ADVERTISEMENT

Kai Otton

Locks and Barrels: Brittany Throws a few curly ones at Kai Otton.
Locks and Barrels: Brittany Throws a few curly ones at Kai Otton.

LOCKS AND BARRELS: BRITTANY THROWS A FEW CURLY ONES AT KAI OTTON.

By: Tracks Mag | Photo: Nathan Smith

Favourite mistress after the ocean and the female form?
My futon/couch. We named it The Black Widow it gets used so much.

What’s your favoured brand of wash for your curly locks?
To be completely honest I hate to wash my hair. Saltwater works best. I wash it once a month. But when I buy shampoo it’s Herbal Essence.

What’s your big night/morning after recovery process?
Two Mersyndol tablets, sleep and those Acai nutrient water drinks. I know they are a crock of shit but they are so tasty cold.

Ever had any scary plane experiences on the way to a comp?
Not to a comp but once when I flew to Adelaide with Jarrad Howse the wind was so strong it sent the airplane in on a crazy angle just as we were about to touch down. I was above the wing and it looked about five inches off the ground. SCARY!

Kai Otton doing his best Michael Hutchence impersonation. Photo: Nathan Smith

Best free Surfing memory?
The day of my year 12 half yearly maths exam – 1997. Surfed all morning on the craziest right-hand sandbar down home and rocked up five minutes before the exam started. Still the best-shaped beachies I have seen down south to this day.

We’re seeing a bit of bro-mance on the tour. In terms of bro-ing down: How far is too far for you?
Well Tom Whits was missing his fiancé Yol’ a lot in Tahiti this year. I caught him trying to break through my mozzie net but I told him to beat it. Then when I woke up, him and Dayyan were spooning. Your guess is as good as mine.

What do you think Damien Hobgood’s response to that would be?
[tentative] A slow Floridian drawn out laugh.

Favourite style of threads?
My Insight clobber of course – they even make bangin’ track pants for down south haha…

What tunes are bending your ear at the moment?
One Day As A Lion and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

What’s your preferred archetype in the female persuasion? Legs, hair, eyes?
Legs into kicker.

If you had to choose a girl to play you in a surf vid who would you choose?
Pam Burridge.

Did you ever to dominate in any video games as a tigger?
I was okay at street fighter. Not amazing.

If the surf was ridiculously good and was only holding up for an hour but there were a bunch of models needing a tyre change on the side of the road, what would you do?
I’d surf. I’m yet to meet a cool model. That’s yet, I’m sure they are out there. Changing a model’s tyre wouldn’t assure you of a session that’s for sure.

Preferred dimensions?
6’2 x 18 3/16 x 2 1/4. Matt Penn designed.

If you could be any character in any book what would it be and why?
I’m going to say Jimi Hendrix because you didn’t specify fictional or non-fictional. He was a fuckin character.

Best thing to do when there’s no surf?
Drink coffee. I’m addicted.

Healing practice when injured; Medicinal or weirded out spiritual stuff?
Only hippy gear for me. I’ll have cayenne pepper baths, drink licorice and ginger tea – anything before dropping pills. Except as above for hangovers – my only vice.

Where’s your worst surf been and why does it qualify?
It would have to be one of the ten thousands crap surfs I have had a Curl Curl. Hardest wave to surf in the world. Super backwash.

Most frequented pit stop after surf?
Jocs – The Emporio. It’s a great little food spot in Manly.

Most creative thing you have ever done?
Surfed a wave!

Where and what was your first win?
I guess my first pro win was the Canary Islands WQS four star in 2006 but I won the Cooge Classic [memorial contest for my dad’s best mate who died in 1985] as a grom and that’s a hard to beat.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
SUBSCRIBE TO TRACKS
A bi-monthly eclectic tome of tangible surfing goodness that celebrates all things surfing, delivered to your door!
SUBSCRIBE NOW
HAPPENINGS
Your portal to cultural events happening in and around the surfing sphere.
Find Events
SUBSCRIBE TO TRACKS
A bi-monthly eclectic tome of tangible surfing goodness that celebrates all things surfing, delivered to your door!
SUBSCRIBE NOW
HAPPENINGS
Your portal to cultural events happening in and around the surfing sphere.
Find Events

LATEST

The Goons of Doom and DJ Eddy are firing up again after the Easter weekend carnage in Torquay.

Tributes have poured in for the Australian whose boards had been ridden by many top professionals.

URBNSURF is bringing wave garden technology to the city's Olympic Park.

A look at the victims of the mid year cut and which nations are left on tour.

ADVERTISEMENT

PREMIUM FEATURES

The distilled surfing memories of Dave Sparkes.

Peter Townsend with G&S

"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."

TRACKS PREMIUM

Get full access to every feature from our print issues, read classic Tracks issues from the 70s, 80s and 90’s, watch all of our classic films & more …

TRACKS PREMIUM

Get full access to every feature from our print issues, read classic Tracks issues from the 70s, 80s and 90’s, watch all of our classic films & more …

CLASSIC ISSUES

A threat to Angourie, the death of vibes, and a tongue in cheek guide on how to become a surf star.

PREMIUM FILM

YEAR: 2008
STARRING: JOEL PARKINSON, MICK FANNING AND DEAN MORRISON

This is the last time the original cooly kids were captured together and features some of their best surfing.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

PRINT STORE

Unmistakable and iconic, the Tracks covers from the 70s & 80s are now ready for your walls.

Tracks
Kandui Resort Interstitial