The Grim, Stickerless Reality Of Being A Talented Surfer In 2024
Jabe Swierkocki refuses to play the victim.
Intro by Pedro Ramos.
If California were a country, it would have the fifth-largest economy in the world.
About a decade ago, I overheard an executive from a major Australian sunglass brand mentioning that a certain surfer was only sponsored because he was from California. He added that there was no way the same surfer could make a living solely from the sport in Australia, given the much smaller economy.
While his sardonic comment was an eye-opener back then, the current reality is a world apart. Many surfers who would’ve likely been marquee team riders a decade ago now find their faces adorning lawn signs that may eventually get plastered with a SOLD sticker.
Jabe Swierkocki could be considered one of the casualties of the current economic climate, yet he refuses to adopt that mindset. After losing his main sponsor, the 21-year-old natural footer from Ventura, CA, seems unfazed by the prospect of not making a living as a professional competitor. Having never abandoned his academic pursuits, Jabe is gracefully balancing competition, free surfing, and the path to higher education.
“All these clips are bits and pieces that came together throughout the winter when I was home,” Jab explains. The clips he refers to have been pieced together by Jason ‘Mini’ Blanchard, a name you might recognize if you’ve bookmarked marinelayerproductions.com in the preceding decade.
Stab‘s Head of TikTok, Josiah Amico, sat down with Jabe to discuss balancing college life, navigating the international qualifying circuit, working with Channel Islands, and what’s next on the occasionally foggy Central Coast horizon.
Josiah: You haven’t put much of your own footage out in the world, which might explain why very few people know how good of a surfer you are. Was working with Mini on this edit your way of changing that?
Jabe: Honestly, I was doing the Challenger Series and wasn’t home much. It was more of an accumulation of clips where we both happened to be in the same place at the same time. Then a couple of months ago, he was like, ‘Dude, I’ve got a bunch of footage,’ and he just put it all together and worked his magic. That’s pretty much how it came together.
Did you compete in the Challenger Series for the entire year?
I did the entire season last year, and it was quite the experience. Traveling and competing against people at that level was really cool, and I’m definitely interested in doing it again. I had some success in Portugal, where I got an equal ninth, which was cool. It felt like surfing the point back home, and that gave me a ton of confidence.
You and Dimitri Poulos are peers and compete together. Who else did you look up to for guidance and inspiration?
We had some pretty solid role models in Ventura. Growing up, I looked up to guys like Dane (of course), Kellen Ellison, Mikey McCabe, you, and the older generation.
Then there was Dimitri and me, a couple of years behind you guys. It was cool having a bit of a rivalry with Dimitri, but also a good friend who pushed me. Now, getting to travel and compete together is pretty damn cool. We did a lot of comps together last year — I think five out of six of the contests — so we were pretty much together the whole time. It was sick to have a local friend from Ventura who’s fun to hang with on the road.
You lost your major sponsor last year. How have you been navigating that transition to a stickerless nose, and have any of your goals changed because of it?
Yeah, you know how it goes. With the way the surf industry’s been the last couple of years, it wasn’t something I took personally. Of course, it wasn’t the greatest phone call to get, and it was disappointing at first, but it definitely lit a fire under me. It motivated me to put even more work into this. If anything, it pushed me to want to represent myself more.
Just because the industry’s shifting doesn’t mean it’s time to give up, you know? I don’t feel like I have something to prove, but competing, having some success, and dropping edits without a sticker is pretty sick. It’s just kind of what’s going on right now.
Totally. Despite being homeschooled, you were always focused on your education. I know you finished two years of college — is that something you’re still trying to accomplish while competing?
Yeah, I’ve been in school this entire time. I took one semester off last year to do the Challenger Series, but since I graduated high school, I’ve been in classes at home — even now. I’m actually ready to transfer into a UC credit-wise, but we’ll see what happens with qualifying and competing next year. School has always been a priority. I’ve been a straight-A student my whole life — never had a B. It’s been cool to juggle school and surfing and excel in both.
That said, my immediate goal is to get back on the Challenger Series and give it another go. Last year was an awesome experience, but a lot of it was unknown territory — traveling to all these new places for the first time. I was learning so much that I couldn’t put 100% of my focus on competing. Doing it again with a year of experience under my belt and trying to get some good results would be huge. I had glimpses of solid heats last year against some pretty good guys, so I know I’m capable. But school has always been important and it’s not something I plan on stopping.
Have you reached out to any potential sponsors, or are you just focusing on surfing and enjoying whatever comes your way?
Like I said, I don’t feel like the sponsorships that ended were personal — it’s more about budgets. A lot of sponsors are dropping people to meet budgets; they’re not necessarily picking up new people. I’m just keeping my head down and if something comes up, I’m definitely interested. I’m extremely confident in my ability and how I portray myself. So, if the right opportunity comes along, I’m open to it, but I’m not constantly hustling for it, you know?
Yeah, that makes sense. Without a major sponsor, how are you funding your upcoming contest season?
I’ve been working a lot — coaching the middle school team here in Ventura. I think this is my fifth year now, and it’s been really enjoyable. That’s how I’m able to get on a plane and make my way to those QS events.
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