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Feature: Nat Young Travels to Tahiti Prior to Billabong Rio Pro
Author: ASP World Tour
HUNTINGTON BEACH, California/USA (Tuesday, May 7, 2013) - Nat Young (USA), 21, has made a serious impression while opening up his rookie year on the ASP World Championship Tour (WCT). Following his 13th place on the Gold Coast, Young’s road to the Final at Bells Beach launched him to No. 6 on the ASP WCT rankings and placed him as the frontrunner among his rookie class. After a brief return home following Bells, Young traveled to Tahiti for the first time to initiate himself with the terrifying barrel before heading to Brazil for this week’s Billabong Rio Pro. Surfline.com was there to catch all of the action at Teahupo’o. This… is their story…
Did your hefty training schedule help redirect your focus away from the media bombardment? Honestly, when I got home I just did what I normally do, nothing more: train, surf a lot and just stay busy. Then I went to Tahiti to get some practice for the event there. So it's all been about preparation and keeping focused. I'm excited for the rest of the year. I want to do well.
Was the decision - going to Tahiti to prepare for the event after next, rather than getting to Brazil early-influenced by the Red Bull project or was it more aligned with your vision for long-term success on tour? The reason I went to Tahiti over Brazil is because Brazil's a beachbreak, so it's gonna be changing no matter what. Once I get there I'm just gonna have to adjust to it. Even if I went to Brazil last week, there would probably be completely different conditions for the contest. But Teahupo'o is probably the gnarliest wave on tour. I didn't want to show up there for that event and have it be 10 feet without ever having surfed there. It wasn't all about practicing for the event either. Honestly, I just wanted to go surf some fun waves without a jersey on. All of my trips have been for contests lately.
For the full Tahitian photo feature and interview with Nat log on to surfline.com
Watch Young take on Jeremy Flores (FRA), 25, and Raoni Monteiro (BRA), 31, in Heat 9 Round 1 of the Billabong Rio Pro, which commences May 8th.