Interview with Scott McKercher
Q: What did you get up to last winter?
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SM: Last winter (Summer for me being an antipodean) was spent cruising around the west Australian coastline. Between the west and south coasts, chasing the weather map, doing the Ledge point to Lancelin contest, catching up with all my friends having bbq’s, Racing Model Yachts and drinking all my friends home brew beer. It’s a funny thing that what I would like to do the most is perfect training for what I do the rest of the year. (The PWA tour)
Q: Any really sick days that spring to mind?
SM: There were quite a few actually. A couple at Esperance were pretty sick, One with Ty and Luke when we did some starboard shots, and another day when Polakow and Stone were there. Although I’m probably ruining Josh’s story as he wrote that they were
the only ones there, Margs had some special days and the contest at Lano was the best ever. Pete Volwater was doing Sick doubles which had me jumping the highest I’ve gone I think, but… Pete still won though the bastard.
Q: What is your favorite all round competition board?
SM: That’s an easy question. It's the board I’ve been pretty much using the whole time lately. The Starboard 70. In Vargas I was using with 4.7 to 5.2, and then in Ireland I was using it with 3.8. I also use the same board here in Hawaii. It’s pretty handy as in Ireland for the contest, I was able to put Luke’s 70 on my other rig as a spare, being exactly the same board. It’s quite handy
Q: Seems like your results have improved over the last year...anything different going on?
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SM: My results have been up and down due to injury basically. Vargas last year sucked as I had a bulging lower disc in my back, and then I shook that and was ready for the Canaries, was sailing good there and felt in the flow but then blew out my knee again, didn’t sail until Sylt and then got second there???? Which was just conditions that suited me basically. Just like Vargas as well. That was pretty much my kind of conditions there. Side shore meaty peaks, wind from the left, from head to Logo high. That’s all is it is when anyone does well I reckon. When they feel comfortable in the contest with conditions they’re familiar with. Ireland after that I didn’t do so well. The waves there are really soft when it’s cross off and I have a hard time with them. Like Carvill in the Vargas comp this year. He sucks at Pozo, but in proper waves that made him feel like he was at Diamond Head. He could have won that contest if it continued I reckon!
Q: So when are you and Anne Marie going to tie the knot...or is that a sticky question?
SM: Jesus John, just like everyone else asking the culturally conditioned question. I thought you were more broad-minded than that? Nah, we’re both too happy cruising still to have to complicate life with that sort of stuff. Neither of us feel ready while we live this kind of life.
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Q: Who do you most fear in a competition?
SM: Depends on where the contest is.
Pozo - Bjorn
Hookipa- Polakow
Vargas the other day. Carvill
Ireland- Kauli (He was killing it there last year.)
Sylt-Depends on the wind direction
Everywhere- myself. (For stuffing it up)
Q: Words to live by?
SM: Live in the moment.
Q: Describe yourself in three words?
SM: Competitive. Mellow-(Aggressive). Happy.
Q: Any advice to a young wannabe who wants to join the world tour?
SM: Sail how you feel. Sail a lot, learn to play the game. Focus on what you have to learn. Have fun seeing the world at the same time