Bobby Martinez interview
HUCK talks to the current ASP world number four about surfing, boxing and a film being made of his life.
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Former HUCK cover star Bobby Martinez has firmly established himself in the top flight of surfing since his debut on the ASP World Championship Tour in 2006.
Having started this year's season with two podium finishes and picked up sponsorship from O'Neill, the goofy-footer from Santa Barbara is a serious contender for the title.
HUCK caught up with him to talk all things surfing and beyond.
HUCK: You were at the Cold Water Classic in Tasmania last month. How was it?
Bobby Martinez: There wasn’t much around so it was really beautiful and quiet down there. The waves were fun and we got them every day so we had a good trip. It feels like you are far away from the world so it was cool to check out.
Coming from California, is it tough to adjust to the cold?
Not really. The water where I live is actually colder than down there so it feels pretty warm to me.
You are currently ranked world number four at the moment. Do you think you can take the world title this season?
I don’t know. It’s a long year, you know? It’s been a dream of mine but I have never done it. I would love to. I just need to try my best all year long and see how it ends.
Do you look at your competitors to see how you can one up them or do you just surf for yourself?
You have to do your own thing, you know? I don’t get caught up in anyone else’s game. I think you basically have to surf against the judges because they are the ones who give you the score. It’s up to you to get what you need done to get through the heat. It’s the judging after the waves that you really need to pay attention to.
How comfortable are you in competitions? Do you get nervous or do you take them as they come?
A little bit of both. I try to take them as they come. I get real nervous when the heat starts but then it tends to go away pretty quickly.
You have surfed all over the world. Where is your favourite place to surf?
I really love Indonesia. For a surfer, I don’t think the waves can’t really get any more perfect. It is probably the most amazing place I have visited.
Do you think visiting surfers benefit poorer countries or does this tourism just cause other problems like environmental destruction?
I really don’t know. I have never lived in a country before I have visited it or seen the effect we have had once we have left. I do think people going to places that are poor does nothing but help. It brings money by people paying for places to stay and eat. You can leave things like shirts or a surfboard to the local people and that can mean the world to people who don’t have much. Little things like that make a big difference.
What do you love and hate about coming from Santa Barbara?
When we get waves they are good but you can go six months of the year without getting any waves. It can be like a lake. That’s one of the hardest parts to deal with.
What do you make of surfing down the coast in Los Angeles?
I try to stay away from all the people. All those places are really crowded. I try to go to where no one will be. I don’t like to be distracted. I go surfing to be alone and do my own thing. I don’t care about the whole ‘local’ thing. It’s nice to be able to surf alone or with a friend. It’s real peaceful that way.
I understand you box as well as surf. What got you into that?
I have always loved it since I was kid and a lot of people I know took it up. In Mexico, it’s a big thing. It’s like the national sport. From doing it myself and watching my friends doing their sparring and their workouts, I know it’s a sport that not everyone can do. I admire anyone who takes it up as it’s a lot harder than most people think.
Do you think boxing has helped your surfing?
I think it helps me mentally. I have done a lot of other workouts and there’s nothing harder than boxing. If I can get in okay shape for boxing then I’m in good enough shape to do anything in the world, besides surfing. I don’t think people appreciate just what great shape boxers are in.
Recently there has been a lot of controversy over Mick Fanning’s comments. Do you think race is still an issue in surfing?
No one has ever said anything to my face. I know there are people who say stuff behind people’s backs but I haven’t had anyone say anything to me about being different, about not being white.
Would you like to see more surfers from a Mexican background?
Sure. I know there are a lot of great surfers in Mexico. Surfing may have its stereotypes but there are still a lot of great surfers thorughout the world.
Could the surf industry do more to attract people from different backgrounds?
Not really. Surfing is a weird sport. It doesn’t appeal to the general public. Either you live by the beach, love the ocean and surf, or you are just not gonna care about it at all. I have loads of friends who couldn’t give a shit about surfing. No matter what anyone does, the sport can only get so big.
Apparently there’s a Hollywood interest in your life story. Is that true?
I just sold my story to some producers from Hollywood. They just wanted to know everything about me growing up. They gave me money for it so now they own the rights to my story. I don’t know where the movie is at now as I haven’t followed up on it. I’ve got other things to worry about.
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Bobby Martinez interview (text) by Ed Andrews is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
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