With all the hype around Wilko at the moment, and with the buzz only just fading from Stu Kennedy’s Gold Coast assault, it’s been easy to overlook the form of this year’s other injury replacement wildcard, Sebastian Zietz. The quick-witted Kauain’s been bringing the heat every time he hits the water this season, and although he’s yet to break through for his first Corona shower, one gets the feeling it’s definitely on its way.
Whereas in the past Seabass’s heats have been underwhelming affairs punctuated by the odd moment of brilliance, this year it seems like it’s all fireworks, all committed displays of tidy rail-work and refreshing lines—and it’s been a pleasure to watch. A quick retrospective of the big guy’s season so far reveals nines at each event and some impressive takedowns, with Jules, Mick and Kolohe all having found themselves on the receiving end of some inspired performances. So after failing to requalify at the end of 2015 and only getting a start on this year’s roster in the absence of Owen Wright, what’s brought about the change?
“I wasn’t even supposed to be here so just to get the call-up is more than I could expect,” he told Rosy Hodge after another entertaining showing at Bells. “It’s funny, when I was on the ‘CT you’d go into the ‘QS contests just with no pressure or anything, and now I’m on the ‘CT contests and there’s no pressure.”
Like Matty Wilko, like Taj at his best, Seabass seems to shine brightest when he’s having a good time, and this year he’s been all smiles. The fact he’s holding onto a 9th and a 13th after the first two events of the season doesn’t really do justice to the type of surfing he’s been doing. Fast, loose, unpredictable—it’s the kind of approach you want to see when you watch the world’s best these days, and it’s winning him fans all over the place. With his Margaret River campaign on track for at least a Round 5 finish or better, and with a couple more memorable rides already locked in for his end of year highlight reel, Seabass could soon step into the kind of competitive hot streak that turns tour also-rans into legitimate contenders. And it shouldn’t really come as a surprise to anyone—when he won the Triple Crown at the end of 2012 and qualified for the ‘CT in one foul swoop, it was on the back of a win at Haleiwa, a final at Sunset, and a Pipe Masters run that saw him take down John John.
Seabass is on the up again, and it looks like he’s having a good time doing it.
