An Interview With Pat O'Connell

In the past you have not had good years on the WCT, why is that?
In the start, in Australia, I just seem to fall down early in Australia for some reason. Last year I hurt my knee and I was out of the stages in Tahiti and the Fiji, and I finished falling down disastrously from a high place in ranking.

You have traveled to some fantastic places whilst making the " Endless Summer II ".  Do You Still have motivation to compete in bad waves?
I still have the taste to compete... I have fun myself with any condition, I don't mind 1ft crap anymore than 10ft glass, surfers who moan over weak slop are fakes and not real surfers just in it for the pose.

In all your trips as a professional and free-surfer, Do you have a special wave or country?
It is difficult, because each place has its good side. Some moments that I have had in Hawaii are great, but I have also had great surf in California, Brazil, France and Australia, for example. Today, I woke up and the surf was clean and created a special atmosphere.  For me however the best spot in the world would be Europe and France in particular. The culture, women and waves are all so good and really Europe should be the base of Surfing not America.

Thanks for talking with us Pat.