Here comes the miracle man
 |
South Australian born Jarrad Howse is known as the miracle man. A Houdini like escape from an impossible death heat at Sunset Beach in 2005 not only cemented his place on the 2006 ASP world tour but also his place in surfing folklore. Now in 2009 he again is in with a shot – but like 2005, it’s a long one. Tracksmag.com spoke with him about the task at hand and who he thinks will win the world title. |
South Australian born Jarrad Howse is known as the miracle man. A Houdini like escape from an impossible death heat at Sunset Beach in 2005 not only cemented his place on the 2006 ASP world tour but also his place in surfing folklore. Howse had to face the three-time World Champion Andy Irons, six-time Triple Crown Winner and former World Champion Sunny Garcia and Sunset dominator Pancho Sullivan in the quarterfinals. Needing a fifth or better to qualify for the world tour, Jarrad pulled of the impossible and fulfilled a lifelong dream. Now in 2009 he again is in with a shot – but like 2005, it’s a long one. Tracksmag.com spoke with him about the task at hand and who he thinks will win the world title.
My patriotism can be a tad lackluster, but I was jumping up and down willing you to get that last score (round of 96 in the Reef Hawaiian Pro)?
Ha ha thanks man, I think I gave a few people heart attacks in my first heat. Mum and Dad were on the edge of their bed chewing their nails off. I needed a 3.5 for 10 minutes and the waves were small and inconsistent. I ended up sneaking a 5.5 off Nathaniel Curran to overtake him and move into the next round.
Those four man heats are a real battle?
Yeah four man heats are pretty wild, if you don’t get a good start you can end up in a wild hassle battle towards the end of the heat. Most guys wont start shadowing you until there’s five minutes to go. But depending on the country of origin, you can end up with a Brazilian backpack all heat.
Makes for good webcast viewing that’s for sure, even in average waves?
In Hawaii (especially when it’s big) the hassle factor dries up and you’re out there against the ocean and your battling against yourself to get two good waves. When it’s smaller it gets more personal. It does makes for an awesome webcast, lots of waves ridden each heat, positions constantly changing and big turns on big waves.
Despite so much being on the line these events have a real organic vibe to them. No huge VIP stands, no giant stage? Does that help or hinder your performance?
I love competing here, its one of the few events on the tour that the surfers love watching each other compete. It’s the end of a long year on the road and were all in there cheering the boys on, amping them to have a dig and helping them celebrate qualifying, or consoling their heart break.
What about the South Aussie thing, Dion Atkinson from SA in there trying to qualify now too, that’s a first?
Its so awesome to have Dion up there in a solid position to qualify, I came from a similar position on the ratings the year I made it, I keep telling him that so he doesn’t lose sight of the fact it’s possible and actually easier to come from behind. He rips in the big stuff, I really hope he flares and makes it this winter.
You left home at 18 but do you feel a certain responsibility to offer Dion guidance or is it tough love and you brush him?
Ha ha not at all, its all love. I help him with as much as I can. At first I think he was out to knock me off as the best guy to come out of S.A but now he’s done a few years on the QS and we’ve become tight. He knows I want him to qualify as much as he does and I’ll give him as much of my experience as I can.
With so much talk on qualification does it sometimes do your head in and make it hard to enjoy a WQS event for what it is?
I’ve been through it all before, if you get into a qualifying position for the first time in your life you spend most of your waking hours on the ratings working out what people need to catch you and what you need to do to be safe. Its possibly the worst thing you can do, I see it every year, guys are up there in eighth, ninth, tenth position on the WQS ratings and they start living on the ratings page and forget how to surf. I’ve learnt to enjoy it, concentrate on your head and surfing and the rest will fall into place.
How important is it your ego to re-qualify after being on the world tour once then drop off?
Its not really an ego thing for me, I know I can do it, I want to be there and I’ve given myself every opportunity to get back on the world tour this year. I feel like I can leave my ego in the water after the hooter ends the heat. In the water, that’s when you need to be confident and cocky.
Jarrad ripping into Sunset in the 2005 miricle heat. Photo: ASP
You’re a happy guy and do more for your sponsors than just surf does that help you stay cool and not freak out about the future?
I’m lucky enough to see that surfing is an amazing opportunity as lifestyle/job that wont last forever. I don’t complain about the traveling or complain that, “I’m over it” (the most used and abused sentence on the WQS). Are you kidding? We’re traveling the world, getting paid to do it and live in the ocean. I guess having that positive swing on things has made me more valuable with my sponsors.
Lastly Mick and Joel. Mick’s going the cotton wool strategy while Joel’s going the surf more and hard strategy. What’s your take on this and which would you have taken and why?
I think both strategies serve their purpose. Mick’s been surfing like a maniac and needs to focus on training and getting his head back to where it was the year he won it. Parko’s been injured and needs to log some time in the brine at Pipe to get his confidence back. I’d prefer to be in Mick’s Reef sandals, but how exciting is it for Parko? If he comes back to win from here it will be more than a world title.
Who do you think will win?
I think Mick will win, he’s done before, he rips at Pipe and he seems relaxed and calculated.
Who would you like to win?
Taj, but that’s not going to happen this year, so Mick it is. He’s an awesome guy; always smiling, always got time to say hi, and I think that world title number two is only a few heats away.
Good luck mate, love to see you pull off some more miracle heats and break the 16 again?
Thanks.
– Col B
Note: After our interview Jarrad kept the dream alive by convincingly beating Bruce Irons, Brett Simpson and Roy Powers in the round of 64 at the Reef Hawiian Pro.
