| First Champ // Interview 25 August 2009 By: Toby Martin and Michael Tyrpenou Location: Port Macquarie Just minutes after the final hooter sounded, the awards ceremony began. The minor place getters were presented with prizes and trophies, Tully St John - fourth, Keahi D'Aboitiz - third and Matt Lumley - second. Then the big one, the first ever Australian SUP champion - Josh Constable. What a feeling that must have been for the 30 year old from Noosa. As a five time Australian longboard champion and one time world champion, Josh is no stranger to the dais nor to giving a quick speech to a large crowd of spectators. Chief commentator for the event, Toby Martin presented Josh with the elusive trophy and fired a few questions off to the new champ: It must be a pretty good feeling and a bit overwhelming maybe? Yeah definitely. It's an amazing feeling and it being the first Aussie paddle surfing titles is a huge accomplishment and I'm really happy with that. It was great to see all the boys ripping, it was unreal and it was tough because I haven't been doing stand up for a year now and to get back in there with all the boys, who are all good friends of mine, it was just a great day so thanks very much. And what about five heats? You didn't get there the easy way, you got there the hard way. What about the fatigue, did that come into play? Nah, I think I was running on adrenaline. It actually worked in my favour because I haven't done it for so long it was good to get out there and have a few heats and kind of build confidence and get the hang of it again. A special feeling being the first Australian champion? Proud moment? Oh definitely. I was so stoked when I won my first Aussie longboard title and this is just as good a feeling. It's a real buzz.   A short while later, Surfing Australia's Media Manager, Michael Tyrpenou tracked down Josh and had a few more questions for the still buzzing champ: A great day today, tell us how you're feeling? I woke up this morning and I was still on a high from my [Australian longboard title] win yesterday but I was pretty fatigued and we had a big week last week so I was hoping to get out there this morning and have a win and have the easy way through to the semis and the final but it didn't work out that way. I ended up surfing through the requals at the start but I guess that worked in my favour as I got the hang of the board that I was borrowing and I got a few more heats to get used to riding a stand up again. You said you had a couple of years off, tell us what happened? Yeah, I got a narley fin chop from surfing and it put me out of the water for close to nine months. Pretty much, that was it for stand up for me. It was the muscle that you really use in your legs so that was it. I had to have a break for a while and today was the first day I've pretty much jumped back on a stand up in close to two years. So to come out and have a win is just great. The level from two years ago to now is just through the roof. I was so stoked to keep making it through those heats and then to win the final is a pretty special feeling. The first ever Australian title holder for the stand up paddle boards. How does that feel? Yeah, you know, it's amazing. Last year I wrote my name in history with the most longboard titles in Australia and now to put this to my name - the first SUP title is just a crazy feeling.  | |
