Quiksilver Pro Surfer Julian Wilson Talks Girls, Sharks and his HD Surf Flick, Scratching the Surface

Aussie pro-surfer Julian Wilson, 21, has been hitting the waves since the day he was born. His insatiable drive has landed him a slew of sponsors, numerous wins in pro junior competitions and the acclaimed ISA World Junior Championship title. In 2009, the young athlete to some time off the competition circuit to travel the globe and checkout some of the world’s perfect surf spots for his new full-length surf movie, Scratching the Surface. Over the weekend, during the US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach, PAPERMAG sat down with the surfing prodigy for an exclusive chat.

What’s your first vivid surf memory?

Probably the first thing that comes to mind is my dad taking me out when I was three on
the nose of his long board and pushing me out onto the open-faced waves. I used to freak
out. He loved to scare me, but I always wanted to go back. I don’t know what was wrong
with me. From the first experiences being scared like that, I some how got the drive to
keep wanting to do it.

At the age of nine, you picked up your first sponsor. Both of your older brothers
surf, were they a little jealous?

My two older brothers were competing on long boards at the time and doing pretty well — they were sponsored by a big surf brand. The company invited my two brothers for a photo shoot. I tagged along and they thought I was this funny little blond-headed toddler and decided to include me in this family package.

Like the von Trapp family of surfing?

Yeah. That’s kinda how it all started.

Right around when you turned twelve Quiksilver came into the picture. How did that happen? Were you surfing in major competitions at that point?

No I wasn’t, I was going to Switzerland once a year to do snowboarding photo-shoots.

So you’re a big snowboarder too?

Well, I was. I absolutely loved it. I still do but just don’t get to do it as often. So, yeah, I was traveling with a snowboarding company doing their catalogues. When I was about 11, I was on amassive billboard on the Champs Élysées.

You must have gotten quite a bit of action from that, even at twelve.

Actually, there is a funny story about that. When I was still with the snowboarding brand there was this freaky 15-year-old girl from Austria and she would get her mum to call my house number all the time. My mum, to be nice to her, would talk to her and try and settle things down. One day we got a call saying that she was coming to stay at our house. From then, my mum was finally like: This is way to weird.

So that was your first stalker.

Yeah, it was pretty funny.

How did Quiksilver approach you?

Um, well, at that age, I was just surfing and having a blast. All I really wanted was some
cool board shorts that my mates were all wearing on the surf. So, Quiksilver came to me
and offered me some board shorts and I was in.

In 2007, you invented a pretty extraordinary move, the “Sushi Roll”. How do you explain that maneuver to someone who is not down with the surf lingo like myself and how did you come up with that name?

The first time I landed it was in Japan. The maneuver is like: you go up in the air in a
superman position – which is when you hold the board with both hands – and you do a
barrel roll and land back on your feet. Being in Japan, I thought I couldn’t get away with
calling it anything else.

So that’s pretty much your trademark move?

Yeah. Not many people can score it. It’s pretty cool to have a maneuver that you named.

You beat Kelly Slater when you were a wildcard in the Quiksilver Pro competition.
Was that really surreal for you?

It was insane. I’ve had three heats against him and beaten’ him twice. The first time, I
was 15 or 16, and was just in awe of him. To me it was the coolest experience Quiksilver
could have ever given me. To go out and surf with Kelly.

In 2008, you wrapped-up your career as a junior surfer and decided to take a break
to travel the world to shoot Scratching the Surface. Was it difficult to leave behind competition circuit?

It was. It was a huge decision for me. I’m a pretty competitive person and love to compete. It was tricky, but with Quiksilver and Red Bull backing me on the decision to make a movie helped. I knew that transitioning from junior to traveling the globe on the world qualifying series would have been too intense. Not all the places you go to are the nicest or friendliest. I’ve always dreamedof making a signature film and this kinda was the perfect timing to do it, and do it properly.

Have you ever had a close call with a shark?

I’ve never had anything to crazy, but seen plenty of shark fins in the water.

During the filming of the movie you traveled with other pro surfers: Bruce Irons, Taj Burrow, Dane Reynolds, and a big portion was shot in Indonesia during a boat trip. How was that experience was like a big floating frat house?

On the surfing side of things, that was the coolest trip we did. It was me, Dane, Taj and Dusty and we just hung out on a boat for two weeks cruising the Mentawai Islands. We lucked out with the waves and had several surfs that was just the four of us out in the ocean. The perfect waves – what every surfer dreams of!

This is the first full length HD surf movie! So, is this kind of like the Planet Earth of surf?

It’s definitely fun to watch. Making it I was hoping to get people to enjoy it who don’t
actually follow surf. I wanted them to watch it and maybe convert a few people. Plus it’s
a good souvenir.

I’ve been wearing this necklace since I was probably 11 and it’s brought me a lot of good luck. As soon as I take it off it all these crazy jinx start happening.

I hear your mom makes them and also designs the art for your boards.

Yeah, she doesn’t call herself an artist but she is. She loves colors and drawing and all that fun stuff. My boards would be pretty boring if she didn’t go to town on them with the paint pen.

You returned to competitive surfing this year and took the prize in Sri Lanka early
in June. I heard you had an injury before that.

I injured my ankle in Santa Barbara in January. I was out for three months and that
lead to a lot of training and physical therapy. Now I can get back to enjoying surfing.
Sri Lanka was my third event back from the injury, so it felt pretty good to take the gold
home.

Let’s do a round of quick-fire questions:

Blondes or brunettes? Blondes
Vodka, rum or tequila? Vodka.
Pacific or Atlantic? Pacific.
Favorite movie? Catch Me If You Can
Favorite band? I’ve been listening to Christina Aguilera before all my heats lately. It
puts me in a the happiest mood ever.
Favorite hangout spot in Australia? Home. I live across form the beach and it’s the
house I grew-up in.
Burger King or McDs? McDs.

SURFSPOTS-GPS 

   

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