Jack Robinson Talks Signing To Samsung Galaxy, New Surf Doc – The Next Wave, Fatherhood + ’24 CT

[Music] all right we are back we have a very special guest with us today he has been a back-to-back final five finisher the past two years of the WSL finals in San Clement in 2022 he won back-to-back events also Margaret River Pro Quicksilver Pro Gand I was there I’m wearing the t-shirt and placed third in the world by the end of the year in 2023 he started the year off with a bang taking the win at the bong Pro pipeline finishing the way he started with another win at the shash Tahiti Pro qualifying again for the finals and finishing fifth in the world this year as of recording we’re recording here in mid-march he’s currently well positioned for yet another title run he claimed the hurly pro Sunset Beach in Hawaii and is currently sitting number four on the overall rankings he’s one of the subjects of a surf documentary produced in partnership with Samsung exploring the connection between Surfers the ocean and their Global community and he has recently become a new parent alongside his beautiful wife Julia to a healthy baby boy and he is the first ever four-time repeater guest on the lineup we have Western australas Jack Robinson with us Jack thank you so much for coming back thank you Dave I appreciate you for having me so we are quite the the intro yeah we just end it with that that sounded good I love it so we recording as I said it’s mid-march we’ve just come off of Portugal the bells window hasn’t started yet by the time this airs it might be actually after the entire Australian leg after Margaret River but as of today where are you and your family in the world right now we’re on the Gold Coast right now um we have an apartment here we’re at before we go to Bell’s Beach tomorrow so just getting a few days at home we came back from well I came back from Portugal 3 days ago so I’m just getting over the jet leg and um the family just came to Hawaii and then they went home they didn’t come to Portugal so uh yeah just gearing up for another event and excited to get back on the road again with them it’s been a while since since you and I have talked on the podcast despite you being um now a four-time returned guest um but safe to say that that Quite A lot’s also change uh between the last time you and I talked and now talk to me about it like starting 2024 CT season some huge Life Changes what were the similarities and what were the differences when you’re starting the championship tour season this year just given everything else that’s happened in your personal life oh man yeah I feel like yeah since I’ve been on your podcast four times there’s so much that changes each time I come on like all right there’s so much to catch up on it’s all it’s all a blur but um yeah just where we’re at um oh man yeah the last time we spoke uh I think it was before Margaret’s right that sounds right hold on I got it here I just want to make sure so hey last time we actually talked it was November 2022 it was I think it was after your initial final five appearance um and then the time before that it was before the Margarets event which you ended up winning by the way but it’s been a minute A lot’s happened for you since uh November 2022 yeah there been a lot happening um and yeah I I did the finals and then all you know settling in on tour then yeah just uh there’s been so much that’s happening in the competitive world and then just in the family life and personal life it’s uh it’s really exciting uh you know I feel like so many big changes but um just adapting to it all and yeah I feel like the biggest accomplishment was definitely the you know my little boy my family so um you know that’s uh you know it’s just it’s just pure love it’s just pure um it’s another level of life and another chapter so uh yeah to be able to bring them on tour now and uh and have them along for the ride is yeah it’s it’s it’s a dream you know I couldn’t couldn’t have imagined that you know um so yeah just settling into that and um yeah oh man it’s I’m I’m trying to just recount everything but uh looking forward to another big year for sure um yeah really really excited for this year and uh and just gaining more experience and have another go at at a title would be cool you know a lot of a lot of the world’s best Surfers a lot of world champions people that you know you know very very well and I probably spent a lot of time with whether it’s Joel Mick Kelly Etc have all admitted sort of a singular truth about competing for a world title which is you have to be a selfish bastard like they’re like it is the most selfish thing you can do even Beyond being a professional Surfer the idea of dedicating everything to winning a world title is you have to be selfish you at a point in your career where you’re absolutely a contender but at the same time you’re also doing the most unselfish thing you can do which is also be a parent right um has has has that tension played out for you at all obviously it’s fresh but I have a take just as an outside Observer on on how you’ve sort of handled with it but I’m curious inside the inside your brain you know how you how it’s felt yeah I love that question actually because at the start of the year you know my baby was born or just before the start of the year he was born in December and then it was pretty close to the first event of the year at Pipeline and when we when we got over there I was like okay how’s this all going to go you know it’s the first time I’ve seen other guys on tour with their you know with with babies and and sometimes it you know it’s hard it’s it’s not easy so I was like okay like let’s let’s go you know like this is this is it and uh yeah I had so much energy almost like way more than usual and it was almost like too much energy I feel like like I was going so much harder and I was like all right maybe I got to turn it down a little bit um cuz pipeline was a real adapting event for me I felt like just having having my family there you know there another another human being you know you’re taking care of and he’s there watching and it’s another member so it’s like you know you got extra extra things happening around you and then just managing everything managing uh your energy managing your focus everything and not pushing them away too you know like making them a part of it because I felt like I was kind of pushing them away a little bit and I got to be more focused this you know this way and yeah it was uh I like ah well they’re here to support me and and they they love being here so try and feed off that energy as well you know I have the time with them before I go out and then I have my time to go and Surf and and be completely present on each thing so it’s like uh yeah that’s that’s you know the big adapting and you know big learning experience to me I feel like in the second event it was the opposite event compared to pipeline so it was was interesting well it’s interesting to hear you say that too because you know I was on the ground at pipe and watched sunset in Portugal very closely and and and I’m always curious is you know having you know my kids are 10 now but like have been through the early fatherhood thing and a few folks that I’ve talked to that have been in the same boat and we joked about it before we start recording is how much more precious time becomes so it’s like okay well I’ve got an hour to Surf you know and even if I have an hour to Surf versus you know 10 hours to Surf before my kids are born I’m doing so much better in that hour because I’m so much more present and focused than I was before and that really seemed like to be the case again just as an outside observer in the free surf at pipe and even in the event you seem so switched on and present and of course bit of bad luck like at pipe um against I think it’s ramsy um who’s on a heater but then same thing in Portugal as well you were surfing amazing you seem locked in just came up against a rampaging Medina so and then at Sunset that eventuality didn’t happen so to me you’ve actually looked really consistent across three events there were just two kind of outlier Heats and Ramsay and Gabriel I don’t know if that’s a fair read from from your perspective if you’re thinking like no I should be winning every event but yeah no it’s you know you want to win every event and you try to but it’s it’s just surfing too like I remember everything probably outside of the water at pipe you know I was I was kind of figuring things out and then I you know I probably looked good inside the water and then it just right didn’t really go my way but uh yeah the same thing in Portugal you know I felt like just the energy was down the beach and Gabriel had a great heat and you know it was uh it’s the way it goes sometimes but I did feel good and I didn’t didn’t take it to heart really you know I was like you know even cuz I know it’s a long year you know and it’s it’s it’s an important event but it’s also you know I kind of I I enjoy the wins and then it’s like you have losses and it’s like well why should you get so down when you have a loss you know it’s like uh sometimes you just don’t read into losses as much as others and um I just felt like yeah it was uh no everything’s good you know in in in in the water I feel good and outside now I feel like i’ adapted more just with the family and traveling and everything so right um yeah it’s just about maintaining the energy for the year I feel like it’s going to be such a busy year with the Olympics and and having all these huge events coming up so um yeah really uh just really trying to manage the energy well that always seemed like one of the things that that Mick Fanning was able to do so so well when he was winning so much is he would be upset by the losses but he always would say you learn from it you process it and then you back burner it like you can’t you can’t you can’t let it throw you off your Square because you’ve got to be back on your game you know within minut it’s planning the next trip planning the next quiver order etc etc you and Brendan Ley and the whole Sharpie program but you and Brendan out of Australia in particular have been such a crucial pillar to the success story of sharpy in recent years um and you’ve looked amazing on those boards but you’ve also always been very open about you know your relationship with Eric Arawa on the NorthShore and how that’s a second family for you and heading into the season this year both at pipe and Sunset Beach it felt like you were in a place where you were more comfortable to have a more of a fully throated endorsement of look I’m I’m feeling confident on these boards from Uncle Eric so we’re going to be surfing these in Hawaii um and then no problem transitioning into Portugal back on the sharp eyes is that a fair assessment for sure yeah definitely that you know the the last thing you want to be thinking about is walking down to the beach like oh I’m not sure if I you know this board it’s bit feels a bit funny like I’m I’m uh you know who’s watching me I’m going to be GNA G to get uh am I going to get in trouble you know for for riding a different board but it’s like I have such a good deal with a shy guys and and Eric and um you know I’m with the shy Oz guys so they you know they’re just really cool they do whatever needs to be done and uh you know get me what I need and Brennan’s really cool he lives just down the road we uh we have the boards right here they get made right here where’re we’re just we’re surfing all the time close and now I’m going to get a bunch of maros this year again when I first started on sharai actually was marcio’s boards that I got first and had instant connection with them like the boards were another level like I was like wow okay so going to get a bunch more of him again this year um they’re really good to work with they just uh he’s you know the magic man he’s designer and everything and then yeah obviously Eric it’s family it’s you know it’s it’s more than the boards it’s it’s a relationship that you know lasts forever it’s like um you know obviously I don’t ride the boards at every stop always I mix it up now but you know I’ll be riding them probably at a lot of stops this year so um you know like there’s obviously a lot of good stuff there’s T there Fiji there’s all these waves so yeah it’s just really really exciting it’s just you know I love having that cuz it’s trust over many years you know you ride a board and you know you don’t think it’s like and it doesn’t confuse I have the you know I have the two I have um Shai and Eric so it’s like you know it’s pretty amazing to be able to draw on on those two and um you know I just want to be on the best boards and ultimately that’s going to get me wins and and you know that’s what matters so yeah for sure and I mean that that Comfort level both on the boards but then at waves as I said I know the result wasn’t the one you wanted at pipe but both inside and outside the jersey that connection was so evident and then absolutely inside the Jersey when we moved to Sunset Beach it felt like and I’m interested to get your take on this too wasn’t just you know an elevated physical Talent approach uh performance that I think most people witnessed it felt like you were just almost mentally and spiritually and just so psychologically sharp heat to heat there and it it’s obviously a venue that means a lot to you but can you talk to us a little bit about that and also just just about that event and how you’re marching through the field and even on that finals day it felt like it was predestined that you were going to end up on the podium yeah I felt like that too it was it was a special event that was you know meant to be uh just having everyone there it was you know the it was we were so strong as a team I felt like just my whole crew and then obviously the boards were on another level and yeah it’s been many years you know putting in time out there and just um you know I wanted it so bad I wanted I was so hungry for that event and uh especially after the first one it just it just just kind of filled the fire and then uh yeah it was you know I I kind of went into like Warrior mode like it was just nothing there was not nothing that I was wasn’t going to give 100% on I had like the worst wipeouts to like in one of the Heats and I was just getting slammed jerse getting ripped off board shorts getting ripped off and I was like I do not care I’m just and I felt sick during the H I was like I’m I’m going to just give 100% everything I have and uh yeah that it was a really special event cuz you put so much in and then you get it all back and uh the reward you know is it means so much so to win that event was just incredible and um yeah Zen’s first uh Victory he was watching Miss son so came pretty quick for that kid good for you guys you know what came quick yeah now but now the bar is here right so your son now’s like hey I’ve seen you do this before if you get knocked out before the quarters it’s no dinner for you Dad oh man Happ get the bread right you know one of the awesome things too since you since you’ve signed with vcam is obviously the real estate in Hawaii you guys are right there right at back door pipeline um get the best view on the NorthShore and I know we’ve talked about in the this in the past and and it’s 50/50 sometimes when a surfer loses the uh early in the event they’re like I don’t even want to watch it on the webcast I’m not watching it all but given how amazing that final day at pipeline was specifically Surfers like Molly and Katie and Betty Lou did you watch that live and if so what were your impressions of how that that next generation of women really kind of pushed the envelope that day was funny I ran off and sered sunset because I didn’t want to watch and it was I would have watched if Sunset wasn’t good but I had to go I was just so hungry for Sunset so I went and did that but then I got back there later I went to the Red Bull house later and I did some fiz on stuff and I saw mly and I saw everyone there and they would told me how the day was and I looked back at just the highlights and everything and it was really a pivotal day for woman surfing I feel like the bar just got raised it was It was kind of here and then it just went wof like through the roof so I actually remember um we had a call with with with wo with Jesse and everyone LLY everybody and uh and we were talking about it and just women surfing and I was like man I feel like women surfing they can just this new generation is just going to push the level so much higher and and they won it like throw them out there so it was so cool to see that I feel like that was just you know it was it was going to it was going to happen at some some point and it was just a matter of time so yeah that was uh I just it psyched me up so much we mentioned we’re recording this is uh March 18th 19th we’re coming up on the Bells Beach window and then back to your Home State uh for the Margaret River Pro um at main break there in Margaret River um two waves that you have a lot of experience at um you know looking ahead at Bell Beach and then again to Margaret River like what do you what are kind of the Contours of your approach for these back to events you know you’re currently sitting uh before the mid-season relegation currently sitting forth in the world as you talked about so eloquently you know figuring out that Rhythm and balance between personal time with your family in professional time training for the event um board details what can you give us about looking at Bells and then looking at Margaret River you know as you kind of as you kind of ramp up for the rest of the season yeah well I’ve got a bunch of boards here from Oz that I’m going to get for for bells might have a couple of martios maybe sprinkle a couple of Erics in there too um couple ericos if it’s if it’s bigger but yeah I was up early this morning like 3:00 a.m. I can’t sleep from the jet lag I was like okay like let’s get ready for bells and uh just writing down the order is what I’m going to get um and the forecast does look good for bells like it looks like there’s going to be waves um you know fingers crossed but yeah I’m I’m definitely you know excited to get back down there I feel like Bells is kind of similar bells and Margaret are kind of similar not they don’t get as big always a sunset but the slop of the wave is like pretty similar like it doesn’t really have much of a bottom it’s like you can’t go all the way to the bottom it’s kind of a you know so it’s kind of just about um you know really having the right boards for there it’s really really crucial and um yeah I think that’s going to be a big big factor is there anyone like localwise team wise sponsorship relationship wise that you tap into for maybe some sort of elder god insights I mean obviously you know you know mck Fanning you and him know each other pretty well um but I’m curious is there anyone in particular at either venue that you know you you ask you know forecast insights or or board insights or or is it you just kind of keep keep your own company on that kind of stuff no I definitely look to other guys and and try to pick and learn things from them like I watched so many Parco Clips out there I feel like Parco had you know one of the best RS ever out there probably the best but him and Mick and um you know Kelly in the past just a lot of these guys I feel like I kind of lean on that and watch a lot of Clips but also you know and you see some guys like like Adam Rober and the guys that know the waves really well down there you kind of watch and learn and and see what they do out there too and see where they uh where they sit and stuff but yeah it’s definitely you know it’s one of those waves where you got to put in the time I feel like you know I I went there a long a long time ago a long a while before the event 3 years ago I went 3 weeks before um and I just tried to figure it out cuz i’ never surfed a comp out there and I feel like it’s one of those waves that needs you need to put time in and it’s like Sunset it’s like all the waves but um especially there it’s just it changes so much too with the tides and whatnot so um yeah definitely lean on uh all the advice and all the uh little intricacies that I can pick out of there so um yeah lean on the older generation they know respect your elders I like it yeah respect your elders we’re going to take a quick break to get a word from our sponsor and when we come back we’re going to talk about the Olympics and your upcoming project with Samsung we’ll be right back all right this is the lineup I am Dave pran here with the one and only Jack Robinson Jack we talked about what a stellar end uh start and end of the 2023 CT season you had coming into the final event of the Season uh the shash Tahiti pro at chopu um you you mowed the field down and you not only qualified for the WSL finals last year but you punched your ticket provisionally qualifying for this year’s Olympic Games Paris 2024 the surfing event going to be held in French Polynesia which is pretty cute um at chopu at a venue that you’ve had a special relationship with for quite a long time and are the defending CT winner at the venue that must have been a huge day both both for the WL finals qualification but also knowing oh my gosh I’m going to represent my country on the biggest sporting stage on the planet in the Olympics at a venue that I really excel at oh that was an incredible day I was just thinking back to it I can remember the day so clearly um just that whole trip and and everything um it was such a such a wild event I had to get I basically had to win it you know it came down to to me griel in the final and um yeah just you know there was so much on the line that event it was like everything was on the line the finals the Olympic qualification and winning the event and it was um ah it was such a special one I feel like yeah just just looking back on that one that was one I remember forever um you know really really special and I’ve been going there for so many years and you know to qualify for the Olympics as well that was one of the biggest achievements for me because it’s not just any Olympics it’s at chopu too so it’s you know it’s it’s a special one and uh yeah you know it was it was the last event before the finals and I had to win and it just so much came down to it so much gets put into it and yeah we were there and I you know I have Julia my baby was in a belly still and she was screaming like ah like let’s go and so you know he was kind of there in in uh you know just just sleeping but he was he was hearing it all and um I don’t know just just that event was so incredible and uh yeah looking forward to the Olympics now too um you know definitely uh it’s a big one so yeah it’s going to be you know a lot on the line there for sure and I mean both you know the championship tour in the last several years elevating and becoming more popular surfing becoming more popular as a function of being on the Olympic stage it elevates the profile of of every top level Surfer on the planet and with that elevation comes kind of fantastic opportunities earlier this year Samsung announced the introduction of Team Samsung Galaxy which is a roster of inspiring athletes and ambassadors all over the world you’re mentioned as part of this group of people what does it mean to you to be a part of that team in particular yeah so I sign with Samsung earlier this year and oh it’s been amazing I’m really just pumped to be on the team and representing my country and you know being alongside all the other amazing athletes is super inspiring so yeah it’s incredible it gives me the tingles thinking about it and uh and going to the Olympics and uh just you know representing a lot so um yeah it’s going to be it’s going to be incredible I’m really looking forward to it and yeah they have an amazing documentary actually we were filming that in Hawaii this year that they’re doing on on all on a lot of athletes it was I think John John and and Joanne were the other two Surfers that were doing it and then I spent a full day filming and uh yeah it was just really high level I feel like they they’re going to capture some amazing content and the way they’re going to piece it together will be really really cool so um it’ll kind of give like a broader look and just I feel like for the people who don’t watch surfing all the time it’ll you know they’ll be able to understand it a lot more cuz there’s so many other people that we reach in the Olympics and you know we want them to understand it and and be drawn into what we feel and uh I feel like that’s going to you know really showcase that so um you know it’ll be one big part of it yeah I was going to ask you about that because obviously inside and outside the Jersey you’re someone that’s been in front of the camera for quite a long time since you were very very young and have worked on everything from you know core surf videos to probably stuff that is a little more Transcendent reaches a wider audience you know in working with with Samsung as you mentioned they’re partnering with three different leagues with uh the worlds of Surfing skating and breaking for this three-part documentary series and um you know the film which is currently in post- production it as you pointed out it explores that connection between Surfers and the ocean what were some of the key differences in working with this group and working on this project compared to maybe projects you’ve worked on in the past I think just have professional airing quick it’s all it’s like it’s like Hollywood or something they just they get the take and they’re like boom got it okay done and and then they they’re they’re really open you know to understanding your connection with the ocean and how how you know each I feel like you know each different personality is and and just capturing that um yeah they were just really open to to whatever I you know what was my uh you know how I go about things you know just as as a human being and uh and my connection with the ocean and you know there’s a lot you know people just see us riding the waves but there’s a lot more happens you know out there and and it’s not just riding the Wave It’s these waves come from thousands and thousands of miles away and you have to really be connected to it and uh it’s kind of a thing you can’t explain but I feel like if they can capture it visually and piece it together like that then that’s the you know things that you can’t always Define so well they can be captured visually and uh you know I think they’re going to do a really good job of that so yeah just really professional they were like so so quick and so easy to work with so it’s cool it makes sense cuz there’s always that tension I think in surfing where people like look at the core and then like the uninitiated you know whether it’s a sponsor a media partner a fan or whatever and I always hear this where it’s like oh if you make something for the core like the mass me mass Market won’t understand it and then vice versa like if you make something for the general public it will betray the core but I think like really good content regardless of where it’s made on the Spectrum it’s like if it’s really good going to work for everybody because I think hardcore Surfers will appreciate it for being honest you know nons Surfers will probably just appreciate it for being interesting and you know Samsung earlier this year they announced their official theme for the Olympic and Par Olympic Games for Paris 2024 and that was open always wins which I think articulates that Brand’s belief you know having an open mind and and having new experiences and having those be meaningful um is not only additive to someone like yourself who’s an athlete but additive to that Community as well and it sounds like as you pointed out it’s not just about what you do on the wave it’s about what being a surfer means to you what being a part of that community means to you about what being a global citizen means to you in a lot of ways and being able to travel and fit into these communities it it sounds really interesting yeah yeah it’s really cool I mean I feel like you know our our surf Community was a lot smaller like years ago and but you know so many people from all corners of the world and now obviously surfing’s exploded and it’s growing so much so um I think just understanding yeah each person’s story and uh you know where they come from and how they’re connected to you know the people around them and you know and each different place around the world it’s like you know the the whole ocean is one and you know you got to kind of be open to each different place and experiencing new things so um you know surfing really does that and hope uh you know they’ll be able to capture that so that’ll be be amazing we talked about it earlier you know you’re at home now on the Gold Coast you were in Portugal you and your family were in Hawaii for a few months um you have your place in Western Australia and I think you and I talked about this on a previous episode everyone should go back and listen to them because they’re great but I remember a long long time ago running into step Bell who was Kelly Slater’s um sort of Confidant coach you know you know family member really for years and years and I remember we were in Jeff’s Bay and I remember the event finished and everyone flew home you know like everyone was flying home and and I remember being there and belly was like well Kelly’s not flying home because J B is going to pump for the next four weeks he’s going to stay here and surf you know and and belly was kind of beside himself because he’s like he’s like I don’t he’s like all these kids that want to grow up and be World Champ like how do you think Kelly did it like Kelly doesn’t actually have a fixed home like he’s he’s been doing this for so long and he’s so comfortable and he’s got friends and and deao families everywhere he goes that he can get very very comfortable being in one place and staying there for weeks and figuring the place out and he in that way he he becomes really like a global Citizen and I’m not saying it’s a Ono one but it feels like your upbringing having traveled so extensively growing up and and now having you know home bases in different places around the planet I wonder if you feel like there’s a little bit of a kin with that idea of being a global citizen yourself for sure yeah definitely I feel like from when I grew up um you know I was I was uh fortunate enough to be on Quicksilver and they they took me around the world and you know I was able to go with my family and not everyone gets to do it I know Leo did it Canoa did it and it’s sort of like the three of us traveling you know we had about 5 years there where you know we were really young and that’s and that’s when you know we were starting out and and traveling to all these places and I remember watching Kelly and he would he would be in these places and he would stay longer and you know if the waves are good but also just to to put in the time there too it’s it’s and it’s not even just for the waves it’s just to have a connection you know with the people and the places like that’s kind of you just go there to to Surf like okay I’m just going to go there and and kind of like use the waves almost but it’s like no no no like you have a lot of friends in these places and I feel like he has a lot of friends around the world I have a lot of friends around the world it’s like you feel more connected feel more at home when you do that and create more of a connection just with the place and uh yeah that’s super important I feel like you know just to feel at home it’s like we’re traveling all year we don’t have a fixed home it’s not it’s not easy being away from home if you miss home it’s it’s hard a lot of people can’t can’t always manage it and uh you know but if you can try and you know make that connection and feel comfortable in those places by doing that it’s you know be a global citizen that’s the get as get a few get as many passports as you could if I could anyway but um yeah I feel like yeah like I’ve been going to Hawaii so many years and and have so many friends there and going to taii or wherever it is you know Europe America South America like it doesn’t even matter it’s just um you know that’s for what we do the tour it’s so unique in that way so we we need to spend time abroad and um you know really kind of Lan on that bringing it back to 2024 your run both on the championship tour but as you pointed out it’s an Olympic year August is going to be in chopu you’re going to be competing for a gold medal for your home country of Australia is it a conscious decision for you to balance both things like all right I’m going to do my best on the CT I’m going to try to qualify for the WSL finals I want to win a world title that’s the goal every year but also it’s important that I protect my body and I protect myself because this year in particular is very special with the Olympics being at Chu and and I have a shot to win that and the reason I bring that up is it actually goes into the way we design the CT calendar because last year we had Chu as the event right before the finals for someone like yourself that had to go all out and win the event to qualify it wasn’t so much a concern for you but so some of the other Surfers who had maybe already qualified it wasn’t necessarily in their best interest to put everything on the line and get hurt before the world title event goes down so I bring it up now because we’ve got chopu coming up uh after the cut we’ve got Fiji um before the finals and everything’s kind of happening in and around the Olympics do you consciously kind of protect yourself throughout the year or do you just surf every event as hard as you can yeah interesting it’s so I’ll go back to last year real quick yeah at this time last year I feel like I was doing so much and I was on a and I was on a roll you know it’s it’s in a similar position this year but it’s like last year I was going so hard before bells and then end up getting injured right and uh I felt like I was forcing it a lot and then you know if you come back to this year there’s a lot happening the Olympics and you know obviously WSL finals everything I feel like it’s about not forcing it as well like you know and when you when you start off like a pipeline too like you know why why why would you go too too crazy you know I feel like you know and I see see other guys that were in the finals last year and yeah they they’re not going to go too hard at chopes well you know you’re like oh what are they doing like you know it’s not it’s not why are they even here but then it’s like well why would you force it too you’re in a good position and you got to play it smart too as as a surfer like it’s you know there’s just so much on the line so yeah it’s not forcing it but it’s also not holding back too much you kind of better to be in the middle if you can find it you know and and still go for it cuz if you’re just trying to be too careful sometimes um you know then you can get really you know smoked as well you can get you know so it’s kind of a balancing uh thing I I think just not forcing cuz I had the injuries last year and I was kind of forcing it and then you know you kind of just got to be really present um you know especially the waves of consequence I feel like surfing’s so unique in that way right because if you think of other sports like the NBA and you talk about like time management or load management to like protect players bodies before the playoffs or you know the NL where it’s like oh yeah the like the the Chiefs are fine like Patrick Mahomes will be fine like he doesn’t need everyone firing through the season as long as they get to the playoffs right um for sure but in surfing it’s there’s different motivations right because of course you want to get results of course you want to perform that that stabilizes your lifestyle and sponsorship endorsements and prize money all those good things but then I think for so many Surfers it’s like well the reason I’m doing all of that is so I can go get barreled at pipeline you know because that’s kind of the ultimate goal right in a lot of ways ultimate and and or or chopu or wherever or whatever like you know perfect J whatever it is but Leo fanti was on the podcast um earlier in the year and his wife is from the NorthShore so he spends a few months there so you guys probably on similar programs um and he was saying that the off season he’s like all I want to do is get barreled at pipe he goes but if any one thing is not feeling right you know my equipment my body like my head State the conditions look a little weird he goes I have to actively like suppress that urge to go out there because it might hurt me you know and he goes so it’s a weird tension and he’s like you know so I don’t know if that’s something that that you play with as well because you seem like the kind of surfer that’s like I just want to get the biggest Barrel I want to do the biggest air I want do the biggest turn that’s what all this is for but as you said it’s a bit of a balance to keep it going in perpetuity for sure yeah and offseason I always want to do that I want to go get the best waves you know and on on tour as well it’s the dream tour you look at the dream tour as a kid and you know you you envision you know those waves and um you know and obviously when you get to the dream tour you learn to compete as well though you know sometimes the conditions might not be as good you have to be an allrounder so um but in the your question and like when you feel something’s not not right and the waves are really gnarly and you know there could be something that might happen it’s like yeah if something’s off it’s just you know after all the experience after all the years I feel like no it’s not the time or it’s not the day okay no I’m going to wait you know and you learn that like you see people get hurt and and especially this last season in Hawaii guys were getting just annihilated there was so many bad wipeouts Jan chimo like he got he’s a really good Surfer gave me the tingles just then it’s like it’s so scary seeing guys like that go down and then KY Lenny and Amo from Tahiti it’s like you know you see a lot of bad wipeouts so it’s uh you know just try and respect the moment respect the waves and you know if you’re not up to it on the day then it’s not bad you know you’d rather keep keep your uh body safe and you know everything healthy so um we kind of learned that I used to want the biggest wave always i’ be like I want the biggest wave at choper on it and yeah sure like now yeah I’m in the right spot but it’s like you also got to preserve yourself too you can’t just be throwing it out there and getting you know putting yourself in h away so if we were to take a look at at the Surfers from the current Championship Tour on the men’s side that you will be facing off against other Surfers of course in the Olympics you’ve got Griffin colapinto Ethan Ying John John Florence you yourself of course Cano igarashi Jordy Smith Leonardo fante and matd mcgilvery and and recently uh Gabriel Medina who’s looking like the nastiest threat uh at chopu from your perspective I think everybody’s a threat to be honest I know like there’s names that pop up in the draw but as a competitor I think everybody’s a threat and you know it’s yeah everybody’s good it’s just it’s it’s a lot different now everybody’s a really good competitor everybody surfs really good everybody’s on on a really high level so um you know you can’t underestimate anybody or take it for granted I feel like that’s just my Outlook on it and um you know it’s makes for an exciting exciting event so yeah everybody’s a threat well we look we’ll look forward to not only the Olympics but um your documentary with Samsung we’re going to take one more quick break to get a word in from our partners and we’ll be right back all right welcome back to the lineup I am Dave pren here with Western Australia’s Jack Robinson Jack thank you once again for your time today we spent a bit of time talking about the Hawaiian leg in Portugal you know we we talked a little bit about heading into back-to-back events in Australia Bell’s Beach and Margaret River we talked about the Olympics looking ahead though looking ahead to September’s WSL finals uh post relegation after Margaret River we’ve got uh chopu which you’re the defending event winner at we’ve got Puna and El Salvador we’ve got sakurama Rio de Janeiro and we’ve got cloudbreak in Fiji I think and and I’m not 100% sure but looking through my notes the last time we talked you had actually not ever been to cloudbreak but I think that’s been remedied since the last time we talked is that right yeah that’s correct I I went uh for my first trip this last September right after the finals in California we looked at every single place in the world yo Joan and me and we’re like where can we go okay oh Fiji okay it’s meant to be and then we went there and we scored it and it was three days and oh man what a place it’s uh that’s the only place I hadn’t been and I finally went so I’m going to hopefully I’ll get back there before this event this year but yeah what a lineup thanks for making that schedule day I feel like we talked about it I think got in trouble for maybe mentioning it back in 2022 but we’re back we’re here we got the event we’re all in good shape but what about what about what about you so you did three days there did it meet your expectations did it surpass your expectations and if so what were those 100% I mean I feel like you know you have a have a visualization or an expectation of the place but it’s you know it’s just like a parallel universe it’s it’s so close to Australia but it’s also it’s just you get there and you just so in the moment they’re like immersed in it it’s like Fiji is such a special place and uh it’s kind of got that feeling you know you get off the plane in Hawaii or Tahiti and those islands they just have a special Aura and uh we got there and we we we were staying on tabaro and we went out and and surf Cloud break and oh what a what a place what a wave and um yeah just incredible I’ve heard so much about it and you know definitely lived up to it uh all the expectations um and to have that wave back on tour was just incredible um you know I kind of I wasn’t thinking about all the events that you that you just reeled off but uh you you reminded me of it now and I’m like wow that’s that’s a lot of really really good events so to have that right before the finals just to you know to be the last qualifying event you know I think it’s going to shake a lot of things up too and um you know just getting you know all the different variety of waves and that wave I think people just want to watch that it’s just so exciting um especially leading into the finals it’s like the one event that you know you watch and I just couldn’t wait for it to be back on tour it was missing you know it’s the missing puzzle so um really really exciting as you said it is the the final CT stop of the year it will determine the WSL final five who will compete for the world title at low trestles in September which is an event that you’ve competed in not once but twice um I don’t know if we’ve talked since you’ve well talked on the podcast I don’t know if we’ve talked on the podcast since you’ve competed there but that in and of itself the one day event at lower trestles best five Surfers of the Year linear format is so unique in and of itself what what have been your experiences in that specific event what have you learned from from back-to-back years competing for it oh yeah it’s you know it’s definitely it’s definitely different you know it’s a one- day event and it’s it all comes down to that that moment and um you know they definitely uh yeah this the well title is is literally hanging on that moment so I know I think you know I had so many thoughts about it and and looking into it and you know I think it’s just a unique way like you have to have the right equipment there last year I felt like my boards were just off I just didn’t I just didn’t feel that good and um you know I think it’s going to be a different story this year though I’ve put in way more time and um but that but that happens you know like the first few years on tour you have to figure it out and um you know trestles is just it’s a unique wave it’s it’s different really high performance but it’s also it’s kind of flattered too you know that there’s there’s a certain type of board that you need for there and um yeah I just felt a little bit kind of like I didn’t have the right equipment this last finals and you know it’s not even blaming anything I just think putting in some time there and and coming over and um and trying more boards you know cuz uh I was trying to figure out boards like literally the night before the contest and uh I was like H still you know kind of not sure but it was um you know that’s all learning for for me and my team too um and obviously the format too is it’s something to get used to I think it just happens with experience to like the first year then okay you’re going to get it the second year but it’s like all right now it’s just just taken it all in and going there with uh you know just trying to be free and ser free because you know there’s a lot of it can be a lot of pressure If you you know kind of buy into it but I think just being free and and uh you know going surfing you know that’s I’m I’m there to Surf try and keep it really simple cuz do that well so I’m I’m glad you brought up boards because uh you know the Visa CT shaper rankings is something that we we love talking about on this podcast you know your board Builder as of recording sharpy they’re back in front had a they had a healthy showing in Portugal but as far as boards and the finals format and lower trestles goes it actually does feel like it’s an under reported story that like equipment at that event over the last couple of years has been a it’s thrown people off you know I’ve heard stories about you know um Ito surfing was looking too flicky so Patterson went like rebuilt the quiver overnight and like added weight to the boards I mean Felipe’s first world title there he won on a carbon vacuum bagged quad you know and I’m like that’s no one talks about it like I feel like I’m taking crazy pills because it’s it’s so interesting and as you pointed out lowers it is a high performance wave but it it it’s a high performance wave that can take some work it it it requires boards that are going to drive you through those fatter spots with regards to your own equipment you mentioned you know the quiver wasn’t where it needed to be for you last year but how experimental do you get U both at a wave like L trestles but then also with a with a format like the finals where everything’s on the line like would you consider riding a quad would you consider riding an epoxy like like like how weird would you be willing to get with your own equipment oh yeah I mean I I feel like each guy is different on tour yeah phip road is carbon board I tried that board I don’t you know I don’t I don’t know I don’t know if it’s it’s for me but you know and I just think quads I’m just not really I’m not myself I don’t really ride quads but like when it’s really big and stuff yeah ride quads but I don’t know it’s just something different I I I maybe haven’t found the right fins and paired the right fins with that board you know but uh I think the thrusters and what I ride I think it’s just about dialing in you know what we have and making some minor adjustments sometimes you can go down the rabbit hole and try all these different boards and and uh you know try and even look to you know at other boards and what other guys are riding oh he’s on that shaber and oh what what did they do different or you know what’s Mayhem doing or you know it’s like you know yeah you see Mick jump on mayhems back there years ago like and he’s won there on it I think right he won yeah uh but I feel like Mario and the guys there they have such a good handle on it and obviously I get boards from Australia so I was writing those last year but I think you know dialing in this dialing it in this year and having more time and then really kind of zoning in with Marcio and those guys um you know I think that can bring out some magic so uh yeah sometimes you don’t want to complicate it too much but yeah just try and uh you know I feel like not as many boards too like try and have quality boards too like not have 20 boards always sometimes I get a bit confused I’ll just try and like take eight or six or eight maybe you know try and dial it down right so that’s pretty common on tour though is like the paralysis by options right where I remember yeah years ago you know travle who’s now at firewire Slater designs he was at Channel Islands and I remember him telling me that uh we’re in France one year and he’s like oh these are Dan’s boards I’m like how many did you bring to the event side he’s like I only ever bring two because and he goes and they’re the same board he goes it’s just I don’t want him sitting there looking at like four or five options and then just being out in the water and thinking I should have gone with that one you know you know like you’re just anything to clear the mind and I’m like and that makes a ton of sense I can’t imagine how intense it is for you guys if I’ve got two boards and I’m just surfing like a two foot beach break I’m always thinking like I should be on the other yeah well right what do you think like because sometimes I have 20 boards and they’re all really similar but you going oh yeah you can start getting your own head and start going oh this this this might feel a bit different and that’s oh this might be better oh that looks better and it’s just just excuses for me I’m just yeah it’s not the board’s just you could write a door bro don’t worry yeah exactly exactly no no no um now I feel like that too sometimes it’s just too much going on and um yeah just got to keep it simple the shaper you know tell tell them like what you’re feeling and um you know then keep pretty simple sometimes yeah so yeah it’s been awesome to watch you so far this year I I can’t wait to catch up e the in person uh down the track but also also see how the the rest of the season pans out for you before you go we did put out a feeler for some questions from the Instagram community at the lineup pod we got a bunch back for you but we have brought them down to three um first question bring in I love answering the fan questions or the people who uh make all this possible so yeah I love that uh first question is from ET AC Condon who asks does Robo feel like he’s in his prime now with fatherhood and being back in his homeland 100% I feel like like we talked about in the beginning of the podcast it’s all adapting but I feel like you just got to channel that in a dad’s strength I love that question it’s a good answer and not not that you would have but it just would have been a rough hang for Zen if you’re like no I feel like a shell of a human being and no man you’re weighing me down you’re too heavy like oh man n he’s dad strength all the way I like it for sure dad’s strength brother you know the deal I know the deal I wouldn’t be upright without my kids um okay second question is from ET mermaid mentoring who asks how is your exposure to Brazilian culture and coaches informing your surfing in new ways I love that that question and maybe just as a bit of background um defin we mentioned your beautiful wife Julia she is from Brazil your coach uh Leandro um who iago’s father is Brazilian and you you’ve made it a point unlike few Surfers before you to as we talked about early in the podcast really make yourself a part of that Community but but great question I’m curious to hear your answer on this one for sure it definitely you know shapes you know and uh you know a lot you know in my life and I feel like just embracing that culture you know it’s like I have so many friends down there and obviously with the Dora family and you know you know being kind of aspiring partner with yo and we always surf together I just they’re just a really good family they’re amazing family and I have really good relationship with them obviously even before of know Yogo for a long time and um you know obviously working with them and and Leandro and everybody it’s you know it’s a really amazing connection and Julia gets along with them really well she actually kind of like uh kind of reconnected everything you know after the wave pool the first year I was on tour like ah you know they they reached out and they’re like you know we’re open to work you know if you want to want to work together and um you know just just learned a lot with them and and uh I think it’s just such a healthy respect there and uh you know it’s just it’s like family so they’re they’re you know they’re uh they’re just amazing people very cool uh next question last question that we’ve pulled from the the Instagram Community is can you oh sorry excuse me this is from at Avant surfwax longtime listeners we love Avant surf wax um can you explain your breath work I’m assuming this is what you do in and around training and and maybe ahead of of heat preparation sure so my breath work it kind of consists of an everyday routine even it’s my life I feel like you know I wake up and I do do breath work even through the day I’m trying to be conscious of my breathing and you know I feel like there’s a lot of information out there on you know now there’s a lot more uh you know and people are a lot more aware of it because you know it is it’s it’s just it’s so important for our life I feel like competing you know obviously you you’re in a certain Zone when you’re competing and you you know trying to manage your breathing but I think just in everyday life just regulating our Stress Management just in general I feel like that’s that’s what it is is Stress Management trying to always listen to your breath and and be calm you know even uh you know all the time because there’s a lot of things that are stress in the world and it’s just how we manage them and if you can breathe through everything and sometimes uh when you’re getting stress it’s like what do you come back to you always breathe so there’s different protocols for everything there’s like thousands of protocols but you know what you see me doing before my Heats that’s just kind of an activation it’s just a certain routine for that but you know if you just check out prama online you’ll get to see all that information you can choose what’s good for you but I always try to be conscious of the breath I feel like you know we can’t uh we can’t we can we can breathe and you know do everything on land no warri but if we take away our breath we can we can’t survive for you know more than a few minutes so it’s you got to be conscious of that yeah that’s a really well said too and I think it’s it’s in that bucket of like one of those things that we all take for granted I know Tyler Wright’s been pretty vocal just about having her surgery to like open up her Airway this year and how that’s been transformative and you hear people being like Oh my God yeah I I started walking outside 10 minutes a day it changed my life it’s this basic stuff is like a human species it was alwaysed into our but isort maybe made uset some of it it’s like oh yeah just take some time like these are really fundamental health things that are important so it’s uh it’s well said oh for sure yeah it’s it’s simple steps but I feel like you know even 5 10 minutes a day if you just you’re just conscious of uh your breathing and you know I feel like it changes your life um you know and even just living living like we do an active lifestyle and surfing time it’s a it’s a part of what we do so yeah check it out right on thank you to everyone that wrote in at the lineup pod we’re now down to our final segment uh it is the lightning round you’ve done this twice before at least um and I do have your answers so we’ll be able to check for consistency here but these are the same 10 questions we ask everyone at the end of the podcast free to answer as quickly as you can let’s go question if you can only have one board set up for the rest of your life Single Fin twin fin Thruster quad bonser or finless which would you choose Thruster glass on fins wouldn’t have to change the fins there you go I like it that’s consistent uh but with the added glass on fins which I appreciate the update uh coffee or tea tea yeah that’s consistent burrito or pizza burrito okay so your answers previously were burrito and then pizza and now we’re back to Burrito so that’s interesting uh all right we’re going to have concerns if this is the same answer uh last book you read I’m reading The Alchemist it’s a good book right now that’s a great book that book good you read that book I have yeah a few times actually it’s great such a good little book huh it just keeps you going simple tight good good story always always always learn something new every time I read it I love a good book any recommendations let me know oh oh that’s a that’s that’s a WhatsApp thread for you and I uh okay so this next question you nailed it back to back same answer uh twice so let’s see if you can go for a repeat best surf film ever the Bruce movie yep that’s in there you had a second one stranger stranger than Fiction’s been in there Trilogy was the other one Trilogy got me sorry Trilogy was amazing but strangers and Fiction’s been popping up in my head is the the playlist it’s good yeah yeah days of the strange too that’s a good that’s a good recut on that one too days of the strange oh I got to tidy up and look at all this again well cuz they did I think I think Stranger Than Fiction was like if I remember it correctly Taylor steel with Kai Neville helping and then they did a re-edit with a bunch of backlog footage that Kai LED and it was called days of the strange but it was more like the kai Dion playlist um yep so it’s worth it it’s has a good yeah high high water mark in Surf Cinema but good answers for sure that’s the highest highest level what is one wave you never have to go back to um they’re probably going to hate me for saying this but you know that little wave off the rocks at Merryweather what’s that wife called again like the little off the wave we will never go back to that wave and that little right I just it’s not that bad but it’s just like no like a little double up funny little wave I don’t know like not in a contest fair enough fair enough I was going to say I feel like that I’ve surfed it a bunch it is fun but like I’ve never had to do it with anything on the line so oh my God it was my first year on the tour we were serving this little ride and literally ‘s down the beaching air on a one foot shore break I’m going what is this right now he caught like waves in that heat too I remember it was just like every other wave was like bang and like wow oh bro he caught 100 waves he didn’t even have a Le on I was doing layback on the dry sand and I’m just going oh my God okay like we’re probably not going to come back here next year this on the shore like if it’s out the bag all right but the shore break no it’s a fair answer I’m sure the novocastrian will be they’re an understanding species no I love all them I’m like good friends of everybody there but just yeah sorry guys I want to surf out the back not the inside that’s fair sorry Jacko Baker served against him in that heat too that’s so funny yeah all right if you only get to serve one wave for the rest of your life you can Dreamcast it perfect conditions just your friends out which wave would it be oh that’s a hard question um probably you know it doesn’t matter where it is almost it just matters if you know I no actually you know what it does matter it could be on a boat trip with all my best friends in the mental wise or you know wherever we’re going to we’re just as long as you’re with your friends and you know I think it’s just enjoying it pure love you know that’s what what surfing’s about you know it’s why you get into it so um yeah good friends and maybe in BO trip of them mental wise I that’s it good answers um best person to share a lineup [Music] with oh I could probably probably get out of this one for everybody on two I’ll just say my wife Julia cuz she loves surfing there you go that was that was that’s a that’s a prior answer so good that’s great yeah and then Zen when he grows up you know I’ll share the line out with him soon so that’ll be That’ll be amazing there you go I got out of I’ve got out of s tour guys that’s fair that’s fair well we’ll see how you go on this next one who’s the worst person to share a lineup with I said ji last time didn’t I he’s made it on in one of your aners um long arms that guy that’s the problem yeah I’m the worst guy to share a lineup with um that’s just always there Leo’s pretty garly he’s like always there Leo Leo is like like maybe if we’re on a surf trip together it’s okay but if you’re in a contest like competing against each other you know those free surfs because where we travel everywhere when with the contests and the free surfs in the morning they’re the hardest free surfs to ever get waves in and he’s always on well he’s on a lot of good waves so Leo I’m watching you that always baffled me when you know you’re on tour working on tour you know um and so there’s also like the point of like hey like they’re practicing I don’t want to get in their way but then people be like wow like like aren’t you getting the best W J got rwind rwind starky I’m getting you starky starky’s dude starky bro I can’t fast forward past starky he I had the best session movement Sun this year but starky dude Stark’s on always he’s on always good waves every time he’s on a big board and he’s always on good waves to to each their own I guess but I had to rewind that yeah that’s fair that’s fair Leo you’re out sty bro that’s fair that’s fair and you know what I knowing starky I think he’ll take it as a badge of honor but you know what he’ll take that he will for sure but one of the things I was going to say is like you you’re traveling on tour and your friends are like oh man stream life you must be like getting the best waves at JB I’m like are you kidding like I I don’t surf anywhere near the contest site like are those are the best Surfers in the like it would it is a nightmare free surf for like a civilian it’s bad for you you even you guys are like there’s too many Alpha Predators out here right now for me to get my waves this is too much oh for sure it’s out of control and sometimes like like the girls and the guys and everybody like the guys are gly and then sometimes you know I’ll let some of the girls go some waves I’m like man like couple of them don’t get waves sometimes and I’m like all right but I you guys on tour that you know working on tour all the staff that are part of these events like man you can’t catch any waves it’s like it’s hard for hard enough for us and then we got locals that want to surf too they’re like you know obviously it’s their spot too and then they they they want to get in on it but then you know usually they’re pretty respectful everywhere we go um but man mix everybody in and it’s like it’s chaos you know it’s just but um yeah it’s uh you know it’s not it’s not as easy what it looks everyone thinks it’s just show up and get whatever Wy want it’s not like that fair enough uh last one finish this sentence I will next achieve a state of Happiness by in the moment with you right now just talking to you on the podcast hey L post po new dads little moments they they mean a lot I’m into it I I I think you yeah I think achieving happiness right now you appreciate all the little moments that um you get with your son and your family and you just value that so um just enjoying in the moment great answer well Jack Robinson thank you so much for coming back on the lineup four time Mark Richards did World Champ I love it congrats on the season so far looking forward to seeing how the rest of it goes congratulations on your Olympic qualification can’t wait to see how you do at chopo looking forward to your Samsung documentary and yeah man um I’m impressed um I’m I’m also impressed that you’re just a really good person as well which isn’t always the case but um yeah I appreciate this man you’re you’re a good dude and Talent we’re lucky to have you on tour thank you brother I appreciate everything you guys do and um thanks for having me on the podcast and look forward to many more