Rico’s ride getting wilder all the time
RICO Haybittle is on a serious surf mission.
The 12-year-old Burleigh Boardrider is currently at Margaret River, West Australia, representing Queensland at his first national titles.
Rico will paddle out at the famous break for his first heat of the competition today in the under-14 category.
He’s been training hard three to four times a week before and after school with the Burleigh coaching team, former World Tour competitor Jay “Bottle” Thompson and multiple Australian champion Kyle “Davex” Robinson.
“They teach me everything from stretching to skills, technique and heat preparation,” said the Burleigh State Year 6 pupil who rates maths and PE as his favourite subjects.
Rico has had a great year on the grommet circuits.
His best result was a win at the Oz Grom at Coffs Harbour and runner-up place at the Skullcandy at Lennox plus a few more podiums including his part in the Burleigh Boardriders’ major win at October’s North Stradbroke
Teams Assault.
“I was so stoked to be given the chance to surf in Burleigh’s first win at Straddie,” he said.
Although when he returned home victoriously with a mullet cut it was much to his mum’s dismay.
“Yeah, the mullet was funny as, but Mum didn’t think so,” he laughed.
For most young groms being in a boardriders club is a rite of passage and necessary path to contest success.
“Burleigh is an awesome club to be a part of and I have heaps of fun with all the crew,” he said, adding Burleigh Point is where he surfed his biggest wave so far, an 8foot wave on a 4’10’’ board where he paddled around from Tallebudgera Creek negotiating the sweep and the Tally entrance.
“I needed a step-up board as the paddle was super hard,” he said.
His favourite breaks are Burleigh Point, Shipwrecks Nusa Lembongan, Bingin Beach (both Bali) and Tavarua in Fiji.
He started surfing when he was six, boosted on to his first wave by dad Shane and his first comp was at the Bede Durbidge Grom Shootout at North Stradbroke Island.
His favourite surfers are John John Florence, Felipe Toledo, Jack Freestone and Yago Dora because “they all surf fast and have different styles”.
THE MULLET WAS FUNNY AS, BUT MUM DIDN’T THINK SO
RICO HAYBITTLE