5 mins with Henbot

Torbay Surfing's first interview, we spend 5 mins with local bodyboarder Henry Irvine.

Local underground bodyboard ripper Henry Irvine, recently came 1st in the English Nationals Youth division, quite convincingly it seemed. He has had many other great competition results aswell including 3rd in the UK Schools u16, and 3rd in the UNDAGROUND UK grom search u18 competition. He surfs with some of the best bodyboarders in the UK and this is really starting to show in his riding as he matures into a competent young surfer. Although recently acquiring a serious injury to his forearm whilst mountain biking in Wales, using his 'Go big or go home!' theory, Henry is still in good spirits, and is mentally readying himself for when he will be able to enter the water again.

'Hi Henry, at the age of 15, you really have seemed to have achieved alot so far. How did the win at the English Nationals go recently?'
'yeh good, i was on fire in the final, surfed the best i had ever in a competition, was really rewarding to know that i can bring my freesurfing into my competition surfing. It felt really good lifting the cup at the end aswell, after the many days freezing cold out at Paignton Pier just practising spins in 2ft slop.'

You recently had quite a bad accident, can you explain how it happened?
'I was Mountain Biking in Wales, and went for a jump down the trail, went over the handlebars as i was going way to fast, completely snapped my arm, both bones totally in half, my arm was bent 90degrees the wrong way. I Spent 6 days in hospital, had 2 operations, which involved 2 metal plates being inserted and 10 screws, then internal stitching and a big skin graft off my leg onto my arm.'

When are you back in the water? You must be really bored at the minute!
'Yeh the anticipation is killing me! I hope to be back in the water by the beginning of August if all goes well. I have just bought a digital slr camera to stop me from going insane, so i hope to see you guys down at Paignton shooting, the only problem is, watching the surf and not being able to go in is even more depressing than staying at home!'

Where do you see yourself in 20 years? be honest!
'haha, i honestly dont know. I would love to still be bodyboarding, and hopefully travelling the world and searching out new perfect waves, but with advances in technology such as google earth, 'new waves' may soon be a thing of the past. I would love to make a difference in the wider world helping people aswell, but havent really decided on a career path yet.'

The popularity of bodyboarding has grown immensly, do you think it could become bigger than surfing?
'No never, its very sad but there is currently only one corporate backer of UK bodyboarding, and none of the large global corperations want to know anything about bodyboarding, because there is so much money in Stand Up surfing that they see know finanicial incentive to help. I would love to change this one day though, as the British Bodyboard Club is trying to do so at the moment.'

You surf with a large group of local bodyboarders, at some waves considered unsurfable by stand up surfers, explain how they have pushed you?
'Well, it is great to surf with a group of older more experienced guys who are willing me to do well and succeed into the big leagues. Guys like Ant Haytread, Hass Ingram, Chris Levi, and Rob Smith, have really pushed me into bigger and heavier waves which i did not previously have the confidence to surf. They have also linked me up with photographers and Videographers, which really helps push me.

It seems your success so far has lead to you getting multiple sponsorships, this seems like a great step in the right direction. What would you say the next step is?
Yeh, i signed with Sandskater at the end of 06 and they have been brilliant to me and really supportive of everything i have done, and i have recently signed with Reveller Clothing, who seem like a great company with lots of good ethics and i am very excited to see where i can take both of them. I would say that the next step is to continue to build my name and the names of the companies i ride for, and help them to help UK surfing inturn. They are both great companies and i think will be one of the driving forces behind me succeeding in bodyboarding.'

Thanks for your time Henry, I hope your arm heals soon so you can get back on track. All the best for the future.
'Thanks alot, see you down on Paignton sea front come the next Easterly!'

Henry Irvine on the podium. Photo taken by Mat McCabe.