Meet new Team rider - Cooper Kelaher
We caught up with new team Rider Cooper Kelaher, we love the way cooper goes about his surfing. He surfs with maturity beyond his years, riding fishes and longboards depending upon the conditions. Find out a little bit more about style master Cooper in the questions below.
What’s your name and where did you grow up ?
Cooper Kelaher I am 14. I live at Shelly Beach on the Central Coast.
What age did you start surfing and where did you start surfing?
I started surfing when I was 4. I started surfing at Shelly Beach and also Toowoon
Bay at what they call ‘kiddies corner’.
What kind of surfer wound you describe yourself as?
I think I’m a bit alternative. I love riding my traditional fish and my long board. I love them because they are fun and you can ride them in a range of conditions.
What’s your favourite part about surfing and the spending time in the ocean?
Surfing and spending time in the ocean is the best thing in the world. There is nothing better than the feeling you get from a wicked barrel or a good nose ride. I love spending time in the ocean with my mates. If I haven’t surfed for a few days, I start to go a bit crazy and mum orders me out for a paddle no matter what the conditions are like.
What kind of waves do you surf on the central coast?
There is a bit of everything on the central coast. Mainly beach breaks, but there are a few point breaks and reefys as well. A bit of everything that suits all the style of boards I ride.
Where do you want your surfing to be in the next 5 years?
I want to do it all. Hopefully, I’ll be able to do some more competitive surfing. I was pretty new to it and was meant to compete in the Aussie Longboarding titles this year after coming second at State but they were cancelled cause of COVID. I’d love to go on more surf trips. Refining my style is important too. I’m still pretty new to long boarding and I know I still have a lot to learn.
Who are some of your favourite surfers who inspire you at the moment?
Some people that inspire me are people like Ryan Burch because of the boards he rides and his style, he rides a- symmetrical, fishes and longboards. I also like to watch Tosh Tudor because of the way he rides a longboard and his style. A lot of local surfers have had a big influence on my surfing and where I am today, people like Fergo for always giving me tips and Pepper for the awesome boards he has got me on.
Once borders open up do you have any destinations or particular waves you are dying to surf ?
Once borders open I want to go to places like Noosa and Byron for the perfect point breaks for my longboard. I also want to do the Noosa festival of surfing next year. I am dying to go to Mexico and the Mentawais because of the perfect right handers.
If you had to ride one board for the rest of your life, what board would it be and why?
At the moment it is my 9.4 Pepper Shapes Log because it is perfect for small waves because where I live there is always an option for fun little waves, but the next board. I get will be a mid- length twin fin or single fin so that could change things, they look so fun.
If you could share a perfect empty line-up what wave would you surf and who would you surf it with?
If I had to have a perfect line up it would have to be at Scotts Head because it is just a perfect right hand point break. I would surf it with my Dad, my good mate Nate and a few other good friends.
What’s your favourite Boardsox cover?
My favourite Boardsox cover would have to be either the Checks or the Ozzie Alien Love Flower Boardsox.
