The 2013 ISA World Surfing Games champion, Shaun Joubert, at the age of 22, has decided to pack up his WQS travel bag and head back home to Mossel Baai to start a new chapter in his life – studying to become an engineer.
We had a quick chat with the Southern Cape ripper to hear the motives behind his decision.
ZIGZAG: What’s up, Shaun. We see you’ve bailed back to Mossel Bay and left your long time roommate Rudy Palmboom back in California to fend for himself. What’s up with the move back and the rumour that you have decided to leave behind the life of chasing WQS points?
SHAUN: Ja, I left poor little Rug to look after himself. He will be ok, he’s a big boy. The rumours are true. Not really a rumour then, I guess? I kinda threw in the towel and I’m going to study now. So that’s the plan moving forward.
You finished just outside of the top 100 without surfing the last couple of major Prime events, as well as clinched the ISA World Games title, so 2013 was by no means a bad year. Was the lack of support from a major sponsor the main motive for you to turn your back on the dream, or had you given yourself a time frame to qualify, which has since come to an end?
No, it wasn’t really one particular thing. It’s more a combination of lots of things. I just really wasn’t enjoying it all that much and felt like it wasn’t really going how I wanted it to go, so I spoke to my parents and told them I wanted to study and they were cool with it.
Shaun will be clocking in many more hours at his home break in 2014.
ZoSea have now taken over the ASP and 2014 is when the first major changes are going to be taking place. Were you not tempted to stick it out for one more year to see where it was going?
Not really, I made up my mind pretty early in the year and nothing was really going to change it.
So what is the future plan for the prince of Mossel Bay?
I’m going to enjoy the rest of my summer holiday first, and then I’m going to put all my effort into my studies and see how I go. And get barreled. And play golf…
We wish you all the best, bru, and look forward to seeing what 2014 brings your way.
Shot guys.
Shaun has just been getting into the swing of life off tour.
Good Move!
Shaun you are a hero! – a champion – but life is so broad and wonderful in all it brings and there is much more to surfing..
You’ve achieved some insanely amazing thing and will be an inspiration to all who follow the surfing dream.
Congratulations on your decision to follow another path for now. It’s your life – have fun, and keep being an inspiration to us. Looking forward to surfing Mossels.
A great competitor and world champion surfer…..Shaun could choose and be successful at what ever he wants to do in life.
Make sure you have optimised your opportunities and have no regrets when you look back……! Good luck for the future….!