Nat Young, fin shuck on the Gold Coast, Oz

The Gold Cost is far from Golden right now. There’s been wind, rain and general storm-like coverings for the better part of three weeks. Which ain’t excellent. But, them’s the breaks and what’s certain is that the first event of the 2013 ASP World Tour, being the Quiksilver Pro, Snapper Rocks, will run some time in the next two days. Which is worth celebrating and, if you’re a competitor, worth training for. So, never mind the conditions, the entire ‘CT has been visible on the stretch between Little Marley and Greenmount, getting to know it, love it (or despise it), and prepare for the first siren. And among them is Nat Young, who along with three others, is a world tour rookie this year. “I’m very excited to see this backside fin ditch on display this year,” says photog Ryan Miller, who captured this backside shuck in its entirety. And, we couldn’t agree more. – Elliot Struck