A Q&A with Schuyler McFerran
photos courtesy of Schuyler McFerran
by Marlise Kast
posted 2006-09-12
Have you been treated any differently since your July win?
I now have more friends on Facebook than before and people stop to congratulate me. When I'm hanging out with my friends, it doesn't seem any different than before I won.
photo courtesy of ASP
Do you have any plans to break into the world of shortboarding?
I would love to learn how to shortboard properly. Right now I love riding my fish at The Cliffs, but I never ride the potato-chip boards. It's such a hard transition to make from a log to a tiny shortboard that it usually takes me a few sessions to warm up. Someday I hope to get really good at shortboarding to round out my surfing.
How would you define surfing to someone who has never tried it?
Surfing is like nothing else you will ever experience. It is such a unique activity that you will never regret learning how to surf. Ever.
How many boards do you have?
I have 5 longboards and 5 shorter boards that are mostly retro-style shapes.
How do you envision your future?
I see myself surfing until I have to be put into a wheelchair and somewhere along the way it would be nice to be married and have a family. I would love to have a surfing career and continue traveling and be a positive influence on the next generation. I love kids, so hopefully I can use my surfing to do something where I can help children.
photo by Scott McFerran
What is your typical training regimen?
I try to run every day and eat a healthy diet.
How often do you surf? How long and with whom?
I surf everyday if it is rideable. At school I go surfing with my friends and at home I go with my mom and dad. I usually surf for an hour or more, depending on the waves.
In what ways have your prominent sponsors advanced your career?
My sponsors have really supported me and helped me get to where I am now. Their support has enabled me to travel to contests around the world and to surf a variety of different and challenging waves. I could not have traveled to all these places or competed as much as I have if it weren't for my sponsors. Billabong has really helped me with traveling. Tudor's have been making me the most incredible boards and are designing me my own model which I am so excited about!
What was your scariest moment in the water?
I haven't been in too many scary situations. However, getting caught inside when a cleanup set comes always gets my heart pumping.
photo courtesy of ASP
What was your greatest moment in the water?
After I rode my last wave in during the final in Biarritz, I was standing in the water waiting to hear the scores. When the announcer said that I had won, it felt like it wasn't really happening. It was a moment that I will never forget as long as I live.
What changes have you seen in women's surfing since you began?
I have seen the women's level of surfing go up so much in the last few years. The girls are so good now and we keep pushing each other. There also seems to be more support and recognition for women's longboarding, such as sanctioning by the ASP for the world title. Large surf companies are putting more money into our contests. The contest in Biarritz was so much fun and so well run. It was evident that women's longboarding is no longer a sideshow. We are gaining the recognition and support we deserve. Women's longboarding is such a beautiful and graceful part of surfing and I can't wait to see what lies ahead.
How do you envision the future of women's surfing?
I envision women's surfing slowly but surely gaining more respect and recognition in the industry. I see women's longboarding, in particular, establishing a world championship tour. It would be great if we could have a tour at different longboard venues where the girls can show how good they really are. That's my dream.
Do you have any regrets?
No regrets, only learning experiences.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Through her profession as a freelance writer, Marlise recently completed a thirteen-month surfing and snowboarding adventure. After reporting from twenty-eight countries around the world, she has "settled" in San Diego where she is placing the finishing touches on her first book, The Tabloid Prodigy.
Her passion for journalism flourished shortly after college during her three-year assignment as an investigative reporter. Marlise spent the next five years in Europe writing for snowboard and travel magazines while perfecting her German, French and Spanish. Now based in California, Marlise continues her quest for liquid mountains and untracked terrain as she innocently wanders the world with blissful contentment.
