Sport
1News

New wave of surf talent using 'nads of steel', remote coaching

Young talent like Alexis Owen are using remote coaching to continue honing their craft - even if it means getting in the water in freezing temperatures. (Source: 1News)

To get the most out of a passion, one must be dedicated to their craft 100% - even when that passion is the sport of surfing and you face water in Dunedin that can get below 10 degrees Celsius.

"You grow nads of steel here," says teenage surfer Jake Owen.

"You gotta get used to these conditions."

His younger brother Alexis agrees.

"It's an everyday, all year thing. Even if it's cold you have to do it to become the world's best."

Because that's exactly what Alexis wants.

The Dunedin grom may only be 14 but with age group titles under his belt, even his parents are buying into that dream.

Rain, hail or shine they're filming his every move to help with his development.

"I need to pick up everything," says his father Rhys Owen.

"Like shots of him getting lower on his bottom turns and really vertical on his snaps."

The footage gets sent to New Zealand's Tokyo Olympic coach Matt Scorringe.

He compares Alexis's footage with the likes of Kiwi Olympic surfer Billy Stairmand.

Although Scorringe is based hundreds of kilometres north in sunny Mount Maunganui, thanks to Covid, remote coaching is the new game.

"It's really growing," says Scorringe.

"I'm helping a client in New York right now that I've just finished reviewing and it's just crazy what you can do these days."

After surfing's debut at the Tokyo Games, Scorringe says demand for his services at The Art of Surfing is now bigger than ever to develop the next wave of Kiwi talent.

In a sport where fun comes this easy, they hope the winning will come just as easy too.

SHARE ME

More Stories