Craig Anderson

Ex Bluewater Bay homeboy flies high

Age: 22
Local Spot now: Merewether (Newcastle, Australia)
Local spot then: 6210....Bluewater Bay!
Weapons: Haydenshapes Surfboards, at least 20-30 stacked in the garage
Wheels: A bomb
Graft: Free surfer
Favourite surfer: Rob Machado
Favourite spot: Fence, Desert Point, anywhere in Hawaii
Achievements: Won u14 division in SA Champs, won BBG Pro Junior in Durbs, won the Breakthough Performer of the year in the 2010 Surfer Poll

Craig Anderson's a born and bred PE boytjie that's gone on to big things since moving over to Aus a while ago. Must be something they feed the kids the other side of the Swartkops, as a steady flow of talent eminates from the 6210 post code. In one of the recent Aussie mags I saw a double page spread of him doing a crazy monster air on a wave looking remarkably like Fence (think habour wall & wedge), with this massive cruise ship in the background. So decided to track him down for some Q&A, prompted by Steve nagging me about it too!

BREAKING NEWS: Craig's just won the Super Poll Breakthrough Performer of the Year, with the awards ceremony going down on Monday night (6 Dec). He beat guys like Owen Wright and Jadson Andre (WCT) - not too shabby! Check out the video clip further down the page. Ando's the last segment.

Take it away Craig....

Take us back to when it all started‌

My dad had a lot to do with the surf life saving club in Bluewater bay, so I grew up at the beach and in the water. Started off doing nippers, then got a stick under my feet and then dropped everything to surf! I grew up surfing Bluewater bay, my family had a house across the road from the beach, so I would run over with my two dogs every opportunity I got.

What was your first stick‌

A Bear surfboard, fat plank, super wide and chunky. I think it’s still kicking around Bluewater bay with one of the boys I grew up surfing with!

Who were your crew back in the day‌

Donovan Zoetmulder, Justin Grey, Bam, Hercu, Ratty, Clinton Frazer, Rhys Harvey, Davo Langton, Greg Holmes, Dyl Stone, Granville, Shaun & Ryan Payne, pretty much all the BWB surfers and PE guys.

Ando's known for flying high

As happy in the barrel as in the air

What sort of kak did you used to get up to‌

Not much! I was kinda the shy, quite guy growing up.
Ed. Just add water and watch shy guy go ballistic, there’s nothing shy about Craig’s surfing at all!)

Did you ever used to bunk school to surf‌

No, but the one time I did brushed a day of cadets at Grey and they somehow they found out I went surfing! Bust, I got a 3 hour Friday detention! Good old Grey High school!

Any grom abuse back in the day

First year I made the EP team think I was about 12. We had a weekend training camp with the whole team in Cape St Francis. All the ol boys, Granville West, Dly Stone, Ryan Payne....whoever else was there, they all made us lighties stand there in our undies in the car park! Made us eat raw fish out of a can, and made us put siff stuff in our hair – like peanut butter, eggs and fish. Then they bashed us up a bit, nothing too bad. Good times!

This ou clocks up more frequent flyer miles than most

He can still tear the face apart too...

How’d you rate the surf back then‌

All time! But I think it always seems better when you a grom‌! I’ve been back to BWB a few times and it’s been dead flat every time. I remember surfing everyday and it being firing.

Any classic surf trips or sessions that stand out‌

A trip with Jordy, and Mitch Colborne to Reunion for a Taylor Steele movie called Modern Collective. Got the most crazy waves and had a few memorable sessions and some funny times. Then another time with Reynolds, Kelly and myself. We went to South Stradbroke Island for a magazine trip after the Quiky pro. Scored super good waves and surfing with them two guys was rad!

When did you move to Aus‌

I was 15yrs old at the time- June of 7 years ago

How come you went, where do you live there‌

Mom and Dad made the call. I think they just thought of me and my sisters for down the track. We now live happily in Newcastle, Merewether, an hour half drive north of Sydney..

What’s the surf like over there‌

It gets good just like everywhere but everything needs to line up....not very consistent, but it gets good,

It can get super good actually - 4 times world champion Mark Richards lives down the road! If a 4 times world champ lives here that has got to say something about the waves! It gets crowded just like anywhere...on a good day probably 20 peeps out. There’s kinda a heavy local vibe too if you not from there! Shark wise, I guess they’re everywhere in the world.....it’s not too bad in Newcastle!

The Indian Rubber Man

What better way to spend the sunset

Do you reckon it’s pushed your surfing to higher levels having moved to Aus‌

Definitely! Doing all the comps when I moved to Aus and all the kids ripped, they all had stickers on their crafts - it helped me surf better for sure. I had good surfers to surf with everyday too, which helps. Plus good film guys and photographers that lived on the same street as well.

Are you competing on the local Aus tour at all‌

No, not for the last year or so. I did all the comps and didn’t really have fun with it when I was growing up. So I’m just free surfing for now, the sponsors are happy and they pay the bills! So I’ll keep travelling and having fun instead of hustling the comp scene like every other man and his dog.
(Ed – Craig’s sponsored by Quiksliver, Hayden Shapes surfboards, Electric and Modom.)

Are you competing internationally at all‌

Noooooooooo! As far as my plans going forward, I reckon I’ll just free surf for now.

Funky move with a funky backdrop

Scarring the wave for life

You’re quite the air guy – how’d you get into that‌

Not too sure‌ I remember growing up surfing alongside a guy name Clinton Frazer.....he did airs! So maybe watching him I got a bit of inspiration!

What’s the best air you’ve pulled‌ And what’s your “trademark” air‌

I’d say a backside full rotation last year in Balito. I was there for the QS and had my buddy filming a free surf. (Ed – check out the video clip below)

Any advice to give the ou’s trying to stick their airs‌

Wind is the key...you want the wind blowing your board to your feet, got to be onshore/ sideshore. Just have a dig!

Where all have you surfed‌

Aus, Indo, California, Europe, Sth Africa, Hawaii. Far too many stories to tell!

ASL cover shot

Waves cover shot

Any scary moments surfing‌

Hawaii every year is pretty scary! Also, West Oz a year or two back – I landed in the flats doing an air and blew me knee out. Couldn’t move my leg, and it was a 5km walk to the carpark! Luckily some friends carried me. But it was still a 3 hour drive to Perth hospital. I spent 5 days getting fixed up, and was then in a brace for 3 months....not fun!

Have you surfed against any of the CT guys at all‌

I got a wildcard into the Quiksilver pro on the Gold Coast at the start of the year, surfed against Bede, Mick Cambell, Bobby Martinez......almost got Bobby in round 2!

Last words‌

See ya mate!

Beaches in Aus look pretty much like PE!?

A Bali bomb barrel

Thanks Ando!

Stoked that Craig took some time out from his hectic schedule to do the interview. He gets tons of requests no doubt, so glad he's true to his roots and still has time for his home town. Prett cool how it all panned out, as only got his interview back end of last week, and hadn't had time to put it together. Then happened to discover he was nominated in the Surfer Poll awards which were held beginning of this week. And he goes and wins the thing!! Awesome! As BA from the A-Team used to say "I love it when a plan comes together!" (for anyone younger than 30, it was a cool TV program back in the day).

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