Nick Gornall has been getting a bit of coverage lately, and it is well deserved.
Nick surfs amazing and has been for years now. He owns straddie and some of the
kids around here hold him as high as some of the best bodyboarders in the world.
With another big year of travel ahead, it is sure to be another big year for Nick.
Watch out for his section on the new Movement vid. It will blow you away.
Nick you have been surfing straddie for over a decade, you have built
yourself a solid reputation and have been receiving quite a bit of
exposure generating a name for yourself in the bodyboarding world.
How do you feel about your surfing and the media you have been
creating of late?
Yes i have been surfing straddie for ages now, got a good solid little crew going
it’s awesome. Exposure has been going well lately, mainly from just a few of my
latest trips not sure why it has only started now maybe just the right place at the
right time, with photographers etc etc.
You have some awesome footage and some of the photos that are
floating around are amazing, i have heard some kids say stuff like
“Nick is better than most of the pro’s in the mags and on the videos”.
I tend to agree. Why do you think people have taken so long to catch
onto your level of surfing?
Mainly exposure again. I’ve done a lot of oversea’s travels in my time pretty much
since ive left school really. Been to many many places but usually with a couple
mates never filming or what not, people who like my surfing are usually people
who just see me around the coast or anywhere.
So Nick being idolised yourself, who is it that you get inspiration from?
Why do you like to ride a body board?
I like to boog cause its fitness and also just fun getting mega bowls, barrels etc etc.
Bodyboarding has taken me around the globe many a times and made me
meet some amazing people. Such as Jono and Hardy whom I idolise on a boog.
Personally i think your surfing is world class. Smooth, fluent and
powerful with perfect style. Whilst a lot of people agree you still stay
away from the comp scene, making a name for your self as a free surfer.
What made you want to just focus on your surfing and not the glory of
competition success?
I hate waiting around all day at comps if I get through. It would be good if it was at
good spots too. For example i got knocked out first heat in 2 foot d bah about a few
months ago. I’ll go in them if its close by and important to my sponsors
If you weren’t a bodyboarder, what do you think you would be doing
with your spare time?
hmmm i skated heaps but got too hurt. I like fitness, i run most mornings, but i do
party quite a lot. Recently being a sunday morning now while im writing this i had
my first weekend in about 3-4 years of not drinking on a friday saturday night!
was nuts haha
What do you think about the state of bodyboarding, have we come along
in leaps and bounds? Is there a long way to go?
The state of bodyboarding is pretty good at the moment i reckon, all about busting
big and what more could you ask for, except a bit more cash flow.
We’ve spoken about who inspires you, who do you feel are the young
bodyboarders really pushing themselves?
Thorpe Waluew
You have a few stamps in your passport now, where around the globe
have you been and do you have any travel plans coming up in the near
future?
Ummm pretty much whole globe at least 2-3 times each place, take for ever
pin pointing every spot haha but yeah travelling is the best i recommend it for
everyone. I’m off to europe this year bout may onwards
A kid asked me what i was doing in the shop just now, I told him i was
interviewing Nick Gornall and he started frothing. He wants to know
how long have you been bodyboarding and what are your favourite
moves? ha.
hahah good question! Probably been booging for about 11 years and i love flips,
reverse airs, foward airs, and inverts. What ever the section can provide
What do you want out of bodyboarding? If a company got right behind
you and supported you enough to stop working, So you could travel and
surf would you be keen? Or are you content running Surf FX and owning
Straddie?
Of course i would be keen if i got the support, no one likes working and being stuck
in the one place, haha. Just hard to get that kind of money in our sport and is kind
of a good thing in a way cause it shows that everyone does it for fun.
Thanks a lot for your time Nick.
Click Here to watch Nick Gornalls section in PB.
Interview by Stevie Lloyd
