUD: during the week I just spend time with my family but any chance I get I am usually in the mountains Bow Hunting or hunting wild boars or goats, but thats when i'm not surfing!

DKS: There's alot of guys pushing the limits right now, who do you like and why?

BUD: Dubb is always consistant and does sick turns and rides barrels realy well, Leroy Kaiwi charges massive waves like second reef which is mental and his switch stance is solid as well. There are some aussie guys as well like Mason Rose with his sick airs and if you know me I love DK airs and he's just been rippin the last few years in Hawaii. A couple of others are Grant Molony and Kim Feast,there footage is unreal.

DKS: Your starting to build up a bit of a reputation for yourself with some good footage and photo's, where do you see yourself in the coming years?

BUD: Hopefully making more money bodyboarding so I dont have to be busting my ass doing construction to pay the rent and bills! I just work and spend time with my family so hopefully in a few years I can be full time bodyboarding making more money doing what I do best!

DKS: Whats your favourite grinds after a big session in the surf?

BUD: Hawaiian food, Laulau, Kalua Pig, Poke or some good bbq foods like steak and chicken..yeah all the good stuff!

DKS: Any plans for a trip down under?

BUD: Not as yet but the DKS Tour sounds sick so ill try and get there and see the world's best in action. Hopefully I can get to Tahiti this year cause I went last year and didn't really score but got some fun waves.

DKS: Generally in the DK world its pretty important to be rated by your peers, so how does it feel after the Riptide Peer Pole this year?

BUD: I'm really stoked to make the pole and it's really important to me. Super stoked that guys are supporting the Hawaiian DK guys because I think guys dont know how good they really are at DK!

DKS: Finally, who is hotter....aussie or usa chicks?

BUD: NEITHER! the hottest chicks are hawaiian especially my hunny!!!

Thanks Bud and we hope to see you here in Oz sooner rather then later.

Who will be next weeks mystery rider??

 

BOOOOM! Keith still jammin' out the style!

Keith Sasaki!
Who better to start off our profiles than legendary DK pioneer Mr. K. Sasaki.
DKS caught up with Keith in a tiny studio appartment in Maui and here's what he had to say,
DKS: So I guess it's no surprise to most that you are now based in the south of France, what's it like there and where do you surf?
KEITH: Winter is hard, being so cold. When I first arrived 16yrs ago no-one surfed in dead winter, I was the only one. Today, you find more people to surf with but when it gets over 6ft I'm the only one out! My favourite time there is spring, water is still chilly and the waves are still powerful but the days are longer and swells cleaner. I surf breaks in Anglet(next to Biarittz)no hassals, good clean surf, jetties, otside sandbanks, tubes etc...nice surf.
DKS: Being in pinot country,whats your favourite wine?
KEITH: Can't afford it anymore! I love a good Chateau Haut Brion or Cheval Blanc, nice Pessac Leognan. Still I find satisfaction in a 10euro bottle as well!! It's experiencing new tastes. Frence wine is nice, Spanish good, Portugese excellent and Californian not so bad..OPUS ONE.
DKS: You judge and commentate alot around Europe, is there any rippers over there?
KEITH: There are many riders that rip, like Pierre Costas who could be world champ one day, Hugo Pinheiro..I dont remember all the names but there are many good riders here. Europe has many different types of waves so there are alot of different styles, some good and some are shocking!
DKS: Why was DK good for you/ why did you choose that over prone in the early days when it wasn't really established?
KEITH: I first saw a photo of Jack Lindholm and thought it was cool. I rode maybe 3 waves on prone and then went the knee, that's why I suck at prone! I also admire surfers such as Shaun Thompson and Mark Richards. I also wanted to be different, always have and still do!
DKS: You've been on the knee for most of your life, so how do you see it today compared to when you kicked off?
KEITH: Good and bad, In my day I think we held the rail better and carved it.Dont get me wrong, Mason/Lackey and Kim Feast are ripping it up and I respect them 100% but it's hard to compare though. Look at the old photo's of Jack charging pipe on the super flexi boards, that's f..king skill!
DKS: I suppose there weren't many people to look up to on the DK front when you started, so who do you like now and why?
KEITH: As I said, Mase/Lackey/Feast are all pushin' it to the new level but still I cant go past sittin on the beach watchin' Jack. I also give props to Kainoa,Roach and Aka.
DKS: What is your favourite wave right now?
KEITH: The Club at Anglet(france) just because it's my local break. I get any wave I want, with good peaks right and left, loads of power and sections.
DKS: Who were your rivals in the erly days?
KEITH: Stewart, Severson, Caldwell, Lindholm, JP Patterson...enough said! We were the original 6!
(Pat Caldwell/Ben Severson/Mike Stewart/Keith)
DKS: Anything you would like to say?
KEITH: Enjoy..for you young kids,stay in school..learn..listen and respect others. Keep an open mind and if you ever see me, come up and say hello!!
Cheers Keith and keep up the DK love!
Next week DKS speaks to the ever impressive new kid on the block....
Find out next week!