In The Mix Inside the Beast

In: In The Mix by doclach 0 Comments Thu 30th Jun '11

Tags: Kim Feast , Dropknee

Kim Feast needs no introduction, being one of the most well known and respected DropKnee riders in Australia. Here we take a deep long look into the Feast Beast and see where he is at and what makes him tick.

Interview by Doc

Shots by Ben Harney benharney.tumblr.com

FZ: Hey Feasty, You're laid up with a torn MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) in your knee. What's the story mate? You must be getting bored right about now?

KF: Man I wish it was a good story; I did it on a two foot wave at a reef break around the back from my house out here at Gracetown. I was just playing around with the section trying to tail drop a floater, as I was dropping off the lip and turning at the same time the explosion coming back up hit me and knocked my back leg off but because of the movement I was doing my front foot stayed on and went sideways as I continued swinging back towards the shore... it was so awkward and just happened so quick I couldn't roll out of it or get out of the position I was in. didn't hurt much doing it but I fully felt something pop in there. When I tried to walk it was punishment but I came out of it really lightly in terms of muscle tears as it didn't require surgery and I have a really good physio down here so fingers crossed its progressing well. Just now starting to work it hard in the gym and pool. Still a few weeks till I can test it in the ocean I think. Been using my time fairly productively, little bored! But it's provided me with ample time to work on editing together these podcasts.

FZ: Getting a board sponsor when you're a dedicated DropKnee rider is no easy feat. You were taken on board by Elit' and now they've folded, leaving you and the others riders in the dry. What happened, what is the taste left in your mouth and what is your next step?

KF: That's the nature of business and how tight our industry is I guess, it was a bummer for sure but they owned by the Macquarie Bank too under the surf hardware brand so for them to turn around after a year and cancel both lines of high end boards that had a pretty good public standing then there must have been not a lot of money to be made from them in the current climate. I have no ill taste whatsoever, it was epic to work with those guys and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them. From here I'm unsure where to go! I haven't approached anyone yet, my physio says I'm well on track to be back to full fitness in a few weeks and hopefully these podcasts and my website come out ok and show that I continually have the drive to progress and have something to offer a company. It is harder being a dropkneer finding sponsors for sure but its what I grew to love so I gotta keep doing it.

FZ: DropKnee has had some media progression recently with sites like Thelackeyproject.com and Throwtail.com.au evolving, but it is a slow process. You have a site in the works. How's that coming along and where do you see the DK scene in Australia and in general being at currently?

KF: Yeah its going slowwwww... Well my stuff is anyway! Haha the site is coming along and I have a good mate who is helping me but it's a bit behind schedule, that's mostly come down to me dedicating more time to editing. Was hoping to have it done by the end of this month but its now looking like the start of July. There is a few more cool DK sites and media coming on the web lately for sure... lackeys site and video have helped DK in a big way, keeping it fresh and making it look fun to do which it is.

Guys like you and young Azza Glossop at Shark Island (amongst others) are having a dig at dismantling the recent view that DK is only for 2 to 4 foot beachbreaks. What do you think it will take to break that out-dated stigma?

KF: The biggest thing is equipment, you try riding in an upright position balancing a 41 or 42 inch PP DK board with a flat bottom in solid waves and your going to be coming off second best. Kainoa was the pioneer of these big waves. He was a big solid dude though and from memory he was riding 45 or so inch boards with a full on nose rocker and crazy big channels that ran up half of the board. It's not having modifications or the equipment suited to your own self that limits what you can do on the waves... even for me in the past I was riding 42 inch boards and me being pretty much 6 foot tall out at the reef breaks here once its 6 foot plus you are going so fast. You're flying at top speed, with little to no nose rocker allowing your board to travel over bumps, very little traction on the bottom of your board you hit any bump or change in wave face at that speed and its so easy to come off, I've now gone up a bit in length after working with shaper Dan Sivess and I've noticed the difference straight away, its still super hard but that's where the idea that In big waves the addition of fins helps with your drive for sure in locking you into the wave face but your still realistically on a tiny little board, at that speed its still so easy to come off. People can say what they like I guess but unless they can do it themselves then really it means nothing.

The IBA Pipe contest, what were your overall thoughts from a DropKnee perspective Kim?

KF: The Pipe contest was amazing. It was great to be a part of that event. The guys at IBA worked so hard to get that all up and running and for a first major event with proper televised coverage, cameras and a dedicated media machine running alongside the contest were great to see. The atmosphere was truly electric! I got the opportunity to commentate one of the prone heats, it ended up being the highest overall scoring heat I think, between Dave Hubb, Stewart, Pierre and Gastaou Entrudo and it was so exciting the prone guys just getting so nuts.
DropKnee wise we were very lucky to get blessed with really fun waves for a second year in a row. It was also great to have the contest in proper waves. The level of surfing was really high with pretty much all the top names that are out having a crack in it. Guys were just getting so shacked down backdoor. It was a great event to be involved with.

You didn't follow up your win and compete in the Peru event. Why? And what has been going through your head?

KF: I couldn't afford it! That's the reality of being a dropkneer I guess, I did the whole world tour last year without sponsorship assistance as I think a few other crew did too... I've just been trying to work on my surfing but in doing so you don't have as much time to earn the money. If you need the time, focus and energy needed to progress your surfing its hard to look at allocating personal money to attempt compete at the top level on the World stage. As an athlete if you're not able to efficiently keep yourself at your peak, you're not going to be putting yourself in the best possible place to win. If I cant afford to do it without sponsorship help then that's the way it is I guess.

So you not much came out of winning the IBA Pipe DK? You were the first Australian dropkneer to win the Pipe DK, no sponsorship hits that could help you get to the contests have arisen as a result?

KF: Nah nothing at all, it was an amazing experience though I'm so happy that I was able to win. To be the first Aussie to win the DK? That's epic. Since I've been home I have joined the Inverted Team, Its great to finally have a shop sponsor that will actually get out and help promote me those guys are super cool over there so I'm stoked.

The whole DK scene - Australia and worldwide. What's your take on each? How much crossover do you see with what is happening overseas versus what is happening in Australia?

KF: I guess its slowed down in the last 10 years for sure... I mean without lackey Mason and Dave consistently getting run in the magazines it might have dropped out completely. Right now I guess its in a bit of a transition which is pretty cool there are a lot of underground guys waiting to pounce given the opportunity, Everyone who is DropKneeing is still out there having a dig and there are still the young guys coming through but without the opportunity to focus on their surfing solely it will be hard for crew to progress I think. You can only do so much when most of your time is taken up by work once you go past that school age. I think there has been a bit of a resurgence into the public eye of the versatile guys, They were always there and have always had the skills but guys like Winny, Kingy, Amaury and even Hardy are out into the public eye a lot more now with the bb world being focussed on the IBA a lot more now which is epic! It may have been overlooked how good these guys really are because of their prone talent or how much they compete but I think people are starting to see now how really versatile they are overall as riders in all types of waves not just competitions.

Hawaii has always been a great home of DK, not only because of the number of dedicated crew there coupled with the history of DropKnee originating from there, but also the heavy waves they take on. Who are your best mates on the knee there these days and who do you see as leading the Island pack now?

KF: Yeah its loose going over there so many people that DropKnee and DK really well, I think that progression to solid surfing comes a bit more naturally with consistent sick heavy waves through their winter, waves of consequence really force you to learn faster. I've been really lucky to develop friendships with DK guys like Micah McMullin, Colin Black, Jake Pembrook Damien Boone and Leroy Kaiwi and Miles K. These guys can all prone too everyone over there is really versatile. With Mason Rose being relocated there now he will inspire some of the crew I'm sure, guys that are already known over there pushing it are those fellas plus Dave Hubbard, Bud Miyamoto and Cass Sonada who are all right there at the same level. There are also some more so underground guys on each island coming out that absolutely kill it. I got to spend time with one of the up and coming guys Miles Kauahaahaa from Maui who has a pretty big array of tricks at his disposal... the best of all being a pretty nuts off axis air reverse, which once he gets this thing dialled its going to be crazy. You'll see them and him in my Hawaii podcast, he can throw them off proper sections very easily, but he is going to need backing to be able to progress and get off the islands. I think this group of crew are leading right now. Micah is banging stuff so hard. He has so much power, miles has the potential to be a DK whizz kid, and Dubb oozes style and has the power to match.

Your last few clips released were fairly well received. What's happening with you? Filming? You have more to come we hear Feasty. (Kim's last one is here: Feast Vid if you haven't seen it)

KF: I have developed a real interest in the creative side of things in terms of working towards collecting media and its portrayal into the public eye. I think a lot of this has evolved after studying architecture at uni. It's really opened my eyes to the world in a creative way. When I was a grom shooting and filming rattled me so hard, I found it difficult to focus out in the water but now I really enjoy it, working with photogs and filmers is really good fun. Probably annoys them when I have ideas of my own on shots that would be cool to try and get though, I have pretty much a whole series just about to drop, so far morocco Hawaii and one of the home sections are done. I still have two more to go. It's slow going but I am picking up things as I go along but I'm enjoying learning a lot from the filmers, Editors and photogs that I have the privilege to work with.

Thanks for your time Feasty