Theres been flash in the pans in every sport, people that come out of nowhere, capture attention, get good results and eighteen months later theyre gone, either in rehab, working at 7-11 or landlocked themselves far from the ocean. Spencer Skipper burst onto the scene a few years back and came very close to taking home top prize, only to fall short by the master Stewart himself. Skippy took that learning experience and has been back each year and progressing. Hes at the top of the sport a super cool guy to hang around with and if his pre season performances are indication of what he plans to do at the event, then people need to really watch out for Skippy.

Sasaki: Damn Skippy, youve been looking really good in free surfs, is this your year?
Skippy: Id like to think so, hahaha. Man, there are a lot of guys though that are riding really well so, itll be really interesting. Well see what happens.

KS: Whats it going to take for you to do it?
Skippy: Just really need to get some good waves you know. Its not really in your control. If youre out there in a contest and youre not getting the good ones, youre not going to do well. If I can find the right ones then Ill be super stoked.

KS: Big, small, does it matter? Waves that is you bastard!
Skippy: Actually, Id rather it be in the eight to ten feet range. I feel more comfortable surfing that than say, prior years when its been like four feet and mush. Thats not really ideal Pipeline for me at least. Yeah, ten feet, that I wouldnt mind at all.

KS: Pipeline is a heavy wave and so is Teahupoo in Tahiti, but do you feel like youre at an advantage competing here in Hawaii, being home and all?
Skippy: Oh yeah, for sure. It just helps surfing out here and that helps out a lot during a contest. If youre comfortable competing at a place where youre accustomed to riding and being at then youll definitely have an advantage Id say, but its still anyones game out there. Its whoever gets the right wave and the luck of the draw as well. Some times you get em and some times you dont.

KS: Youve been out there on the very best days this year, rightfully so. Do you choose the people you surf with so they push you?
Skippy: Ahhh definitely. Well the guys that I surf with always push me to the limit. Theres Jeff (Hubbard) and Ive been surfing with Bullet (Steve MacKenzie) a lot and just everyone whos out there in the water. Everyone is sort of competing against each other when were out there, even if it doesnt seem that way theres still some competing going on. Were all looking over our shoulders watching what the other guys doing, watching each others waves and making sure we can do the same or better. It really helps when there are guys out there that are shredding; it pushes me to do better. Progression.

KS: I find it pretty funny that bodyboarders are claiming that theyre all going through tough times but on the same note theres a whole community of you guys staying out at the Turtle Bay resort. Thats expensive.
Skippy: Oh man, thats been pretty cool. Weve been having a lot of gatherings, been taking over on the barbeque pits down there, the cops have cruised by a couple times too. Its just cool having some friends nearby. When the waves are shitty its always cool to go over to your friends house and play Playstation, eat their food, take a crap in their toilet

KS: Whats the funniest thing youve seen this year?
Skippy: Well uhh, Eddies (Solomon) facial from the big Hawaiian, maybe. (bursts out into uncontrollable laughter) Oh man theres been a number of things going on, its also been a blur actually. I saw Crawley (Michael) stumble home the other night and he was just hugging the porcelain god. It sounded like someone was kicking him in the kidneys, he got absolutely hammered and was just barfing all over the place, chunks of steak was flying into my sink and all over the bathroom, fucken stinking up the place. He passed out there, he was pretty wounded.

KS: Besides the prediction of you winning the event, who would be second and so forth?
Skippy: Well um, thats going to be tough man, Ive seen so many good guys lately that its really anyones game right now. Theres always the favorites like Mike, the Pipe favorites like Mike and Kainoa, you have the up and coming guys, the Australians and I just cannot predict whats going to happen, theres just way too many good guys that have a chance at it. Just got to wait and see.