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“You need to be relaxed and calm in case any hairy situations arise. These are the most crucial times to make decisions.”
Brbot, living in Sydney means that there are loads of awesome surf spots to seek out. “I have a few favourites, but my all-time favourite is Cape Solander [Kurnell],” he says. “It’s the location of the Redbull Cape Fear surfing competition. I wouldn’t really recommend it to beginners, though, as it’s about one metre deep and goes straight into the cliff. It’s taken a couple of years of experience to get my confidence up to bodysurf these types of spots. “ Of course, taking on surf like this can lead to injury, and Brbot has had his share of cuts
and bruises from slamming into rocks underwater. “It’s important that you do everything you can to make sure you don’t go head first into the bottom,” he says. “That’s when things can get very serious – concussion, neck or back injuries.” Brbot ensures that he’s in peak bodysurfing shape by incorporating strength training and yoga into his regime, as well as sessions with a physiotherapist. As well as allround physical fitness, a healthy mindset is essential for bodysurfers, as keeping a level head during a
wipeout is crucial. “Bodysurfing in high risk areas can get very dangerous very quickly, “ Brbot says. “So it’s essential that I’m in the right state of mind before a session. In some extreme sports you may want to get hyped up, but I prefer to be relaxed. You need to be relaxed and calm in case any hairy situations arise. These are the most crucial times to make decisions. The closest call Brbot has had was almost drowning. While this has only happened once, he does his best to ensure it won’t happen again.
“I was riding across the wave when I was hit by some backwash coming from the cliff,” he says. “It threw me up into the lip of the wave, and the wave then slammed me underwater. Unable to predict this, I hadn’t taken a breath before going under.” Brbot panicked, trying to swim up to the surface, but as he got close, another wave came through, holding him under the water for two consecutive waves. “I would’ve been under for a good 20-30 seconds, which felt like minutes,” he says. “After that, I’ve been way more careful in the water. I’ve focused on my underwater training regime and am always ready for any situation.” So what do the
board riders think of Brbot and his mates? “There has been a growing respect for bodysurfers,” he says. “It’s way better now than it was five years ago. Once the surfers realise we can ride the wave the whole way across they show more respect. “Out at the reefs like Cape Solander, the surfers love what we’re doing. We normally sit on the outside and pick up the scraps of the waves they don’t get. So it’s no issue to them for us to be there. They often call us into waves when they decide they’re not going on. After all, we’re just sharing our passion for the ocean. If everyone respects each other and the ocean, then all things go swimmingly.”
Follow the Bate Bay Body Bashers on Instagram @ batebaybodybashers DECEMBER 2017
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