Meet the world’s biggest grom! Here’s: Matt Hoy

All photos by Ricardo Bravo

Recently, the world’s 10 best under 18 surfers went to Brazil’s Fernando de Noronha, for the final of Quiksilver’s 2015 King Of The Groms. While they were there, we profiled the kids who are keeping the future of surfing bright – as interviewed by the vibrant Matt Hoy. Today, we flip the mic and ask Hoy the same questions he grilled the groms with during the trip…

I’m Matthew Hoy, 44, from Newy (Newcastle).

My favourite wave? It’s a secret spot on the North Coast. I don’t want to say, ‘cause it might break again. I forget the last time I surfed it – mid-tour, probably. The people that know… know. It’s a right, and it’s fucked up. There’d be sharks for sure, but nothing was different back then. We’d hear it was on, drive up and there’d be no one out. On it’s good day, it’d probably be 300m long, top to bottom barrels.

Magic board dimensions… depends who shapes it. But if I shape it, 5’10”x 19’1/2”x 2’1/2”, swallow tail. If I could shape channels, it’d have six channels in it.

Who’s been ripping in King Of The Groms? (Sammy) Pupo. Seb (Williams). And I reckon the grom, Kian Martin, he’s been ripping. They’re my favourite to watch.

Mick Fanning deserved to win the world title. The other boys will have their time.

The best surfer in the world right now is Simon Ladkin.

If you gave me a million bucks, I’d give half to my children, and then travel to all the spots I’ve never been through the whole world.

Three things I’d take to a deserted island with waves are my knife, my woman, and baked beans. A bottomless tin of baked beans. Good for ya. I’d carve a board out of a tree with my knife.

The best thing about King Of The Groms is watching all the groms surf to their ability and express themselves, being themselves, and having a good time doing it – not having to conform to contest strategies, which they were doing at the start, but by the end they went, you know what? This is who we are, let’s do it this way.

My favourite thing about Brazil is the booty.