At the forefront of Ventura County’s recent explosion of young talent, Oxnard’s Nick Rozsa has a big year ahead
in ’07. After dominating amateur competition for three years, Rozsa made fi ve ASP US Junior Pro finals in ’06 (finishing second overall) and secured one of five coveted US spots for the Billabong Junior Pro Championships in Australia. At age 19, Nick will tackle the WQS this year while still completing his last year on the ASP Pro Junior circuit. Competition is just part of the game for Nick. While his focus and desire have led to competitive success, his free surfi ng talent is his real strength. With several North Shore winters already under his belt, Nick is just as comfortable at Pipeline as he is in the peaky launch ramps of his home break. Sharky tow-in slabs further north are fair game as well, for Nick is no stranger to a life vest and a PWC. Growing up with such a n incredible pool of local surfers to look at for inspiration, Rozsa has honed his skills under the soaring wings of Timmy Curran. This is clearly evident when observing Nick’s aerial repertoire and tube riding prowess. Even in the face of severe surf industry pressure that could break any man, Rozsa still remains intent on competitive success while maintaining a focused, purpose driven lifestyle that refrains from the party scene. Big expectations will surely lead to big results and the West Coast is banking on Nick’s future.

So, I hear you have been charging some tow-in spots
”Yeah, I’m into it. My last tow session was the biggest so far for me. I was scared at fi rst. It’s always nerve racking surfi ng a new heavy wave. My fi rst wave I ate it. I was too far behind it and had to straighten out, it was kind of a walled weird one and the lip hit me right on the back and I got annihilated. After that, I fi gured that I ate it on the very fi rst wave and I survived, so I guess I’ll just keep on going! And then with each wave, I got a little bit braver. It’s a weird wave, you gotta air drop over the step, and try not to pearl. And you have to stay low in the tube or it will suck you over. I like tow-in surfi ng though. I have no problem being out there. It’s just scary at fi rst, and then you get so psyched after your fi rst wave that you forget about your fears. I want to keep charging, and I look up to the tow-in guys.”

You’ve put in some time at Pipe. Have you scored any good days out there?
”Every time I’ve been to Hawaii I’ve caught Pipe pretty good. I’ve been going there for four years now. One of the fi rst times, when I was fifteen, it was full second reef pipe. There weren’t any kids my age out that day. I stayed in the channel for a while, and then got a few here and there. But, it’s pretty intense when it’s that big and all those guys are out there, and I was kinda young and stuff..."

Hey, it’s intense for anybody...
Laughs) ”I know. Then, that evening everybody kinda got out. It was so glassy and good all day, that a light side shore later in the day made it uncrowded. There were only 10 guys out, so I was like, “Screw it, I’m out there!” And after a while, Jamie O’Brien’s roommate gave me a sick one, it was a solid six foot good one. I thought he was going to get it, and then he was like, “Go...Go”. I was so stoked, that was my first real barrel. Late drop, grab rail, and spit out.... I was hooked after that."

So, you’re comfortable out there?
”Yeah, I feel comfortable out there now. I like it and want to try to get the bombs and stuff. I get butterfl ies sometimes if I’m caught in a bad spot, but I get over it, and learn a little more. It’s hard to get used to situations that can cause a two wave hold down. I’ve already had a couple of those at home here this winter!"

Who do you usually surf with here at home?
”I’m kind of a loner, because all my friends live here, we all just meet at the beach and check it out. I surf with my best friend Cory Pearson a lot. He has been my friend since, like 8 yrs old, since Jr. Lifeguards. We do some stupid shit, and try to stay out of trouble. Matt Mohagen and Dylan Perillo are always in the water with me too. If the waves aren’t good, we’re in the shorepound."

Who has been your biggest influence in helping you break into the professional surfing world?
”My family and girlfriend have helped me immensely. My mom and dad have given me all of their support and so much confi dence. If it weren’t for them, I would be going nowhere. I really had to work hard for this though; this isn’t something that I got from my dad who “works in the surf industry”. My dad just showed me how to surf and I took it from there. And they were behind me all the way. Dean HOTCHkiss and Mike Lamm have also played ahuge role in my surfi ng life. When I was younger, I would always see Dean pointing his camera at me, and I would ask him if he got a shot, even though I sucked. Now it’s funny because we’re best friends and this page:
we shoot everyday that we possibly can. He’s gotten some great shots and I wanted to thank him for that. Mike Lamm has been the best surf coach a kid could ask for. He’s like a kid at heart, and I swear he will have you laughing for hours. He has some really good ways
of teaching his stuff. Every time that we sit together we get so deep in conversation that it’s almost like he’s inside my brain. Sometimes I can hear Mike’s voice in the back of my head saying, “OK”, right here”, and “you gotta do this on the wave”, or “when you feel that, do this”. He’s a super good guy and he has helped me a lot."

You did well on the ASP Pro Junior Tour last year. I can’t believe that after all the contests and qualifying all year for the championships in OZ, they threw the best juniors from all over the world out in waist high, onshore dribble. It’s the most prestigious junior competition in the world and they had no waiting period, and were not mobile. They really dropped the ball on that one.
”I know. I’m super stoked for Jordy (Smith) and all the guys that did good. But, it was kind of a waste for everyone that spend all that time and money all year to qualify. And then travel all that way to surf 1ft onshore waves. It’s kind of unfair for the surfers, and the spectators. I don’t think anyone wants to see two kids battle it out in waist high junk. They had to lengthen the heat times mid event, because the waves were so bad no one could get a score! All of us felt kind of short changed."

They put a lot of pressure on all you guys to qualify, is that the fi rst time you’ve felt this kind of pressure?
”No, not at all. Sometimes the industry puts too much pressure on you at a young age. They just want you to perform and compete and get results, and it is easy to lose track of what’s important. Some kids can get discouraged and lose their love for surfing. I have had to take a step back just to realize that surfi ng is the most important thing in my life. It defi nitely helped me get re-focused and re-charged."

So, what’s up for this year?
”I have one more year on the ASP Pro Junior Series, and I am entering some ‘QS events this year too. I’m doing some ‘QS events in Australia and Europe, and the US Open. I want to focus on both qualifying for the WCT, and perfecting my free surfing. It’s every pro surfers dream to make the WCT, and I want to do well, but I want to show people what I can do outside of competition. There is more to surfing than contests. I don’t drink or smoke, or anything. No distractions. I am totally focused on surfi ng, and I’m ready to go.

What’s your favorite part of being a professional surfer?
”The fact that I could make a living from doing what I love has always appealed to me. Just getting up to surf, and not having to worry about going to work somewhere, it’s amazing. I am so thankful for what I have."

Who is your favorite surfer out there?
”Mick fanning for sure. He is so fast and smooth. He has the whole package ‘ya know. I’ve seen him at Off the Wall and Snapper Rocks and he has such a good style. I’ve grown up watching and learning from Timmy (Curran) here at home, and his brothers Josh and Nate. Timmy is a good role model for a kid growing up around the surf scene here. He is always nice to everyone, and he’s never negative about anything in life. He has always showed me respect even though I must have annoyed him when I was younger. Dane, and the Malloys are sick too, we have a lot of great surfers here. I became good friends with Eric Geiselman…he rips. I can’t remember how we met, I guess just from competing together over the years. We are so similar. We have the same attitude and opinions about everything. We are both regular foot, and we surf with a similar style."

Travel is a key component of a professional surfer’s career. I know you’ve already been to most of the premiere surf destinations. Are there any places that are your favorite? Are there any places that you haven’t been to yet that look appealing?
”As far as the West Coast goes, my Grandma has a house down in Baja, so I like to surf down there a lot. But, I really want to surf way up north, into Alaska and stuff. As far as the world goes, I want to go to South Oz. I heard that there are a lot of slabs down there."

Any words of advice to a young surfer coming up on the scene?
”As far as the When things come up in your life that are for the better, you should be thankful, and take advantage of what is there. I have had a lot of trouble with that growing up. I think that I wanted to be a pro surfer so bad, and do well in contests, that it robbed me of my real passion for surfi ng. That’s why I got so frustrated at times. I want to be the best I can be, so every time I screw up or do bad I feel like there is this big bucket of disappointment and negativity pouring all over me. It’s been tough to get over that and I’m starting to get rid of it as I get older. So everyone that thinks that I’m a hot head, or whatever, you’re entitled to your own opinion. But don’t judge me. Especially if you have only hung out with me once. I’m a good kid. You might have seen me snap or scream out in the water, or break my board, or whatever. But it’s just me. I’m not mad at anyone but myself. So don’t take it the wrong way.