Dorrington keen for comeback to the top

BRENT Dorrington has vowed to make a comeback in 2018 and says it is realistic he will place top 10 in the world within 12 months.

He is counting on his secret weapon, the Pyzel surfboard’s ‘Radius’, to get him to the top of the World Surf League.

“I am going to have a full on crack at it in 2018,” Dorrington admitted.

“I’m not ready to throw in the towel and still feel I can surf as good as the best of them so I’ll give it a red hot crack. I have a two-year plan to qualify by the beginning of 2019.”

Dorrington, 30, took the past year off after the birth of his son, Irah, and has been doing an apprenticeship in plastering.

He’d suffered a series of injuries in the lead-up to taking time off surfing and was ranked around number 60. Having not competed in that time, he’s slipped back to a ranking of around 160.

Despite taking the year off, he competed in a couple of select events, including beating former world champion Adriano de Souza by winning the Komune Bali Pro as well as taking out the Oakley Battle Clips.

“I’m good to go in all of the highest ranking events. Since I had the kid and stuff, I’ve dropped back so I will climb my way back up,” he said.

“It will take me a couple of good results to push myself back up. I am not too concerned. I am focused firmly on making the top 10.”

Pyzel surfboards recently won the annual Stab In The Dark board competition for the second year running.

It is the favoured board of world number one and defending world champion John John Florence.

“Hopefully that will get me over the line,” Dorrington said.

“There is a lot of competition. My age doesn’t make a difference.”

“I am still finding little things in my surfing that have improved and you still see guys like Kelly Slater who is 45 going hard so I think I am still yet to get to my best years.”