2004 Interview With Scott McKercher

January 12, 2004 Created by PRESS RELEASE January 12, 2004

Q: Was 2003 a good year for you?

SM: Yes and no. It was a great year as always but competitively it was frustrating. They didn\'t stop the event early enough when it was high tide in Gran Canaria and I was left scratching my head looking for a wave to ride. And then dead onshore in Sylt wasn\'t exactly my cup of tea. It would be nice to have more than just two-wave event as well.

Q: Was 2003 a good year for you?

SM: Yes and no. It was a great year as always but competitively it was frustrating. They didn't stop the event early enough when it was high tide in Gran Canaria and I was left scratching my head looking for a wave to ride. And then dead onshore in Sylt wasn't exactly my cup of tea. It would be nice to have more than just two-wave event as well.

But I went on many wonderful trips with the Cocos Islands and Thurso, Scotland being some memorable highlights.

Q: What was your best trip of the year?

SM: The Cocos islands. Undiscovered island paradise with insane waves and tax-free alcohol.

Q: Worst trip?

SM: I guess Sylt, It can be killer there but this year it was bolt onshore and just didn’t suite my style.

Q: Any sailing highlights or epic sessions?

SM: Some of the sessions in the Cocos islands were my best ever basically. It was sick out there. Peeling hollow waves and just three of us sailing. It just doesn’t get any better than that!

Q: What are you up to this winter?

SM: I have been at my home break sailing Margaret River and working on my house. A very enjoyable period indeed. It was a very swelly December with good winds. It has nothing to do with the tour, but it's what makes me tick.

Q: What do you do in between competitions?

SM: Travel to where it's on somewhere. Like I said last year I scored Cocos Islands, Scotland, epic Maui and some killer days at home in Australia.

Q: Are you glad there is a Maui event back on the calendar?

SM: This is the best thing to happen to the tour for a while. We are in desperate need of quality events on the tour. For us wave sailors its going all pear shaped with freestyle events popping up everywhere. For the sport to regain some of its prestige in the extreme sport market place, we need the visual excitement of quality waves. Plus to keep it interesting for the competitors themselves we are in desperate need of spicing up the tour a bit. Going to Gran Canaria and Sylt every year can get a bit old.

Q: Who will be the guys to watch out for?

SM: I guess the obvious ones are Polakow, Levi Siver and Josh Angulo, but in Maui you just never know who is going to be on fire.

Q: Any new years resolutions?

SM: Keep looking forward.

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