I'll be honest here. My limited wit is otherwise engaged today, trying to finish up the Power Rankings. Writing for PostSurf doesn't pay the Vodka bills - therefore it's rather low on my list of priorities. So I'm posting an interview I did with Roy Powers way back during the Mundaka contest. This is the rough equivalent of rifling through your kitchen cabinets instead of going grocery shopping, and then settling for a meal of canned artichoke hearts and Matzoh that's past its expiration date. Enjoy!
Roy Powers. Photo: Hodgson
Lewis: How does it feel to watch the same guy win over and over again?
Roy Powers: Kelly? He's a Fag! No, I'm joking, I'm joking. Ultimately he deserves it. Every heat he goes out there and he blows doors. Crappy waves, good waves. Fact of the matter is that guy's the best surfer in the world, and he's definitely proved it, and that's why he's getting another world title.
Seems like some of the guys are not taking it too seriously at this point in the season. What's your take on that?
If you're not doing the events, it's a disrespect to the people who are doing them, taking them seriously. And then there's the fans - they want to see their favorite surfer, and he's probably not here. But everyone has their own reason they don't want to be here. I'm enjoying myself, still learning, I'm still trying to learn this whole game. I'll be at every event, just try to get up in that top league.
Do you see Mundaka as an event that shouldn't be on tour?
Bottom line, what we're surfing right now, this is not a CT event. It's ridiculous. I was definitely a person who voted not (to have this event) just because there are other good waves in the world. What are we doing here? 200km away, France is probably a lot better than this. Why aren't there other CT events there, or Portugal? It's like having the Pipemasters in August, but knowing you're gonna end up at Sandy Beach. No disrespect to the wave, it's an incredible wave, but it's too inconsistent. We don't have time for that.
What would you say to Spanish fans who would perceive the pros as being spoiled?
That's what we qualified for - to surf perfect waves. Do you think race car drivers want to drive on a bumpy road? Do pro basketball players want to play in preschools? We qualified to surf in the best waves - that's what we signed up for, that's what we put our hearts, souls into. No disrespect to them in any way, I'm totally grateful we're here, being able to surf their premier wave, but if it's not breaking what are we doing? Just sitting around taking up their parking stalls. If anyone says we don't deserve to surf the best waves in the world, tell 'em to call me up, I'll meet you anywhere. That's bullshit. What I did, to qualify, to get to this level. It took a lot, not only for myself, but for my family, everybody. I take it really personal when people say we're spoiled. Fuck you. It's bullshit. We work too hard for people to criticize us so much with that. They think this job is a lot easier than it is - it's not that easy.
Some fans think everyone is making millions in surfing.
We're not all millionaires. There's probably 5 millionaires, maybe 7. The reality is I'm not struggling, But I still think about every month, making heats. We have families - I don't come from a wealthy family - my main focus is supporting my family, put food on the table, to be able eventually to help my parents retire. That's my main goal. It might be different for other guys but that's my main focus and I won't stop till I accomplish that."
Roy Powers at Mundaka. Photo: Kristin CI/ ASP
