Chris Zaffis Makes the Most of His Lunch Break in 'Welcome Home' - Stab Mag

Live Now: Chapter 11 Mini-Documentary With Dane Reynolds

1275 Views
Just a hop, skip, and jump from Surfer's Paradise. Photo: Ollie Cooper

Chris Zaffis Makes the Most of His Lunch Break in ‘Welcome Home’

Not bad for an electrician.

cinema // Mar 18, 2021
Words by Chris Binns
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Unless you’re a close follower of the Qualifying Series or grew up in New South Wales’ Northern Rivers region, you’ve probably never heard of 23-year-old ripper Chris Zaffis. You might remember that he won the Mentawai Rip Curl Pro in some of the best contest waves ever, flawless six-foot Lance’s Right, and you’ve possibly seen his name in the draw at the business end of events on the WSL Asia series. That’s the tour that goes to the spots the Championship Tour wishes it could; Keramas, Cloud Nine, Krui, Nias etc. Beyond that, you probably aren’t too familiar with the stylish natural footer from Angourie, who grew up watching fellow stylish natural footers Laurie Towner and Bryce Young tear their local point to pieces.

Think he’s done this before? Photo: Conor Outerbridge.

I first met Chris Zaffis in 2012, on the Red Bull Future Surf Camp hosted by then two-time world champ Mick Fanning. It was a concept ahead of its time, with Mick hand-picking a squad of up-and-coming pre-teen Aussies to learn a thing or two about what it takes to become a professional surfer while road tripping from Sydney to the Gold Coast. From competitive weapons like Mikey Wright and Jacob Willcox to future free surfers like Louie Hynd and Kai Hing, Mick showed that he can identify talent as well as he can surf, and the squad packed their A-games in their custom-made swags as they got the all-day-wetty-wearing frenzy underway.

Red Bull coaches Andy King and Sean Hayes filmed and reviewed video after every session, and guys like commentator Ronnie Blakey and photographer Peter “Bosko” Boskovic swung by for cameos, dropping surf industry cheat codes on the wide-eyed pack. I went along to cover the action for Surfing Life magazine, and in a room full of boisterous alpha groms, the lanky, shy, 13-year-old Zaffis all but blended into the wallpaper.

These days Chris is six-foot tall and all grown up and, as seen in this edit, Welcome Home, his surfing more than speaks for itself. While life threw curveballs aplenty at the world in 2020, somehow things fell into place for Zaffis, despite how he first feared things might play out.

Just like Lance’s! Photo: @tombrownfilms

“I finally finished my electrical apprenticeship in 2020,” says Chris, “right as shit was hitting the fan. I come from New South Wales but my girlfriend is in Queensland, and I was really worried about the state borders closing, so had to figure out where I was going to base myself. In the end I chose Queensland, even though she lived in Surfer Paradise of all places. For a kid from Angourie that took a while to get used to, on top of already stressing about being unemployed and events being cancelled.

“As fate would have it, I met a legend in the surf one day who heard my story and offered me a job on the spot. His name’s Ahmed El Safty and he’s the CEO of a company called Zero Emissions Developments, who work in the renewable energy sector. I started work as an electrician with them the next day, and since then he’s also given me all the time off I need to compete and chase swells. It was a dream come true, and I still can’t believe it!

Not just a tube-shooter. Photo: Blair Jeffreys

“This clip was all filmed on the Gold Coast over the past 12-months, and edited by my best mate Nick Colclough. After so long on the road it was cool to settle down in one place for a while, and it didn’t hurt that the Gold Coast pumped, with endless back-to-back swells. I was having the time of my life chasing waves with mates, working a bit learning new skills in my trade, and enjoying living with my partner. 

“The north end of the Goldie is quieter than you might think, plus South Straddie is right here and obviously insane, so I’d definitely say this place is starting to feel like home. Things don’t always go as you might hope, but I honestly can’t believe how lucky and stoked I am to be working and surfing, stuck here with pumping waves. To top things off I got engaged to my girl Charlotte, at the end of the year… life’s good!”

Onya Chris, couldn’t happen to a better bloke. For the rest of us, could there be a better example of why you should be friendly and talk to people in the line-up? Nah, didn’t think so. Go hoot a stranger today.

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Pittar’d And Feathered

Do the WSL judges deserve the internet's wrath? We asked the man of the hour.

Mar 28, 2024

Robbo, Pickles, And Tyler Wright Become The Underdogs Breakfast At Uninspiring Winkipop

The foreboding blade sharpens and inconsistent judging prevails on Day Two in Torquay.

Mar 27, 2024

“I Don’t Always Win Heats, But When I Do, I Try To Beat John John”

Slater shines and the axe begins its descent on Day 01 at Bells.

Mar 26, 2024

Back Against The Wall: The Ramzi Boukhiam Redemption

Morocco's first CT surfer on speaking six languages, having no coach, and snatching Fil Toledo's…

Mar 25, 2024

Will Kirra, Babies or JJF Stop a GOAT Winning at Bells?

Bluesky BOAG advice from a Superman specialist and former Trials winner.

Mar 25, 2024

Bells Preview: The WSL’s Victorian Sword Dancing Equinox Ritual

Will a Brazilian crack the Top 10 at Bells?

Mar 25, 2024

69 Shin Bones Later + the Anticlimactic State of Big Wave Record-Breaking

Lucas Chumbo might have surfed the biggest wave ever this year. But how will we…

Mar 23, 2024

Watch: ‘Fresh and Fried’ Ft the Quik Kids

How taxing is it to tackle the Gold Coast’s Triple Crown in a single day,…

Mar 23, 2024

The Popular Vote: The People’s Stab In The Dark With Kolohe Andino Champion

Which board looked best — to you —under Kolohe's talons?

Mar 22, 2024

João Chianca Opens Up About His Brain Injury, Rehabilitation, And Targeted Return To Competition  

"I don't just want to be the same surfer that I was. I don't even…

Mar 21, 2024

Six Key Learnings From Portugal

Three CT events in, what do we know? 

Mar 21, 2024

‘Zipper’ Is Going On Tour, Here’s Where You Can Watch It  

Dates, times + locations for the Venice, Encinitas, Sydney + Byron premieres.  

Mar 20, 2024

Dane Reynolds On His Future, His Past, And Chapter 11’s Raison D’être

Our 9-minute plunge into the collective psyche of Ventura's pillar(s).

Mar 20, 2024

From ‘Blue Ribbon Cross Country Runner’ to Vogue – How Steph Again Is Back With A Rip Curl Remix

Everything we know about the she-GOATs sponsorship boomerang.

Mar 18, 2024

Stab Interview: Darren Handley Explains Why You Can’t Buy The Winning Stab In The Dark Model

And his decades-long standoff with Slater.

Mar 17, 2024

Griff Embraces Portugal’s Eternal Time Loop To Vanquish Medina + Ewing, Defay Delays The Inevitable

A redeeming closing act at Supertubos.

Mar 16, 2024

The Secret Behind Lungi Slabb’s Inconceivable Greenmount Funnel

Six broken boards, one leaking forehead, and five days of Superbank mysticism.

Mar 16, 2024

Cheat Codes: A Million Miles Worth Of Travel Advice From Coco Ho

Hard-earned wisdom from more than 2,000 hours in the troposphere.

Mar 15, 2024
Advertisement