A lip line snap at the Roxy Pro Snapper Rocks and her ASP head shot. Pics: ASP
Californian Courtney Conlogue is a ‘Tiger’ – in (nick) name and in nature. The extremely likable 19-year-old natural-footer returned home from Australia recently triumphant after tearing her way through the world’s best ASP women surfers to win the Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic at Dee Why Beach. The 2009 ISA World Champion finished eighth in her ‘Rookie Of The Year’ winning ASP Word Tour debut in 2011 and is making serious inroads in 2012. Amongst the strongest field of competitors the women’s tour has ever seen she currently sits fourth on the rankings. With nine W.Q.S wins under her belt Courtney’s recent success in the top tier is a warning for her fellow competitors of things to come. Tracks magazine spoke with young ‘Corts’ before she boarded the big jet airplane for home and got her thoughts on winning big, refreshing your wardrobe while on tour and her chances of winning a world title.
Hi Courtney how are you? What’s happening?
I’m doing good! We’re at Sydney airport getting ready to hop on a plane and go home to the states.
The Beachley Classic and back-to-back Drug Aware Pro title’s, what a great Australasian leg you’ve had!
Yeah, pretty stoked. It will be nice to go home, but I had a pretty good leg. Out of seven events I won two, which wasn’t bad. Stoked to get the The Beachley – but I really wanted the Bell [Rip Curl Pro title].
Getting that maiden ASP World Tour victory was a big deal though, right?
Yeah, winning the Beachley was really cool – it’s one I really wanted to win for sure… It’s crazy because, I don’t know if you knew? But in New Zealand I had pretty gnarly strep throat and actually had to go to the hospital. I didn’t know what it was I had? I came down with it at the end of Bells. In New Zealand I was so sick I had to get a shot in the morning and then go and surf my heat that afternoon.
Collecting her (even) bigger than normal novelty sized winners cheque at Dee Why. Pic: ASP/Robertson
What was it, Penicillin?
Yeah, they injected me with Penicillin and had me take all these tests in case I had an allergic reaction to it. Truth is I was going to disappear before the Beachey Classic started, but once I’d finished my antibiotics and started to feel a bit better I was able to surf.
Glad you got through it – is Dee Why Beach now a special place for you?
I guess so. Last year I had a rough event there so to come back from last that year and win was amazing – a good improvement. Stoked.
It has to be said that Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbon have been looking so good that you can proudly say you beat the best to win that event?
It’s definitely cool being a part of that. Having Sally in a heat [quarterfinals] is always a bummer because we’re such dear friends. It comes down to business, but she and I decided that if we come up against each other the one that loses has to be there to chair the other up the beach if they win. It’s cool having that going on. To have her (and Steph) carry me up the beach from the water meant a lot.
An incredible shot highlighting Courtney’s incredible poise and technique. Taranaki, NZ. Pic: ASP/Robertson
Friends? You just gotta go out and smash ‘em right?
Yeah, and then go back to being friends again once your back on the beach.
Your commitment to all these events has seen you away from home for nearly three months?
I feel like I won’t know which side of the road to drive down once I get home to California, I’ve been here for that long. I gotta be careful crossing the road and make sure I don’t get hit! It’s definitely going to be nice to get home and to see the family and flesh out my wardrobe ‘cause I’ve been wearing the same clothes since February and trying to mix and match things and make them look new is getting hard.
In good company; Courtney is chaired up the beach by Steph and Sally at Dee Why Beach. Pic: ASP/Robertson
Might be time to go to the Billabong factory and get some new threads?
Yeah, I think that will be the first thing I do when I get home.
I was watching your acceptance speech from the Beachley Classic online, now correct me if I’m wrong, but did you forget to thank your Mum, Tracey?
I thanked my family; I always thank Mum and Dad. And I really wanted to thank my brother and sister that time because they’ve always supported my while I’ve been on the road – and I really look up to my brother and sister and what they’re accomplishing academically. I really wanted to thank them this time and I thought it was the perfect moment to do it.
Who among the men inspire you style and personality wise?
There are probably a few people that I really look up too. Every morning when I go surfing with Mick [Fanning], Parko [Joel Parkinson] and Taj [Burrow] or when I see Kelly [Slater] in the water, I’m always looking up to him and paying attention to what he’s doing in the line up – how he reads and draws on his waves. Even Jordy [Smith] too… there are too many of them that I think are good people and fun to surf with – I can’t single out just one.
A Tracks Favourite, slick shot of Corts’ bottom turning in the Bells Bowl from Rip Curl Pro, 2011. Pic: ASP/MG
What are you going to do with the your prize money haul? [57K plus]
I’ll be taking advice to see what the best thing to do with it. I’ve been trying to save all my prize money to put into something and use my other income to travel (and enjoy). Basically I’m trying not to abuse it right away. I did (while here in Oz) buy myself, I’m in love with beanies and shoes, and I bought like three beanies and a pair of shoes ‘cause I was so tired of my clothes and need something new to wear on the plane.
I don’t think that will break the bank?
It’s like a nickel or so.
On stage at ASP Awards night with fellow rookie of the year winner, Gabriel Medina, 2012. Pic: ASP/Rigley Hewitt
How do you feel about the world title? Do you feel like you’re in the running?
I think it’s narrowed the gap a bit – it’s definitely not out of my sight. And you never know what could happen between the three of us? I’ll just take it heat-by-heat to be honest, and not get too heavy on the world title, yet. I think going to every contest fresh without worrying about the destination is probably the best way to win a world title, so you’re not pressuring yourself too much.
Do you think the pressure of defending w world title has affected Carissa Moore’s surfing this year?
I think she’s just having a rough time, there’s so much talent on the tour right now I think nearly every heat you have (after the first round) you have to have around 18 points (out of 20) to get through! Everyone’s dropping eights and nines now – if you have a seven point five you might lose. So, I think she may have hit a little rough patch, but in saying that she’s been surfing really well, so I wouldn’t count her out of the game yet. It’s so entertaining at the moment, even thigh I’m a part of it. It’s just so fun to watch and it make you want to your best and push every urn to its limits.
Like it, like it! Thanks Courtney congratulations and get home safe.
Sounds good.
