North rides high on State, National tours

Teen surfer Otis North is continuing to ride on a high after he was named the Busselton Freight Rising Star Award winner for June.

At the tender age of 15, Yallingup-based grom North has recorded some impressive achievements in the surfing world so far.

This year the teen was selected for the Mark Richards High Performance Camp run by Surfing Australia, crowned under-16 Boys State Junior Surfing Champion for the second year in a row, won Air of the Day awards in numerous competitions and has once again been selected for the WA State surfing team.

North started the year strong, winning the first State round in pumping swell at Margaret River Main Break by showing impressive flow and strength to claim the win.

A second win at the next State round sealed his State title by showing his adaptability to master the small beach breaks of Trigg and finding sections for airs.

North said his favourite manoeuvre is doing an air, when the surfboard completely leaves the water.

“It’s always fun to build up speed and find a section to hit for an air,” he said.

“I like the feeling of freedom launching into the air and the fun of landing and riding out”.

From the South Coast in Denmark up to Exmouth’s breaks and now interstate, North is making waves among junior riders both in and out of the water.

“Travelling with the team from WA to surf in the Nationals is a highlight of my year,” he said.

“The best trip was to the Nationals in the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia, I made heaps of new friends with the other surfers from around Australia (and) finishing fourth in Australia was a nice prize to come home with.

“We were so lucky with the timing of our last trip there just before COVID-19 hit, I’m so grateful we snuck that trip in and I often think of the friends we made over there and I still stay in contact with the other boys.”