The Fighter – Travis Logie Chats About Re-Qualification

Travis Logie has re-qualified for another full year on the Dream Tour, his ninth to be exact. Full of ups and downs it has been a long career that doesn’t look like ending any time soon. Whether it’s 12 foot Chopes or three foot Trestles, he has blown some of the biggest names out of the water along the way.

Zag had a few words with Travis and kindly asked that he string eight massive results together at any of the 11 events this year.

Interview by: Dan Redman

Travis knows how to scrap it out with the elite. Volcom Fiji Pro 2013 battle scars.

ZIGZAG: Well done bru. Another year in the bag. Including 2014, how many years have you been grinding the dream and how many times have you now made the Championship Tour cut?
TRAVIS: This year will be my ninth year on the WCT tour. I fell off once at the end of 2008 but re-qualified for the 2010 season. I first made it in 2005. I did spend a good 4 years on the WQS, although one of those years I was pretty much out injured for the entire season.

On paper your qualification spot was looking tight. How close was it really coming into Hawaii? And how nervous were you going into the Triple Crown and finally into Pipe?

To be honest I don’t stress about qualification at all. I think that’s why I make it every year even though I’m always on the bubble with heaps of pressure on me. I totally don’t allow myself to stress about any outcome at all and just surf heats one at a time. I did feel like I was in a pretty comfortable spot heading into the Triple Crown though, and after I got through that heat at Haliewa I knew it was going to take a mathematical storm of bad luck to knock me off.

In the past you have always come with one or two big results each season, which has always kept us on edge leading up to the end of the year. In 2013 you got a little more consistent with those big results. This year do you think you could give us eight massive results and give us a little less stress?
(laughs) I would love to! But I need to figure out how to beat the lower seeds first because all my best heats are always against the top guys. For some reason I just consistently rise to the occasion against the event favourites but blow it against the middle of the pack guys – it’s pretty irritating. It would be nice to get the job done early and then just build. Although, I am pretty proud of how I’ve managed to get the job done under pressure for nine years.

Travis’ lightning fast snaps are best viewed live, though they look great paused too.

You’re hitting, or already have hit the mid-30s, and the average age on tour seems to be getting older and older, and the older guys are becoming harder to beat. Is Slater finally sharing his special juice with the over 30s on tour? Has experience become the secret weapon?
Ja, it is crazy how important experience is. A huge factor for the older guys that are staying relevant and winning is that being on this tour makes your surfing grow exponentially each year. It’s unbelievable how much you improve after a few years in the big leagues, because each location will expose any weaknesses you have in your repertoire. If you don’t get better, you wont last.

You have been on tour now for almost two decades. Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration but you’ve travelled with about ten different generations of SA’s best surfers. The oldest guys I can remember you having travelled with was the Canning and Foot generation; along with the Dave, Simmo and Gozzy generation; then the Antonio, Sillsy, Lu Whittiker and KO generation; the Tripod generation; the Jordy, Dooma and Jacko generation; the Staples and Joubert generation; and now you are doing time with the Beyrick and Slade generation. You’ve gone through them all like a child goes through pet rats. Which was the best generation to travel with and how many more generations do you plan to outlive?
Wow, I didn’t really realise that, but it’s frikken true! And the Saffas are the weirdest but best humans on tour! My very first travel partner was Shane Thorne, biggest legend, it was epic because everyone was so scared of him I got heaps of waves in the free surfs (laughs). I have to say that the best guy I travelled with was Greg Emslie. He showed me so much and we were constantly laughing and messing around but also focused at the same time. It was a great balance. Greg is amazing, as after a few beers his alter ego Rui comes out and always steals the show. The worst travel partner was Warwick Wright. I travelled with him for a few years – including the season I qualified and he didn’t watch one of my heats – I’m not joking! He also didn’t have a drivers license or a credit card, so I had to book and pay for everything. He still owes me thousands of dollars, it’s heavy! And I just did a month in Hawaii with Beyrick, which was seriously entertaining. I gave him the nickname ‘Mr Sunset’ after his 10 point ride and now everyone on tour calls him that. Even Kelly called him Mr Sunset the other day, it was classic. All the Saffas I’ve travelled with are freaks. I think I’m the only normal one (laughs). But I loved sharing this crazy life on the road with them, and miss them all! PS: travelling with you was amazing too, Dan, remember the time you threw a knife at Wok and I when we were making noise during a phone call to your mom?

Travis feels his way through a Teahupo’o pit during his first year on the Dream Tour in 2005.

That was also because you guys were calling me fat all day. I’m still disappointed I missed Warwick. Anyway, we see you have pulled a full Jordy backstab on the local Durban community and now claim Hollywood as your home break. Do you feel any guilt when you claim live on the webcast that Hollywood is your local surf spot?
I knew you were gonna bring that up! It’s all semantics. I never claimed Hollywood was my home break, they asked me to state where I live now, and that’s Hollywood for the time being. I rep Durban and South Africa for life, bruv.


Ok, well, we do miss you. Which Hollywood celebs do you and Shauna sip red wine with these days?
Ah, I’m not a name dropper, you know that, we’ve made some good friends over here and met some crazy people too. It’s been a wild one, super fun, but hanging out with celebrities doesn’t make up for missing out on the New Pier! The waves here kinda suck.

When will you be visiting our shores again as an expat? What are the plans for 2014?
My plans are to spend as much time back in Durban and SA as possible. I’ll be back late January for a couple weeks for Jordy’s wedding and then I’m off to the Gold Coast for the Quiky Pro.

Travis, always wonderful to chat. We’ll meet up in Jan and I will be your Shane Thorne at New Pier if you battling to catch any waves.
(laughs).

Back home in KZN Travis always finds time for a barrel or three.