Proud father of two and owner of one heck of a bag of tricks in the surf, this wave assassin blows minds just about every time he klaps the lip, or stalls for the pit.
Meet this week’s Surf Ninja, East London’s Tyrell Johnson…
NAME: Tyrell Johnson
AGE: 32
LOCAL SPOT: Gonubie Point
BEST THING ABOUT SURFING?
The fact that it is so unpredictable. Every wave, heat, surf spot, etc. is different in so many ways. The excitement of new surf spots. The freedom and calming effect it brings over a person. You just got to love it all!
WORST THING ABOUT SURFING?
Getting a visit from Jaws when the waves are firing, or just not being able to surf.
TO MAKE A LIVING I..?
Am in a family business – building and developing.
THREE TRACKS THAT HELP YOU SHRED?
Honestly, I don’t think I have ever listened to music to help me shred or get me going. Just the pure thought of catching the best wave out there gets me amped. I enjoy Jack Johnson and Live.
BEST SURFER IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW?
JJF or Julian W.
DAWNIE OR ARVO SESH?
Dawnie for me. I have no problem with getting up early to do what I love most, and the dawnie is definitely the best time to surf – no wind and glassy conditions.
ONE WAVE TO SURF BEFORE YOU DIE?
I have been to the Simeulue, so I would like to surf the rest of Indo. I have not done too much research on the best spots.
WHEN YOU’RE NOT SURFING, YOU CAN BE FOUND WHERE..?
With my family. I have a 3 year-old son (Adam) and a 6 week-old daughter (Bella) and my wife, Mellisa.
BIGGEST FEAR?
Not being able to surf again or even just get into the water. And not being able to support your own family – the way things are going in SA, it’s getting harder by the day.
BEST SURFING MEMORY?
Went on a surf trip with the whole Johnson clan to Simeulue. Perfect, uncrowded barrels for five days with our good friend Louis Wulff. What an awesome trip that was. Just going away with or being a part of the Border team every year is such a jol. Good laughs and great times!
🙂 Love it!
TJ rips – the whole Johnson family rip. Well done Zigzag
when we were groms, tyrell was doing the biggest turns out of any junior in the world at that stage swear. at world juniors in australia the one year, the kids couldnt believe how big his turns were. sometimes so big that he might not have landed one that would cost him the title. it was crazy, the owe goes huge…