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10 Years of BWA With Mickey Duffus
BWA 10 Years of Big Wave Africa with Mickey Duffus
He’s been there since Red Bull Big Wave Africa was merely an untested concept. First as its inaugural contest director, as member of the invite list all but one year when he was an alternate, as well as two-time event “Best Tube” winner (once at the Slab out at Dungeons, and once at the Dune). So Kommetjie’s Mickey Duffus is probably better placed than anyone to reflect on the first 10 years of the event. Miles Masterson had a chat with him about his involvement from then ‘til now, and what it has meant personally to this perennial BWA contender, who at 46 is still one of South Africa’s most respected big wave chargers and articulate surfing statesmen...
Tell us about your involvement in BWA? You are stoked to have been involved all these years, right from the beginning?
Ja, I’ve got strong feelings about BWA...I helped start it. You know, Red Bull said to me, Mickey let’s get something going, and then I passed the baton onto Johnny and Gary because I found I couldn’t be contest director and surf too...
The event really has helped put South African big wave surfing on the map though?
Ja, Gary Linden wrote an article about Dungeons after the first year and said, you know time will tell, when the South African guys step up and surf Dungeons more often.
It took a few years after you, Cass and Ian won the world big wave champs, so you must have been super stoked with Twiggy winning Mavericks in 2006 and then placing second last year?
Ja, I know he credits BWA for that.
Big Wave Africa has been quite a ride for you personally too?
I feel proud and stoked to be involved and what makes me feel really good is when other guys, Twiggy or whoever can pinpoint their big wave surfing advancement on the Red Bull and the event as a catalyst for that. Plus the friends that I’ve made, like John Whittle and Grant Washburn, guys who I would never have met before, we all love the same thing and to have this bond, this event which brings us together and spend time and surf together is really is the best thing, and also the fact that every year that when January comes and I’m working and eating hamburgers or KFC on the road and it’s like, Red Bull six months or whatever; time start getting on the act.
So it plays a big part in your life?
To me it’s a huge goal in my surfing, to crack the nod, to be on the list... it provides huge motivation to get fit and every time there are big waves to go and surf and get your equipment right. I think everyone who has been involved, their surfing has improved, our whole big wave act is on the up and up. So to sum it up, is the goal how you’ve got to have an act for the contest, so my whole surfing for the last five years in terms of wanting to be invited and then being involved with it I try to improve my surfing, that’s massive; and then the fitness, and eating habits you know three months' time it's Red Bull, is it worth it to get hammered tonight (laughs).
You made the final of the first BWA and you’ve been involved in every single one since, is that right?
Ja, in the first one, I came fifth. Then the time they ran it when Greg Long won (2003) I was first alternate. I hadn’t been really shining, so I said put Andy Marr in, which in retrospect, Gary Linden said to me when the final was starting that I should be in there. It’s the same as Rudy Palmboom when he came on as an alternate - you want to show that you should be there. So that year I came out of the starting blocks firing... because you know once you are on that list you can become a bit complacent, and it’s a great honour to be involved. So that event I was first alternate and then the last time it ran, I think I missed the final by so close in the semi, by a couple of points. And this year, after they said I was invited, and we had a surf at Dungeons I felt that I really needed to prove that I belonged. I mean you have guys like Mike Slebach, I mean he’s first alternate and he’s absolutely charging, so you’ve got to step up to the plate, and fortunately I had a great surf that day, but hopefully haven’t peaked too soon. But there was certainly some pressure there because there are only so many spaces and they can’t carry any deadwood.
The list is chosen on performances out there by the surfers themselves? So you’re saying you can’t rest on your laurels?
Ja, it’s all a peer poll. You know, you can’t tell if you aren’t out there surfing with the guys who are actually doing it.
What have been the personal highlights for you of BWA? Apart from what you’ve achieved, but being in the water observing the whole thing?
I think one of the highlights was Sean Holmes’ 10-point wave in 2000; I was out the back and I remember him taking off. I think seeing the guys in 2003, the year that Greg won, when the guys came back in the boat and they were all... you could see something, didn’t know what happened, there was a bond, a real strong bond and only when they got onto the podium, and said they are sharing the prize money, to me that is the highlight, that collective decision they made, to me that is the spirit of the whole thing. And then I think seeing John Whittle win, because of the way the guy charges.... but it’s really just the camaraderie of the whole thing.
Okay, well thanks Mickey and good luck for the event.
Thanks bru.
