It's just a matter of time. That's my theory behind what it's going to take before Mitchell Rawlins is world champion and everyone knows this too. What better mentor can he ask for than sensei Mike Stewart himself. In the short period of time that he's visited Hawaii, each trip sees Rawlins progress more and more but none more so than this one. He has stepped up his big wave riding to the point that people are claiming he can win at Pipeline, no matter what size. That's pretty big props, especially today when there's more and more big wave specialists.

Perhaps I wasn't the best person to interview him as he sort of went into a quite shell, but you can see it in him that theres more than just a shy kid hiding in his body. Rumor has it that hes a ladies man at home and can hang in there with the best of the partiers. Whatever the case, he was cool enough to spend a few minutes on the eve of competing at Pipe.

Sasaki: Mitch, you've been riding big waves and made a lot of progress in just one year. What adjustments did make?
Rawlins: I used to ride boards that had a poly pro core in it and now Ive changed to something new and it seems to give me more control, it's working great and everyone seems to be charging more these days and I dont want to get left behind, so that's pushed me. I want to keep up and keep progressing.

KS: It sounds like your equipment change really contributed to your success?
MR: I dont know, yeah, it helped, as it feels a lot better in bigger waves, it's quicker, more responsive on bottom turns and easier to ride. I think getting pushed by all the other guys and mixing it up has helped.

KS: What big wave spots can you ride back home?
MR: Well where I live, in the Gold Coast it doesn't really get big that often and when it does it's out of control so I try to go to Western Australia or other places that I can train in bigger surf, anywhere just to experience it.

KS: Has Mike Stewart helped you as a mentor?
MR: He's been a positive aspect on my riding, and me just seeing how dedicated he is about everything definitely helps.

KS: From what I heard you were the only bodyboarder that went out somewhere last week when Waimea was breaking twenty-five feet. How was that?
MR: Actually I wasnt alone, Ryan Hardy dragged me into it, as I was keen for an experience. It didn't work out so well for me. (Got closed out on) I got caught in the rip too. It's something I'd like to do again in the future. I'd like to go out on some of the outer reefs and experience some really big ones.

KS: Last year I watched your heat and while you surfed well on the waves you caught the thing I saw was that you lacked contest strategy. Have you been working on that at all?
MR: I think I've been in a slight slump over the past two years so I've been trying to get myself out of that and working on my moves. I've become more aggressive towards competition, trying to get more waves during a heat, the best ones too and bust the biggest moves. Before I was just trying to be smooth which never works well in competition, you have to be aggressive and you have to want it to make it through your heats.

KS: What's a typical day for you like at home?
MR: Now that I've finished school I can get up early, surf all day. Surf, thats what I like to do so that's what I do I guess.

KS: Aw come on, you don't have to be shy, what's the parties like up where you live?
MR: Oh man, I've been to a few parties, pretty fun. When I broke my collarbone two years ago I couldn't surf so I went out to a few good parties with all my friends from school. Just had a pretty good time.

KS: You know just about all the contenders here, competed against them too but, whom do you think you need to watch out for?
MR: Obviously all the good riders like Mike, Skipper, Virtue, Ryan and even guys from like Spain, Portugal and Brazil. They're really good competitors and it's hard to get waves off of them.

KS: What can we do to improve the sport of bodyboarding?
MR: It would help if we had big, mainstream sponsorship and take a few riders and really boost their images so everyone knows who they are, what they do and show that bodyboarding is an extreme sport and they are willing to put their life on the line by doing some massive moves.

KS: So you're thinking Pipeline, Shark Island, The Box?
MR: Oh yeah, it turns into a big spectator sport when you compete in waves like that. It brings so much attention when we get venues like that and with waves.

KS: You're pretty quite but when youre in the line-up you bust big. Do you use bodyboarding as a means to release yourself?
MR: Ah shit, I thought I got over the shy stage of my life! If I'm still quite I guess I'll have to live with that I suppose. I like going my own ways and not draw too much attention if possible. Yeah, the ocean is something of a place that I feel different.

KS: Who are you currently being sponsored by?
MR: Billabong, Mike Stewart and Rockstar Games.

KS: Tell us a funny story of something that you did in the past.
MR: Oh man, I guess there was this one time I was on this hill by my school and it overlooks the beach and theres houses below. There was a 55-gallon drum just sitting there. I decided to knock it over and push it down the hill. It ended up knocking over a fence and stuff. I got into trouble for that. I guess thats the story everyone wants to know.

KS: Now that youre out of school are we going to see more of Mitch Rawlins on photo shoots, contests, just traveling around?
MR: Hopefully. That's what I based my last year around and will do again. I just want to boost my name and do things and be a professional bodyboarder.

KS: What's on your schedule, do you want to be world champion this year, next or three years from now. Is that one of your goals?
MR: My goal, ever since I was younger is to win every contest that I enter and when ever that time comes to be world champ, whether it be this year, next or later I'll be going for it for as long as I can, until I can no longer ride a bodyboard.
KS: What else are you doing?
MR: Right now Im into a training program that has just opened up on the Gold Coast. It's an academy with proper gym instructors, health people and stuff like that. Bodyboardings in now and Stephanie Pettersen is part of it, so Ill be training along side her. They monitor our fitness levels. Eppo is starting to come by too but hes pretty busy with his Internet site ( http://www.bodyboardshop.com.au ) so he can't be there as much. What they're trying to do is get surfers together and make it look like a professional sport and on an international level. They want to get people fit like theyre world champion swimmer and stuff like that.