There’s been a consistent run of surf in South Africa for the past two months. Autumn is generally pretty good, but winter is really the most exciting time of year. Vol.3 is a collection of recent footage accumulated over the past month of Brendon Gibbens on home soil. What a treat that is.
(Zag) Too sick to see you do a local edit. What brought this on? Are you spending a lot more time in the Kom lately?
(Brendon) Thank you! I’ve been in Kommetjie for a few months. I returned to SA with the intention of surfing as much as possible. Winter is always productive.
Who shot this? Was it Alan Robb? Like old times?!
I’ve been shooting with James Symmonds and Michael Veltman recently. I’d love to work with Alan again, he’s a legend.
Do you feel any different surfing in a 4/3 and booties? Do they cramp your style?
I love wearing a thick wetsuit and booties, it keeps me warm and limber.
How has surfing in CT changed over the last few years?
The crowd at Dunes has grown exponentially and I occasionally see youngsters ripping at Misty Cliffs. Misty’s has been vacant the longest time.
In your opinion, how has your surfing changed over the last year or so?
I don’t really surf with the one-hit wonder mentality anymore. I’ve been trying to link turns with flow. Jordy, Dane and Julian are still my favourite surfers. I still try to emulate their styles.
Working on any new aerial assaults?
No, I want to improve on utilizing a wave instead of just going for one breakneck air. Maybe back-to-back knee injuries is the motivation behind that.
Tell us about the boards you’re riding at the moment?
I’ve been working with Blake Peters (Panda Surfboards) since 2015. He’s a talented Australian shaper who’s based in California. I recently tried a few alternate crafts after being inspired by Dane’s performance in The Electric Acid Surfboards Test. Alternate boards are fun and great for recreational use, but I prefer a conventional shape. My standard six o’s are perfect for pretty much all conditions that I surf in. Prior to working with Panda, Dave van Ginkel (DVG Shapes) shaped incredible boards for me. He’s definitely one of the best shapers in South Africa.
BRENDON GIBBENS VOLUME 3 from BANKS JOURNAL on Vimeo.
