Joel Ford, Cabarita, NSW

Traditionally, Matt O’Brien hasn’t made the threeish-hour trip down to Cabarita from his home on the Sunshine Coast if Chippa Wilson ain’t been there. But recently, there’s been another drawcard emerge in the Caba area in the form of Chippa’s neighbour and good pal, Joel Ford. Anyone surfer who lives within close proximity to the Caba or Coolangatta area might know Joel’s family. His older brother, Sam, was brutally assaulted in Cooly in 2009, unprovoked, and after an extended coma, now has acquired brain damage. The clip below will tell you more about Sam’s inspiring recovery. The incident changed Joel immensely, too. His focus on surfing intensified and, taking notes from pal Chip, he’s started to lay down some serious flair. “Joel’s just like Chip,” says Matt. “He hates contests and just loves big punts. He does really huge backside airs. He dresses like a little gangsta – ‘back Caba swagger’, they call it.” The other good thing about shooting Joel? He goes for broke. Reckon a rogue surfboard, which you can probably just make out tombstoning in the foam, would stop the kid from stomping a corked air-revs? Hells no! “Someone bailed, just let their board fly, but Joel just goes for it and would try and land anything to get a shot – a board underneath him wouldn’t, and didn’t, stop him trying to land an air like this, no way.”   Got a spare chunk o’ time? Answer our lil Stab survey. We’ve got some Globe gifts to give away.