It’s not every day an Aussie champion rolls in to town. You can imagine the surprise when 90’s legend and 4 times Australian champion Joe Jordanoff rocked up at the Channel Islands Championships held at St Ouen’s Bay, Jersey. Joe provided a masterclass in competitive bodyboarding, clinching the title from locals at the Watersplash.
Whilst he was over here we also caught wind that he was heading to The Wave in Bristol to sample some manmade delights.
We chased Joe down for a quick chat about his recent competition victory and hear his thoughts on the Wavegarden’s Cove technology.
BBH: Joe, thank you for taking time out of your holiday to talk to us. We’ll get straight to the point and ask you, how did it come about for you to compete in the Channel Islands Championships?
JJ: It’s not problem at all, thank you for asking me. So, we were already over in Jersey visiting my wife’s family and by chance I saw that the competition was scheduled. Having clued myself up on the breaks a little, I trained and entered.
BBH: Did you get many other waves whilst on the island? Did you travel over with your equipment?
JJ: Yeh, I had quite a few surfs during my stay. There are lots of waves around Jersey, mainly beach breaks and a few reefs. Knowing this I brought my own equipment this time, carrying a Science 41.5 inch and a pair of Churchills.
BBH: How did you find the bodyboard community on Jersey?
JJ: The bodyboarders in Jersey are really cool. It was good to share some waves with them, they are so welcoming. I think that’s a Jersey thing though because I’ve met some really nice people there.
BBH: We see you managed to venture over to The Wave in Bristol. Is this the first time you’ve surfed at a wave pool?
JJ: Yeh, this was my first session in a wave pool and the anticipation was high. I’ve been trying to get over to Melbourne URBN SURF since it opened but the lockdowns stopped that. It was good to finally give one a go.
BBH: How would you rate the experience?
JJ: The whole experience was brilliant, walking in through the double doors and seeing those waves for the first time was epic! The machine really pumps them out so you’re getting a lot of waves in a short period. The quality is awesome and it’s a genuinely fun wave. I’d like to push it further in future sessions and do more DK. It was also great having my family watching on the pier and good viewing for the kids.
BBH: How long are you in the UK for now and do you have plans to come back?
JJ: So, we’re heading back to Jersey tomorrow before we head home to Australia. We hope to be back in a couple of years. It’s a great part of the world and always good to catch up with my wife’s family and friends. It always helps when you know you can get a few waves at the same time too.
BBH: Has the wave pool bug bit and you?
JJ: Some people say is more addictive than drugs. Haha, yeh. I’ve definitely got the wave pool bug! It’s highly infectious and I just want another go! Being such a level playing field makes it appealing, you know what you’re getting when you book. It’s a bit like a skate park and I can understand the addiction. My home state WA has just had a wave pool approved to be built near Perth. It’s really exciting but a couple of years away yet. In the meantime I will probably take the time and fly to Melbourne to surf that pool.
BBH: Thank you for taking the time to chat to us. Is there anything else you would like to add?
JJ: Yeah, a big shout out to Colin Crowther and the bodyboard crew in Jersey. Colin shared with me his local knowledge and charges hard, all whilst flying the flag for Jersey.
If you like the sound of what Joe has to say about the The Wave at Bristol, Bodyboard Holidays are now including a trip to try the experience as part of our Cornwall Retreat bodyboard weeks.
Want to see more of Joe? Check out his section on the 2003 bodyboard video Alter Egos!