W O O D W O R K S

MITCH-WOODLAND.COM

2010-10-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

MITCH-WOODLAND.COM IS NOW LIVE. CHECK IT OUT! THIS BLOG IS DEAD.

Sorry and Thankyou!

2010-08-05T17:15:00.000-07:00

To cut a long story short - I have been attempting to design my own website. Turns out I know fuck all about the technical aspects regarding web design! I kooked one of the scripts and botched the whole website so now I'm back at square one!
On the upside, i've got a lot of exciting things in the works and once I do release the website, you'll all hopefully have your froth beards on!

Sorry for the lag and thankyou for your patience!

Hope everyone has had some fun waves lately!

Mitch

Peru

2010-05-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

The crew is up in Peru now after Winny took out the Arica Grand Slam! The man is blowing up bigtime and updating his new(ish) site all the time - so i'm just gonna redirect you there for now! Click here and stay tuned for my new website which i'll be getting up and running soon!

Arica Grand Slam

2010-05-16T10:47:00.000-07:00

So i'm over in Chile at the moment for the Arica comp - which as always would have to be one of the most exciting comps to be in or watch. It's such a hi-fi wave with serious consequences and draws some damn big crowds!
I'm over here with the aussie crew - the level of surfing is amazing and you can get some more fodder over at Dave Winchesters brand spanking new website. The remainder of round 3 and round 4 will be run tomorrow, with the wigs hitting the water in 2 days. Be sure to check it out! www.chilebodyboard.com Adios!

Hardy and I looking a bit twinny on yellow boards and in our void steamers!

Chile

2010-05-05T00:15:00.000-07:00

Oh and...

2010-04-17T21:12:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't read elsewhere, due to legal BS, lad Toby Player has had to change his logo and brand name. Aptly named BODYBOARD KING, Tobes literally has everything under the sun to do with bodyboarding. Check the king out here or there >>>

Kingy's Revenge

2010-04-17T21:02:00.000-07:00

Seems as though Kingy is on a mission this year, with a 4th at Pipe and now a win at the Soldiers Pro, Kingy is making his intentions clear! The same can be said for Jared Housten with a 3rd in Pipe and a commendable 2nd to King. Now give me some of that pie! Next stop Chile and Peru!

Awkward words in a car

2010-04-09T04:44:00.000-07:00

I'm over in QLD at the moment for the first event of the Aussie Tour. The waves are small - really small. The first day of the pro ran today, and while the waves were tiny, the vibe was high - internationals such as Jeff Hubbard, Jacob Romero and Mike Stewart making appearances for the competition. I'm staying at Tom Rigby's house with his mentor MS and a bunch of other rad dudes.

Here's Mike's online video diary -check em out for a laugh and some words of wisdom!

Sneak Peak

2010-03-22T21:15:00.000-07:00

Over in Indo at the moment and picked up my new boards yesterday from Mez. These are my 2010 colours and shape - due out soon in shops!

And my hat must go off to Dan Sivess AKA DSC (Dan Sivess Customs) for shaping these incredible boards. Thanks fellas!

"Mind-bottling"

2010-03-15T00:45:00.000-07:00

Wooooooooow it's been a long time since I've updated. To tell the truth I haven't had any inspiration or motivation to post about anything. Actually I've been lacking in motivation to do anything. Returning from Hawaii with good memories and waves minus a good result in the Pipe comp I felt a little empty and sorry for myself as I wanted to start the year with a bang! It was amazing watching Amuary win the Pipe comp as I know how driven and goal orientated he is. At the same time I was super jealous (and stoked!) to see Jared Houston make the final. But that's ok because it's these things that make any competitive person strive for more.
I know another person that was disappointed with their result was Mitch Rawlins. I even heard that he wasn't going to surf for a whole month - he was that devastated! It might seem selfish and arrogant to say something like that when you consider the life a professional bodyboarder lives - but the truth is, this life means so much to us that when a set-back is sent our way, it seems like the end of the world!
No one can afford to take anything for granted and a couple of surfs under my belt in WA and a quick check on the internet to hopefully stoke my flame of life - I was happy to see Rawlins updating his site and has actually been surfing despite his heated statement. I was also stoked to see he has uploaded the last clip from Hawaii with some sick footage and also giving a couple of the younger guys a run. I hope you're getting stoked with life and if you're not - sometimes it's the little things like a quick surf that'll make you realise how good life is! One more stoked for good measure haha

*Note: I tried posting the Hawaii clip up here but you'll have to venture over to Rawlins' site cause of the video's privacy setting*

Pipe Comp!

2010-02-20T21:25:00.000-08:00

The IBA Pipeline Pro ran yesterday in fairly average waves, although there were a few nice ones coming through backdoor which people used to gain the higher scores. I've made it through to the 4th round and should be surfing again this Monday! I hope to continue my winning streak in the heats and I hope you will be able to log onto ibaworldtour.com to watch all the action go down live!!!

Hazy and rainy

WHY KEIKI RULES!

2010-02-16T17:52:00.000-08:00

Cruising

Sucked over!

feat. Roser

HAHAHA

Old Skool

Dallassinger Photography

Drainer

Sand

Angles

Hawaii 2010

2010-02-15T15:58:00.000-08:00

mitchwoodland.com

2010-02-11T23:02:00.000-08:00

Change is as good as a holiday - and seeing as though I'm on a holiday (a working holiday!), I've decided to turn this blog into a fully fledged DOT COM! Coming soon...

mitchwoodland.com from Mitch Woodland on Vimeo.

Movementmag.com

2010-02-10T14:39:00.000-08:00

I'm doing some coverage for movementmag.com in Hawaii as of today. I arrived yesterday, and the swell came up bigtime last night. Pipe was about 12 feet today washing across the reef - taking people including me with it! More updates on here as well as there .

Peace,
Mitch

Hawaii - Fuck the Free World

2010-02-08T21:55:00.000-08:00

Heading to Hawaii in about an hour and expecting a pretty hectic vibe over there as per usual. In the last few days i've heard reports of beatings from locals towards blonde headed australians. From the perspective of an outsider is would seem like some Hawaiians are pretty racist and localist - which to an extent they are. But from the perspective of a bodyboarder who has headed to Hawaii the last 4 yrs and this being my 5th season, I can understand the frustration from the locals when thousands of people flock to their local spot. What I can't understand is why they target Australians that are probably only half their size and age.

This IS the 21st Century and it IS a free world...

Cade Sharp - Hawaii's latest victim

Boxy

2010-02-08T03:09:00.000-08:00

Today looked like this with no one out....

Note: Image not from today, and plagiarised from here

A-m-a-z-i-n-g

2010-02-03T07:04:00.000-08:00

This wave is truly amazing...

LINK TV

2010-01-22T18:34:00.000-08:00

Although it's already all over the internet - I thought I would bring this clip to the attention of anyone who hasn't seen it yet! LINK TV is from the brain of Canarian Danny Hernandez, ex-bodyboarder come-photog/entrepreneur. The motive behind his podcasts is to promote his new wetsuit label FUR and of course to showcase all of his amazingly talented riders. I had the chance and privilege to surf with most of these guys and their waves. Rest assured if some of them can get out of the island and onto the world tour - there will be a Canarian World Champ in the future! But i'll let the surfing do the talking...

LINKtv V0.2 CANARY ISLANDS from LINKtv on Vimeo.

Heat Wave - A Summer wrap up

2010-01-19T06:38:00.000-08:00

If you're on the West Coast of Australia you'd know how hot it has been...I nearly passed out the other day from heat exhaustion it's been that bad. Borderline Delusional. BUT, the waves have been fun and to the best of my knowledge the east coast hasn't had much, which comes as a relief, because I used to hate those NE winds, fucking blue bottles and small surf through the school holidays in the summer months.

While I don't think it has been too hot on the east coast, that's not to say that some kids in the Sydney region haven't been suffering some sort of mind delusion anyway. A couple of punks were caught red handed, attempting to steal some Pride and HB boards from the factory. A Woodland model was amongst those boards - Which brings me to my 2010 slogan:

"The Pride Woodland model - it's that good, you'll want to steal one!" hahaha

The fly situation down in margs has been crazy to say the least. Hopefully these pics make you see the funny side to fly's...if that's possible. AND, some surfing photos very soon...

Amongst hating fly's, Myself and Nic Barclay have been adding the finishing touches to my section in his movie PURE, which is due out in a few weeks! Check out his blog here.

Days Of Separation

2010-01-10T07:15:00.000-08:00

I uploaded this clip last night, didn't check the quality and went straight to sleep. I forgot about it all day today right up until now - and well I've checked the quality, and I would somewhat liken it to the actual quality of the waves in the clip; average!

Nevertheless...This, like all the previous clips I've uploaded, have been purely for the fun of me editing it and the prospect of entertaining the viewer in some way.

The title: 3:40hrs Of Separation, is no cryptic code, but the travel distance in the air from Perth to Bali. It seemed fitting as I wanted to compare and contrast the 2 places at the same time of year. Given the short distance between the 2 places, they are such different places and climates yet the waves are always fun! (Unfortunately I didn't get too many waves in Bali and when you have your girlfriend filming it doesn't all just fall into place.) Enjoy!

3:40hrs of separation//Mitch Woodland from Mitch Woodland on Vimeo.

A Shredder...

2010-01-06T17:57:00.000-08:00

I was going to post my own video up (of myself) this morning, but then I found this video. It's of Wade McCurdy. A true shredder, a unique style of like no one else, with a crazy and fearless approach to riding waves. R.I.P mate.

Wade McCurdy - Rest in Peace from Tom Jennings on Vimeo.

P U R E.

2010-01-03T00:13:00.000-08:00

Little man, big video.

Pure Trailer from nic barclay on Vimeo.

R.I.P

2009-12-28T21:39:00.000-08:00

Rest in Peace Wade McCurdy...

Wade's Paddle out

I stole this photo from Chris Gurney's facebook page, as I missed this special day for Wade. While I only knew him for a short period of his life, he left an amazing impression on me. He lead such a carefree life, always positive and keen to have a good time. Surfing in margs everyday...I'll always have these memories. My heartfelt sorrows and sympathy go out to his family and all his close friends shown in the image above. And cheers to Gurney for the pic.

More updates soon.

Peace.

Canary Islands

2009-12-13T03:34:00.000-08:00

Don't have fast enough internet to upload photos; so here are some moving photos of Canarian Rippers in French Polynesia courtesy of Hawaiian filmer Eric. Click here

Space cadet

2009-12-02T13:45:00.000-08:00

Forgot to mention; destination 3: Canary Islands

More updates soon...

You are

2009-12-01T14:34:00.000-08:00

...being redirected for now to Movement.com as I am doing an online diary covering the comp for them. You can also check that other mags website for Andy Lawrences updates. Although be sure to drop by here every now and again for uncensored/pointless/amusing posts. Adios!

Where next?

2009-11-25T20:53:00.000-08:00

Holiday in Bali is drawing to a close. Had some little fun waves but being wet season, haven't scored. Not too fazed as I'm off to somewhere else in a few days - a little bit more wave rich you could say.

Keep your eyes peeled for a clip in a few weeks.

And watch this spot for updates

PEACE

The King!

2009-11-20T04:22:00.000-08:00

Having too good a time in Bali I forgot to mention the King of Boog's - a.k.a Toby Player - welcomed me to his already well established team at BOOGER KING. Anything you could ever need to do with bodyboarding is available at Tobe's online shop. Get over there!

Gadung Garam

2009-11-18T21:43:00.000-08:00

Destination number 2; Bali - if the heading didn't already give it away.

If you're not smoking one of these sweetly scented sticks, then you'd be surely passively smoking about 10 at any one time in the streets of Bali. These clove ciggarette's are one of many idiosyncrasies that personify Bali as the place we know it. It would be almost impossible to name them all - and I guess that's what makes Bali such a mess; a sensory overload.

After weeks of cold, depressing and disheartening weather on the west coast of Australia then straight into the warm water and wind of Qld and now Bali, it's hard to imagine being cold ever again! Apart from the cocoon of my air conditioned hotel room and the taxis to and from the beach, I've been sweating uncontrollably like a pedophile in a playground (too far? haha.) Even at that extreme I'd probably rather being hot then cold... Anyway here's some pics from the last two days...oh yeah, waves...haven't been too many just yet! But who cares when you're in Bali

As Promised: Irrelevant post #1

2009-11-14T23:49:00.000-08:00

QLD - The land of XXXX, warm water and pretty dismal waves for this time of year. I was fortunate enough (n.b sarcasm) to get knocked in the 4th round and thus not having to surf the last day of competition in the shit waves. But don't go thinking I walked away from Qld empty handed - no sir. I had a nice win on the electronic roulette table - see inset - and i'm still wearing a hangover from 2 nights ago.

My next destination also has warm water, beer of the cold variety and on the flipside - good waves for this time of year. You should be looking at some sweet surfing pics in the next few days accompanied by a tight video in the next few weeks. Peace, or as they say in Qld to my tall friend Veitchy waiting in a line to the bar - "Scram."

Dirty Ol' Town

2009-11-08T17:17:00.000-08:00

Riding durrty. I'm leaving this Dirty Ol' Town called Margaret River and hitting the roads of travel for a few months. First stop is QLD for the final comp on the Aussie Tour. The rest....well you'll just have to keep checking back as I update my travels. It's gonna be interesting...and i'll also have some juicy content to you very shortly;

* An exclusive interview with Adam Boom - the man behind transitsurf.com

* Exclusive videos and photos to be uploaded whilst on my travels

* Other random and/or pointless and/or mildly amusing ramblings

GOODBYE DURRTY OLE TOWN

Control

2009-10-29T00:06:00.000-07:00

I was waiting for Dan Claws to shed some light on the opening interlude to my section in Pastiche, and unless you're into the band Joy Division, chances are you have no fucking idea what the hell was going on when you saw me smoking a durry and wearing a 70's post-punk outfit. Well as you might be aware, Pastiche has two competing meanings, the one that Dan played on the most was to pay homage to films (music and literary genres) that have influenced him. Joy Division was one of the bands, Control was one of the films.

<3 Gas Bay + Cobbles

2009-10-26T07:25:00.001-07:00

Matt roll

Veitchy Rev

Veitchy airing

Gas Bay - smoulder

Yours truly, cobbles

Gas

Cobbles Pit

Gas

Cobbles

Fires, bowls and barrels the last few days. Spring is here...finally. More soon. Hopefully some better captions next time!

Uncle Hardy

2009-10-22T06:04:00.001-07:00

WANTS A WORLD TITLE!

Ranga

2009-10-15T17:34:00.000-07:00

I've never really thought what it might be like to actually be a rednut. I mean, it must be hard copping the abuse growing up, all the name calling and such. It wasn't until I picked up issue #172 of Riptide that I realised for some reason - my hair has been transformed (by digital trickery!) into the foulest shade of orange! Check out the latest issue to see what I'm talking about!

mikemaxted.blogspot.com

Strangeways Here We Come

2009-10-08T16:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of those days that will be leaving an impression on me for some time I'd imagine. The start of the morning was nothing unusual for Margs as the day started off driving around looking for waves - which in many cases can take up to a few hours.

The near hitting of a crow in my car signified the beginning of a strange day as these birds are near impossible to hit yet alone kill. They symbolise a deathly omen on one hand and also considered to reap good luck if you kill one - because that feat is immensely hard.

So I dunno what I achieved in the way of the cosmos but this act definitely gave way to a strange day to ensue.

After the many hours that I mentioned above had elapsed we somehow ended up at North Point to fun looking 3 or so foot of end bowl fun. Frothing to get out there I managed to lock my keys in the boot of my car - a helpless situation that I've never been in before! Luckily a door was open and I accessed the boot of my car through the middle seat compartment and fished them out with a stick. It would seem as though I had fallen victim to both bad and good karma, more of the latter as I ended up scoring some sick barrels in a short session out North's.

* * *

Post-surf grinds were consumed and made the call to head back up to Yallingup to a wave called Rabbits. It's a pretty heavy for a beach and can be so fun at times. After checking the less- than-inviting conditions for some time we made the strangeways call to head out there as it was slowly improving with not a soul in sight. Ben Veitch decided to go for a bodybash out at the shorey to the left of the break first while I headed straight out solo.

I basically paddled straight out there to be greeted with rolling sets to dodge. That's when I heard Ben (about 50 - 60 metres down the beach) talking to some guy in a rather raised tone of voice. I couldn't see either of them and didn't really know what was going on and also had sets to deal with. Then about 5 minutes later I saw Ben run up the beach and started jamming his fins on for what I figured he must've seen a really good one amongst the closeouts that I was in. It was then at that point I saw a guy waving for help and yelling. He was in a rip and moving pretty fast. I made the connection between Ben and what had him in such a state and I started sprint paddling to this guy who had now stopped yelling - my first thought was that he was unconscious. I finally got to him and got him on my board - luckily he was ok just puffed and a bit rattled. After dodging more sets we made it safe and sound to the shore where he was basically speechless albeit very thankful and ok to walk himself out of the water.

A bit startled, Veitch and myself continued to surf for a few hours with not another person in sight scoring some nice barrels and bowls. It's scary to think what might've happened to the guy had we not been there...

* * *

Nothing could further impress us after everything had happened already. Stoked and determined to making the drive home alive, I turned my non-functioning air con on which hasn't worked since I bought the car, and to no amazement it flowed cooly and nicely against our weathered and mildly tweaked minds. Icing on the cake - an amazingly strange and perfect day. Karma rules!

Unridden one

Lucky one

Empty one

Heavy one

Nice one

Frames courtesy Nic Barclay//PURE

Pure

2009-10-06T23:50:00.000-07:00

All good things that come out of WA start with 'P.' First it was Pastiche and now it's Pure; a debut video by WA lad Nic Barclay.

He's a good kid and has his head screwed on tight, which is always a bonus if you're making a video. Namely because you know that 1) the production will be of high standard and 2) there won't be any annoying mistakes.

I've been filming with Nic over the past few days as the waves finally turned on. After what seemed like an eternal Winter in Margs, we've collected a bit of footage to play with.

Here's some scrap frames. For more head over to Nic's blog here.

It's Been A Long Winter

2009-10-03T07:57:00.001-07:00

Fuckin ay... Too long to remember so I made a clip so that I'd never forget how shit it was haha. Not much of a tripod was used to film any of it so excuse the shakes! Looks like some fun waves on their way so stay tuned for some shots! yew

It's Been A Long Winter // Mitch Woodland from Mitch Woodland on Vimeo.

South Oz

2009-09-22T02:04:00.000-07:00

Got knocked first round in the Knights Beach pro. I was pretty devastated (and stoked at the same time) to see Dallas go onto win at a break that basically resembled Boxy. It just wasn't my day for waves. All in all was a fun trip and a good comp so can't wait till next year to take some revenge on the joint!

The setup

The fellas

Wanted: Dead Or Alive for heinous facials

IBA's new tent feat. BP's Pirate Teeth + Chad Jackson's Gas mask

Wedge

Riggie Smalls throwing up No. 1 in vain

Dallas "invert" Singer

Random shots

2009-09-15T01:34:00.001-07:00

1) New boards

2) Typical Margs Winter scenery

3) Mandurah Wedge copping large amounts of swell and a makeover courtesy a bulldozer

Interview with Mike @ the-roast.blogspot.com

2009-09-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

"Shit, I Gotta Do More Stuff!"

Mitch Woodland turns 21.

As far as humans are concerned, the cow is the be all and end all of convenience and functionality in the animal kingdom. Its widespread versatility in dairy produce and complete lack of enthusiasm to do anything remotely interesting ensures a low maintenance, yet highly beneficial species.

So what the fuck do cows have to do with Mitch Woodland? Well, its exactly what they don't have to do with him that is most alarming. Cows are notorious for producing copious amounts of milk and its no secret that dairy is the foundation of a strong and reliable skeletal system. Brimming with youthful rebellion, Mitch neglected to drink milk and thus suffered the consequences, breaking several fragments of bone in his arm. Now I'm no doctor, but I do have Mitch's best interests at heart, so I recently suggested that he begin drinking milk religiously to boost his body's calcium levels and bone density in hope of preventing such an incident occurring again.

"Nope, I haven't been drinking milk, but I have been undergoing strenuous physio sessions three times a week." says a despondent Mitch. "Injury sucks. I want to avoid them as much as possible."

The prospect of a considerable stint out of the water has Mitch fighting deep psychological demons climbing up from the depths of his tormented soul. Additionally, It is fair to assume such an injury creates a fair bit of spare time and with the arm of choice unable to carry out certain personal duties, what better way to pass the time than getting on the sauce. "I tried not to drink for a while because of the swelling that comes with it. But I did find myself needing a release as I couldn't surf....and I did turn 21."

Turning 21 is the last birthday worth celebrating, the expiry date on all things enjoyable - the irresponsible consumption of liquor, inappropriate public nudity, chasing young (bordering inappropriate) tail. However in terms of bodyboarding it marks a major milestone in Mitch's maturity as a rider, honing the fluid, technical surfing that blew the pants off Joel Taylor, main man at Unite Clothing Company way back in 2003.

"I had been keeping an eye on Mitch since that invert in the Waldron Bros. film, Raised Heights," Joel explains, but not like, in a watching-you-sleep kinda way. "Initially, I was speaking to him on and off, watching him progress and flowing him some product. He was just a grom from a small coastal New South Wales town that surfed really well, but also had a good head on his shoulders. I had a feeling that he had the potential to make a career out of the sport."

Joel muses with an air of accomplishment, on the rare feat of discovering a 15 year old kid that had all of the attributes that can make a top professional bodyboarder. His gamble on the young malnourished greyhound paid dividends when Mitch began demanding mag and video coverage in the following months, letting his surfing do the talking. However when it came to landing a full time sponsor, he was getting all up in JT's grill on a regular basis.

"Eventually we had to give into his constant hounding", says Joel with a hearty chuckle. "We officially put him on the team after the Movement Grom Trip in '06, and was the first grom to be added to the Unite Team. I don't think we could have asked for a better kid. He fit in perfectly with our team and still does."

Since relocating to Margs in 2007, Mitch has focused on a enviable lifestyle he describes as 'based solely around bodyboarding'. "Which was a change, because growing up I always had a job and had to organize trips and stuff around it. It's isolated here though, I feel a little forgotten at times and to travel away takes a lot of effort. I feel as though I've accomplished what I set out to do over here and that was to improve my surfing in different, heavier waves. I think I'll probably move back east soon to make some noise".

As the next decisive moment in Mitch's career edges closer, it seems the recent leap into full blown adulthood has him quietly pondering the thought of bingo and a catheter 50 years from now. "It gets progressively worse every year. Each year I think to myself - shit, another year older, I gotta do more stuff! My priorities lie solely in bodyboarding though, and having as much fun as possible around that."

Since becoming Joel Taylor's prized discovery all those years ago, a hefty pension appears to be blossoming for Mitch picking up further financial support in Void Wetsuits. More cause for celebration came in foam form recently, with board sponsor Pride releasing Mitch's first ever signature model. It is often the case that a rider's choice of sponsor is a strong manifestation of their character, so it came as no surprise to hear Mitch was very proud of riding for Pride. "I'd say i'm proud of myself for the companies I ride for and also to the fact that I've never switched sponsors. I've been loyal to Pride, Unite and Void since I signed with them years ago. They showed belief in me and I have returned the favour by staying on with them and hopefully making a difference along the way."

He may not have racked up too many hours on his new signature craft recently thanks to his inferior skeleton, but all teat sucking, strong boned children of the ocean claim that Mitch is onto a winner. "I couldn't be happier with how it goes and looks. I've had positive feedback from lots of people and they seem to be stoked, so as long as it's getting people stoked - I'm happy!" Now that the internet has publicly violated this innocent little alternative sport of ours, 'getting people stoked' is a 24/7 liability for today's top bodyboarders. The fear of being left behind in the shit fight that is online self-promotion has seen Mitch join the blogging orgy. "I think in this day and age you need to cover all bases, and the internet is the biggest fan base of them all. So I aim to keep everyone happy - my sponsors, groms, friends and peers."

The topic of discussion naturally shifts to Mitch's tour prospects, and he goes a little sirro ball. After watching repeated fuck-ups of holding IBA events in small onshore piss, I suggest the tour may no longer be a realistic indication of who is the best rider in the world that it once was. Ever the optimist, Mitch is quick to slap me in the face."I place maximum interest and importance on comps", Mitch replies, words wreaking of enthusiasm. "It is an indication, and a correct one at that, of how you react in hectic situations. You go against the clock, the surf conditions, other competitors and most importantly yourself. I'm aiming to achieve a high level of competition success in my career, because I know winning a title of any sort, solidifies you as a great rider in history and the feeling would be unrivalled."

Talking about the the future has Mitch bouncing on his bed as if he were a pubeless adolescent once again, except this time he jumps with purpose and determination."I'm always hungry, not just with food but in life. I always want what I haven't got so I am constantly striving to gain more" Mitch says, possibly referring to fluctuating weight. "I think that's why I suit bodyboarding. It's a never ending quest to be perfect, which technically is always going to be impossible."

In a testament to his recent excessive eating habits, Mitch had already polished off three healthy and delicious meals before we had spoken that day. His newfound dedication to an upbeat, wholesome lifestyle may be the secret ingredient in his blueprint for competitive success, or maybe an early sign of the role model in Mitch starting to surface. Either way, his injury has helped him reach a state of spiritual enlightenment - his body now a temple of divine worship. "This is probably the healthiest I've eaten in my life."

Ideally, I would wrap this up with an informed and witty opinion of what lies ahead for Mitch Woodland. However by this stage I have completely forgotten about any insightful and/or interesting conversation we may have had, which has been replaced by the thought of a delicious sandwich. Instead, I leave you with Mitch Woodland's five favourite meals, which as I assumed are severely lacking in calcium content.

1) Pizza - "In my opinion is one of the best food inventions ever. You can fit so much on them, they're cheap to make and they are so fucking good!"

2) Lamb Korma - "I love Indian food and this is just one dish I though of. With a serving with rice and veggies - you can't lose!"

3) Kebab - "Another timeless invention. Can fit a shitload on them, and they are healthy if you make them right."

4) Thai green curry with chicken - "It would be criminal to not mention this dish. I love curry, it's healthy, tasty and easy to put together."

5) KFC ultimate burger meal - "I can't resist KFC and I like to eat it if I feel like I am rewarding myself. I've been eating these for years, i'd love to know how many I have actually consumed. In all seriousness, when I was about 16 I was contemplating getting a tattoo of the colonel's head on my wrist so I could claim free KFC forever."

"Don't really know what this says about me though, other than I eat heaps."

s-h-r-e-d-d-i-n-g

2009-09-12T05:30:00.000-07:00

New steez on the bodyboard, haha this frame is actually about 3 years old now...

IAMJOECLARK.COM

2009-09-08T18:26:00.000-07:00

After getting knocked in the semi's at the EBB pro on the weekend Joe got drunk and apparently did some freestyle rapping to put up on the internet. He probably doesn't remember though... I like how the website is aptly named in conjunction with his sponsor I am none. Enjoy!

JOE CLARK: Drunk & Freestylin from IAMJOECLARK.COM on Vimeo.

*may not be real Joe Clarke as we know him

Drought

2009-09-07T02:50:00.000-07:00

There's been a bit of a blog drought lately, so it's about time I gave everyone the low down!

We had the EBB pro in the last 3 days just gone by, with some pretty fun waves on offer. I obtained a fairly mediocre result of 7th place...not too bad, although I am determined to make the finals in the remaining comps for the year! Here's an excerpt from Surfing WA who held the event and did a good job at that!

"Semi two was almost the heat of the event with Jones Russell, Mitch Woodland, Cade Sharp, and Corey Mclean locking horns in battle. What could have been a final anywhere else, some of the big guns in Australian bodyboarding fought it out for the remaining two spots in the EBB Pro final. The lead was always changing, but in the end it was Russell and McLean that had got the better waves and advanced through to the final."

Shocking waves and weather have been plaguing the south west coast of WA for as long as I can remember, so I am stinging to get out of the state at the next available opportunity.

Stay tuned for some shots and some funny framies.

Here.it.is

2009-08-19T03:09:00.000-07:00

As mentioned below in my last post being a technological fuckwit has somewhat hindered the release of this clip. Compression, data rates, key frames, final cut - all unknown enigmas to my vocabulary until a few weeks ago. So for what it's worth hopefully you enjoy this clip as much as I enjoyed editing it, even though it may not be as good - quality wise - as it could be.

I'd also like to think that it is actually not "the best of," because it's only the best of what footage I could find or get my hands on. Anyway enough whinging - here it is. Enjoy.

Mitch Woodland 'Best Of' from Mitch Woodland on Vimeo.

Heavy

2009-08-18T05:37:00.000-07:00

Today I went for a surf @ sewers. It was shit. Just before paddling out I saw something which looked a lot like this....

Although it was a lot worse, complete with a very suspicious chunk missing from it...

Still refining my clip -- being a technological fuckwit is definitely one of my downfalls. I'll get there soon...or "zoon?"

shit...fuck

2009-08-12T00:05:00.001-07:00

It has been a very boring time down here in lonely Margs.

Apart from last week when I surfed North Point for 5 hrs with only a few guys out...

Apart from Saturday when I went up to Perth and had an all nighter at the Casino...

Apart from right now because I have a pestering cough which won't leave me alone for 2 seconds!

But I can assure you that everything in between has been pretty boring. I have been doing my Physio sessions once or twice a week and I'm nearly 100% which is reassuring considering the EBB pro is in 3 weeks and 2 days.

The new Riptide is out, but I haven't seen it. Although I have seen the cover and my very own "Win my set-up" feature which you can check out here.

And finally, I have nearly completed my new masterpiece and I promise it will be on here within a few days... Sit tight!

Being a grom. It was fun!

2009-08-03T06:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary,

On the weekend I went for a surf. It was fun. I surfed for 4hrs then went to the bakery and ate a pie. It was yum! On Sunday I played soccer then went over to my friends house. I can't wait till next weekend so I can go surfing heaps again.

From Mitch

Excerpt school diary Year 4, circa 1998

Not much has changed in those 11 years, apart from the playing soccer bit. Being able to surf again after 6 weeks of sitting around and doing nothing, has given me a new stoke on bodyboarding and I feel like a grom again every time I hit the water.

It makes me want to surf as much as possible - because I don't know when I might suddenly have to stop.

Being so young and naive meant you could go surfing for hours upon hours with no sunscreen on, no food in your stomach and not a worry in the world outside of the water. Looking back on those memories of being a grom, I know I didn't take shit for granted but I certainly didn't appreciate how amazing it is to have that freedom and carefree life.

From now on i'm going to appreciate (more than I previously have) the simple things in life such as being able to go for a surf wherever and whenever I want.

the good life...

owenphoto.com.au

Awareness raising

2009-07-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

I know when you log onto people's blogs and they tell you to do something or check something out, it almost makes you not want to do that. It's like when your mum or dad told you not to do something when you were young, "screw you i'll do it anyway!"

Well today you're young again and today is opposite day, and by that I mean it's not opposite day ;) got me?

DON'T CHECK THIS BLOG OUT: the-roast.blogspot.com

It's not very funny.

It doesn't have frequent updates or dope unseen photos.

It's not put together by guys I used to hang with at Boxy.

It's not going to have an epic interview of me on there in a few weeks.

PEAZ

Una mejor suerte el próximo año, hombre...

2009-07-21T20:07:00.000-07:00

Two days ago I would've been on a plane en route to Chile then Peru for the World Tour Comps, but instead i'm sitting in Margaret River. Neg.

It helps to not think about it or focus on it, but I can't help but wish I was there with everyone else, surfing in the comps...

Seeing as though I can't be there, I'm hoping an Aussie wins - preferably Hardy! It's time for him to bring back the title to Australia!

Let's hope we see some more of this!

The cut

2009-07-17T18:27:00.000-07:00

I have been editing my self-proclaimed "best of" clip over the last few days... It's basically all the footage I have acquired over the years from people such as the Waldron Bros, Ryan Keats and myself as I own a camera these days.

A fair bit of it will be "unseen" so to speak, so get your froth beard on haha.. nah but in all seriousness at the end of the day it's just a bit of fun for me, and I enjoy editing. Coming Zoon!

Here's a grab...of "unseen" footage...

Beautiful

2009-07-16T17:21:00.001-07:00

Sunny Margaret River living up to it's name

This is getting hard

2009-07-13T01:03:00.000-07:00

Not being able to surf is taking its toll on my sanity. The fact that the surf is actually good is making it even harder. Enough whinging. Time to reminisce...

This time last year dan (clawz), West (teeth) and myself (gumz? haha) stayed at my Mum's house for a month travelling down the coast when the waves were on....they didn't really turn on much. So when I had the chance to surf this spot - a place I grew up surfing, Dan and West didn't really believe we could score a wave on footage from there (predominately a barrel type of wave and pretty damn far out). We were stoked to say the least when I caught this wave...

air...

Until I get back in the water i'm working on a 'best of' clip to post up here...stay tuned!

Post-operative therapy

2009-07-05T18:48:00.000-07:00

Made it alive out of surgery. Made it alive to the eastcoast. Time to make it alive out of this week of 21st celebration drinking.

Turning 21 defenitely isn't a high point for me. The pressure to take on "responsibilty" and live a "sensible" life isn't something I wish to subscribe to just yet. But if I've learnt anything lately; you can't change or control what the future holds. I had so many plans, then I injured my arm - sending them to shit...that's life. How many times have you heard that? It still renders truthful. Deal with it and overcome it.

I'm gonna enjoy some time out of the water and be thankful my injury wasn't worse.

This dolphin has endured some tough times - wonder if he cares enough to blog about it!

Wish I was doing this

2009-06-30T01:28:00.001-07:00

Right now...

When gummy sharks attack!

2009-06-28T19:50:00.000-07:00

Seen the new Riptide yet? Well if you have you would've noticed my more than open mouthed grin exposing my gums! Don't know how it happened - it kinda took me by surprise actually, good for a laugh anyhow haha...

Insane shot by Alex Turoy

A closer look...

Be sure to check out Riptide's new website here...

Pea's (my new word for peace...see if it catch's on!)

Dark

2009-06-27T23:15:00.002-07:00

So it turns out my elbow is fucked and I need an operation.

Look closely at the right pic and you'll notice a fragment of bone in that hole

About 10 years ago I hit my left elbow skating whilst attempting a rail slide and in turn wasn't apparently broken - but what would seem now that it actually chipped part of my bone and has been floating around ever since. This current accident has dislodged these fragments and now are jammed in between my joints - which is bad. So an operation is in order.....stoked!

I'm pretty dark on the whole thing, but that's life and it's not the end of the world. You can expect a lot more updates now that I won't be in the water for a while...

Pain killers

Just 'cause

2009-06-23T21:18:00.000-07:00

Ever since my friend Ryan (keats) has owned a still shot camera and learnt how to use photoshop, he has made it his lifelong ambition to 'edit' any photo of me in his own special way...

'Edited' version of photo below - complete with fattened head and a chiko roll

Now I probably shouldn't have given him the satisfaction of putting the photo up here but it's too funny not to.

Stayed tuned 'cause when I go home (east coast) I'll access my old computer and post a couple of past 'edited' photos.

Look what you've gone and done...fat head

2009-06-20T19:52:00.000-07:00

On Friday night I managed to do this...

Attempted army-roll over a car bonnet gone terribly wrong

I thought I broke it, but luckily I didn't. Doc reckons I'll be good to go in 7 days - until then I'm as useless as a T-Rex's arms. It's just as well, because I am going to the East Coast in exactly one week - leaving Margaret River and her shit weather and waves behind (hopefully).

What have I learnt? Don't try to slide across a wet car bonnet - you'll end up looking like me or worse.

P.s Fat head was not a direct result from said incident. It's trick photography I tell ya!

Peace.

Gas

2009-06-15T02:55:00.000-07:00

Waves are horrendous at the moment in Margaret River - horrendous! I've been pretty bored the last few days so I decided to make another short clip! Churning them out by the fistful... Mitch Woodland feat. Ryan Hardy...

Mitch Woodland feat. Ryan Hardy from Mitch Woodland on Vimeo.

Like new part 2

2009-06-13T17:05:00.000-07:00

The chronicles of Chad Walrus

2009-06-09T23:16:00.000-07:00

If you were a keen viewer of my blog when it first started all of about 6 weeks ago, you would have read somewhere me calling Chad Waldron by the moniker of "Digital Walrus". I also said somewhere that there might be a time when I would reveal the story behind that name whilst also insinuating that I would most probably not.

Well it comes to a time where I have nothing interesting to blog about and racking my brain I remembered this empty promise in the dark recesses of my mind.

I met Chad 6 years ago at my home break Box Beach, I was 15. He was there filming Dave Crowley and Kingy. I remember being so amped cause I had just finished school for the day and knew the surf would be good. And really it wasn't that good but because there were people filming and Kingy was out, it was a big deal!

I did this invert (and a bunch of other tricks for that matter) Chad filmed it and that ignited our filmer/bodyboarder relationship.

Because we didn't really know each other and Chad and Kane were still grommets themselves, there was no writing off or grommet abuse - so to speak. They hadn't even released Raised Heights yet, so they were still small fry in the bodyboarding world with no ego's!

A year passed and they released RH. I'd stayed with them in Hawaii my first year over there but didn't get too many vid worthy waves. I got to know them pretty well and was stoked. I went to the prem, got drunk, watched the movie, watched my only wave on the movie then realised - They didn't put my name on the movie! FUCK. I was pretty devo for a grom but stoked all the same having a wave on a vid. I asked them (Waldron bro's) what happened and they hadn't even realised yet! But what did they care, I was just another grom to them now as they soared into the stratosphere of stardom.

Another year passed and they released Denis. I didn't have any waves on it because I surfed at home all year and they didn't come to Boxy (stay away!) but I went to the prem nevertheless to show some support. I got drunk, watched the movie, got devo I had no waves on the movie then realised - I should have had waves on that movie! FUCK.

Then jokes started to fly as their ego's grew. One trick, One trick pony and well that was about it...

They were big wigs and I was some grom with one wave on a vid that didn't even have my name on it.

Motivation kicked in and I decided to organise a trip with them and some fellow groms. It worked out well and we went to the Cook Islands and scored fun waves. For some reason Chad thought it would be still relevant to call me One trick. He said the first move I did in the Cook's would be my second trick. I think I did a reverse. So now I was Two trick. ha ha very funny Chad. But the truth was I had nothing on him. He was older and he was the filmer, we had to show some degree of respect if we wanted to get anywhere in his vids.

I think it was once Leroy was released they knew I could do many tricks (I knew you knew all along Chad!) They signed my copy of Leroy as, "We made your's and Dallas' career one trick", ahhh fucking c@nts I thought to myself. They still had one on me.

Another year and a bit had passed and the bro's were into their new movie, "There's no I." Through chance and luck I got selected for the two last trips as a guest. The first being Chile. I was psyched and had a fun trip - that might have been because Kane came, not Chad! haha Although I still copped some "abuse" (see TNI) I shook it off and the team headed to the Philippines. We scored sick waves straight up, then it basically went flat. Being the youngest I copped some more "abuse", namely bb shotguns fired at me and Chad was still trying to conjure up witty names for me. I'd heard that this was probably going to be one of their last movies so I decided what the hell, I'll start dishing some back at him.

Now, anyone that has seen Chad will agree that his incisor teeth are akin to a Walrus'. That and he kinda just looks like one! It wasn't even that relevant, but all the other guys loved it because someone had served him and it was me. It stuck and his new name was either Chad Walrus or just Walrus. As I mentioned above after we scored it went dead flat. Nothing to do. Unless of course your on a tropical island like we were. Dallas pointed out to me how much Chad was in love with technology. When we would go snorkelling or whatever Chad was on myspace, skype, MSN, hotmail - you name it. He was always talking about getting newer cameras or a better ipod. Your typical Y generation consumerist.

So one day Chad is just roasting me and I blurted out, "Shut the fuck up Digital Walrus", and well, I don't think I've ever been happier burning someone. It was perfect. The smiles and laughter from everyone was a testament to it. The score was settled. I think Chad might've even raised me a couple of notches in his book of respect...ibook that is haha

This is a true story. And I truly do have to thank Chad and Kane for helping me get to where I am today. I also think that without their video's, bodyboarding wouldn't be where it is today. So thanks guys!

Ever the Digital Walrus that Chad is, WBP have moved onto Podcasts which we all know are broadcast over the internet. They've even started a new website, check it out here.

End of an era

2009-06-06T20:52:00.000-07:00

Just before I went to Hawaii I quit my job at the local supermarket because I was sick of their shit. I had to weigh up the pro's and con's because realistically it was the best job i've ever had. I could just not show up or show up when ever I wanted. The bosses loved me and ate any excuse I fed them. It was good pay and was always there when ever I got back from a trip. The hours were mellow and I had all the free dairy I wanted (not to mention any other food from other departments - West works in fresh produce) It was bearable hungover and I even went in drunk a few times haha ok a lot of times.... But bottom line I couldn't stand going in there everyday to the same mundane bullshit...
Before I quit I was thinking "fuck, what am I going to do when I get back from Hawaii? Fuck it i'll worry about it when I get back..." I'd been reading a slightly left of centre self - help book (I really get into them!) and the book basically told me to quit my job and a door would open itself for me. A concept I was already well aware of - but the book pushed me that step further and well... I quit. Close one door and another will open up for you
So the whole time in Hawaii I had in the back of my mind i'll be needing a job as soon as I got home, although I had a job on the side at a local surf shop - but the hours were few and far between and not enough to live off.
By the time I got back to WA I didn't really care about working - I mean who does when you've just had a month surfing in Hawaii? I made ends meet, then had the idea (which I'll give credit to my girlfriend) to start a bodyboard clinic for all the kids in the area. So I was "livin' the dream" as Chad Jackson's tattoo reads, working one 1hr a week doing the clinic and an odd day in the surf shop. A door had opened itself for me.

******

Fast-forward to now and that surf shop is closing down. In fact, today is the last day it is open. As I sit here typing, I know a door is closing but one has already opened up for me. I'm the new Margaret River surf reporter for swellnet.com.
I guess what I am trying to say here is, if your not happy or think you could be doing something better than what you already are - then close that door. Something will open up for you.
Fuck knows where i'd be if I didn't quit my job in the first place. Pretty miserable i'd say. Sure, i'd have the security of a known weekly income, but I wouldn't be where I am.

So do what it takes to be happy. Fuckin quit your job, change jobs, take some time off, take a year off! Just know that when you close one door you're making space available for future success.
Pretty mammoth post i'll admit, I didn't intend for it to be this long, but I thought a story needed to be told - a bit of Sunday arvo reading for everyone! Hopefully it strikes a cord with someone at least....

Sucky Lefts Part 2

2009-06-02T20:18:00.000-07:00

The weather's shit. The surf's shit. Got the flu (not swine). So I edited a little clip of from some past surfs. Here's to better times......

Mitch Woodland @ Sucky Lefts from Mitch Woodland on Vimeo.

A sight for a sore throat

2009-06-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

The flu's going around and I kinda thought it would be ironic if I got struck with the Swine Flu after posting that joke below! Jokes aside, below is a picture of the first official Mitch Woodland model. Check it! Any questions? Just ask!

New Board

The surf has been soooo fun lately. Beachies and a few reefs just in the Margaret River area have provided ample amount of amp lately. Check this space for another clip of fun waves...

Groomed as a cat

Net cap

2009-05-30T01:14:00.000-07:00

Well I ran out of internet credit, so I'm sitting in a net cafe like a peasant haha

Had some really fun waves in the last 2 days at a special beachy that happens to have a nice bank...

Stay tuned for some photos and another clip of footage....

Hope everyone is getting waves...wherever you are in the world... Actually, comment and tell me, it'd be cool to know!

yew

P.s I just realised that this post has a lot of dots...meaning: these things "......."

Swine

2009-05-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

Man on a plane, sitting behind me: "You know, I called the Swine Flu Hotline - but all I got was crackling"

His mates: "hahahahaha"

Man, once again: "But they said it would be OK, they are sending a hamblulance"

His mates: "hahahaha"

Me - thinking to myself: "Get me off this plane! argggh"

Ok, so I haven't updated in a while. I went to Vicco. It was cold, the waves were so small that no one over the the course of the day did a different move other then spins and rolls. So as you can imagine it was pretty hard to stand out. Anyway I managed a 5th - which I was happy enough with.

Winny took out the final with his "gold finger" luck, scoring the best waves of the 30 minute final. I didn't manage to take any photos - but don't worry because they would only make your eyes hurt.

Matt Ryan - the man responsible for the image atop of my blog and these images below was kind enough to put us up in his house for a few nights. Check out his website here

South Oz Flip

South Oz Booze Sesh

More soon!

Peace

$2 sucky sucky

2009-05-21T00:45:00.000-07:00

Here is a little clip I just made today... It was basically filmed over one day with an 1hr surfing each. It's such a fun wave I just had to put it up here for all to see! Enjoy

Mitch Woodland and friends from Mitch Woodland on Vimeo.

Paint the town red

2009-05-19T22:41:00.000-07:00

With this wallpaper brought to you by Pastiche in collaboration with transitsurf!

Click here to check out transitsurf and the sizes which you can download this sweet shot. Talking about Transitsurf, be sure to bookmark the page as it's easily the most updated website in the bodyboarding world.

It's a pretty shitty day here in Margaret River so I've decided I'm gonna do a fun little edit of some recent(ish) footage to put up here...

Until then....

Peace

Rain

2009-05-18T08:01:00.001-07:00

Today it finally rained - after what seemed like weeks of perfect sunny, offshore conditions - it pissed down!

On Saturday morning I held my bodyboard clinic. 'Cause I hadn't done one in a few weeks I decided to make it a competition - which I think the kids love the most because they get to verse each other and score prizes for their efforts, not to mention the status.

Here are a few pics...

Groms frothing

Fun Gas

fucking cold!

Pretty unworthy post really, but I was bored and this whole blogging thing is kinda growing on me. It's almost like a diary. Check back tomorrow for (hopefully) something cool.

PEACE

Like New

2009-05-15T06:10:00.000-07:00

You know when you have a whole new set-up and feel "like new"? Well that's what I feel like riiiiiiiiiight now.

New void steamer, new pride leash and board bag...waiting on the boards!

Sucky Lefts the other day

Sucky lefts has been referred to by some as WA's "blackrock", while others say it's the worst wave in the world. I say, if you said either of those, you are probably on crack and should quit the habit. Bottom line is it's a fun wave - stay tuned for a little clip of me and my mates surfing it a few weeks ago.

Hope everyone has a good weekend and scores some waves!

Yew

9ine to 5ive

2009-05-15T01:20:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since i've done a days work (apart from my coaching clinic - which is on tomorrow @ Gas 7am) and I forgot how much it sucks! But it couldn't have come at a better time, as I've been struck with a minor case of the flu, and i've been surfing so much I was amped to have a day off.

Margs has literally been offshore for as long as I'd care to remember, while the waves haven't been "all time", they have been fun almost everyday.

Gas left late arvo

This time next week i'll be on a plane to Victoria for the comp on the 23rd and 24th. I'm pretty amped as I couldn't enter the last two... Time for a catch up.

And just for the record I am writing this while I am still at work... hard job! haha

More soon.............

Cash Money

2009-05-14T00:48:00.001-07:00

West's Premiere kitty

Wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man

FISHSHOT

2009-05-12T05:05:00.000-07:00

I had some wild times on the eastcoast... well basically it was just one night, before, during and after the Central Coast prem! I had a few mates I hadn't seen since before Hawaii and we consumed plenty of beers. Below is one of my best mates swiggin' from an ashtray (after pulling the Black King) then spewing off my Mum's balcony! haha

Back on the westside in an unrelated drinking experience, another one of my best mates turned 21 - Keats. We decided to head down the bottleo around 11am and try something different... One bottle in particular caught our eye: FISHSHOT. This drink had no price label and we took that as a sign and bought it. (it was $50!) And as you can see below, who wouldn't buy it when they saw the guys face on the label?

Like seriously check out his face...

One theory we hypothesised was that this was the guys reaction when his mate gave him a taste (it tasted like cough lollies! a mix between Jager and Sambuca + butter mentol! haha)

Another was that this was his reaction when he told him he was going to sell it for $50 a bottle!

Good times.

Drinking shenanigans aside, there was some really fun waves today, and I surfed for the better part of the day. From all reports it sounds like all of Australia is scoring waves at the moment!

More funny shit + some actual surfing photos tomorrow...

Peace

2009-05-11T05:52:00.000-07:00

Well just as Pastiche has been released, I've discovered Todd Barnes, head of the Iamnone empire, is releasing another dvd. No doubt it'll be another sweet vid and no doubt he felt a little motivation after seeing the Claws and Teeth production on Saturday night in Woollongong...

It's cool how the video guys can have this rivalry between them but still remain good mates and support one another. Even Digital Walrus (name I coined for Chad Waldron, Philippines circa '07 - story behind this later... but more likely never) bought a copy of the dvd. It's fucking great they want to push each other in terms of production and hopefully they keep it up because I want to keep seeing good videos!

Well it was a fast and successful weekend and i'm now back in faithful Margs awaiting some fun waves for the rest of the week. I'll upload some photos tomorrow because I am too tired to do it now...(I swear I suffered a two day hangover - a case of the less you do it the harder it hits you I think!)

But for the meantime here is a frame that never saw the light of day on Barnsey's Thrash and West decided to delete it!

North Point

Until then...

Going home?

2009-05-06T19:58:00.000-07:00

Tonight I am flying "home" (I don't know where I call home - when i'm in WA I call NSW home and when i'm in NSW I call WA home...) for the two remaining PASTICHE premieres - which should be sick fun!

Although I've watched the vid so many times now I am still amping on it and it will be cool to see it on the big screen again.

I'm going to be in my hometown briefly then stop number one is: The Central Coast!

It would be nice to come "home" to some of this!

So if your in the area make sure you come along! It's gonna be another great night!

Peace

Don't sweat the small stuff

2009-05-05T05:03:00.000-07:00

So the last few days of waves should of been better than it actually was - or at least according to the internet, but alas, was mediocre.

But there's two reasons why I'm not bothered:

1) The weather has been perfect - offshore and

sunny all day

2) The waves have been fun, just my expectations have been too high!

So i'm trying not to sweat the small stuff (and it's all small stuff) and just enjoying life!

Here are some pics from the last few days courtesy keats photo...

Gas

I was actually hot in my new void steamer today

Mad Tunnel vision

UNITE's new winter range has just dropped and is looking sweet! Get over to here to check it all out.

And in other news, Photographer and friend Alex Turoy has just set up a twitter to keep you updated with his photographing ways and i'm sure will involve lots of images.

Check it out here.

And last but not least, I am starting to add some video's at the bottom of the page - so scope 'em out! Yeww

Peace

Wherever I go, there I am

2009-05-03T22:52:00.000-07:00

"PASTICHE, PASTICHE, PASTICHE", the crowd roared.... no not really. But the premiere was definitely a huge success. I don't think anyone left the cinema disappointed or empty handed for that matter - there were plenty of giveaways, and you know

anything for free is good!

So if you have the chance to get to any of the other premieres - do it! I will be making an appearance at both the central and south coast prems and I can't wait!

As for the video - It is amazing. Good soundtrack, good footage, good riders, good vibes!

The cinema filling up

And as promised here are some shots from the last few days of surfing. There has been some sick waves...

North Point - cracking!

"Secret" Spot - Me snagging one from the crowd

Both of these shots were taken by my friend Ryan Keatinge who goes under the name of "Ryan Keats". Pretty ladsy for letting me use these shots on the blog!

Anyway I'll be back later with some more news + pics, so keep tuned!

Peace

Stimuli

2009-04-30T04:52:00.000-07:00

Well, Kevin Rudd has come through with the goods and finally honoured me with the promised $900- I be living the high life now! haha nah not really... but it definitely did brighten my day.

Margaret River being the quiet town it is, there's not much to do here unless your surfing or working, which makes for many alcoholics or "binge drinkers". It makes me wonder if it was the governments elaborate plan to release the money to Margaret River (goes by postcode) the day before the weekend starts! My mate was just down at the bottle shop and reckons it was complete madness as word got out about it.

Alcoholics aside, I just surfed some really fun/good North Point. It was the best waves I've had in a while and was made that much sweeter to have guys like Ryan Hardy, Mitch Rawlins, Pierre Louis and Jake Stone out there. As mentioned above - it's a quiet town, so I get a little excited when there's some new people to surf with!

Tomorrow holds a prosperous day, with good waves in the morning and the Pastiche premiere at night - the best of both worlds.

Check this space tomorrow for some bulk photos of North's and ........ . (secret*)

*Probably not a secret

One of those days

2009-04-29T20:47:00.000-07:00

Well it's a glorious day in "sunny" Margaret River, and I am having one of those days...

But it's gradually getting better - and who knows the Sun might actually show it's face later!

You will notice to your right on this page, I have added my sponsors logo's and if you click on them it will take you to their respective websites.

Sitting pretty atop of the lot is my board sponsor Pride. And as you may have read below, I am releasing a signature board model with them this May! This is what you can expect...

Mitch Woodland 606 class PE/Stringer/Mesh/Tail Piece

Anyway, it's time to get off the net and get into the water. Hope your getting waves wherever you are.

Peace

This Friday...

2009-04-28T05:26:00.000-07:00

As mentioned below this Friday marks the start of the "PASTICHE" premieres. It's gonna be a fucking rad night and I would highly recommend coming along just to see the movie if your in the Perth area.

It's funny to think that two years ago when I moved over to Margaret River, WA, from Shoal Bay, NSW, I would be so heavily involved in a project - as Dan (a.k.a Claws) asked me the other night, "what would have I been doing if they weren't bringing out a video?", I honestly don't know!

So I'm stoked to be a part of such an epic production and it sure is going to be rewarding on Friday night to sit down with everyone else in the cinema and soak it all in. It's been a long time coming...

This was my very first section in a video - "There's No I." I'm sure you'll enjoy my new one about...1000x more!

Welcome

2009-04-27T20:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome everyone to my blog! I thought it was about time I created one to share all my thoughts and images with the bodyboarding world, rather than just letting them go to waste.

It's a pretty exciting time for me - The waves are turning on in Margaret River, the "PASTICHE" premieres are set to go starting this Friday in Perth and my very own PRIDE board model is being released in May!

With a surplus amount of blogs floating around on the net these days, be sure to check this space for regular updates, photos and video clips. As my "boss" Marcus from HB distribution coined, "All the cool kids are doing blogs now!"