The Mature Age Rookie

Words: Matt Miller

Hailing from WA, Yadin knows what the inside of a crystal-clear barrel looks like. Photo: Andrew Shield.

2011 was a rollercoaster for Yadin Nicol. After years of consistently churning out some of the world’s best ultra-high performance vid sections, Yades finally put it all together competitively and qualified for the mid-year rotation of the World Tour, aged 26. But after qualifying Yadin didn’t surf a single heat, breaking his ankle in Japan in August, and spending the next four months in rehab.

Nicol received an ASP injury wildcard for this year’s tour and ASL caught up with him on the eve of his first event at Snapper.

Congrats mate, how’s the ankle? Thanks! It’s feeling really good, not 100% yet but it’s on the right track. Now it’s more in the head than anything. Four months out of the water makes you cherish being back in it so I've just been cruising. I haven't been pushing it too hard. 

Even though he was forced wear a moon boot and to pass up his qualification spot to the back half of the 2011 World Tour, Yades could still manage a smile for the boys at Trestles. Photo: ASP/Kirstin.

What have you been working on to strengthen the ankle as well as to prep for the World Tour? Just a tonne of physio, and I've been getting in the gym a lot. Now that I'm surfing I've been trying to get in the ocean as much as I can too. The last couple of days have been kinda pumping in Cali so I've probably been surfing a little too much on it, but it should be good by Snapper.

How hard was it knowing you just missed out on the tour through injury after trying to qualify for so long? Has it provided extra motivation for your return? Yeah, watching from the sidelines with a bung ankle definitely gave me extra motivation to get better. It sucked but I didn't lose too much sleep over it. Shit happens but life goes on. Portugal would have been fun to surf in but I got to hang out with my wife for the last five months so that has been fun.

How are you going to approach your first year on tour? I’m not too sure yet. It’s such a long year so I just want to have fun. Everyone says it, but I'm just gonna take it one heat at a time and see what happens. I'm not gonna try and put too much pressure on myself.

With airs like these Yadin Nicol needs his ankle in tip-top shape for 2012. Photo: Andrew Shield.

What are you looking forward to the most? Putting this injury behind me. Not worrying about it and just surfing. Oh and Fiji ... that place is sick! I wish it was a right, but two weeks surfing and fishing there is all time!

Talent on tour exploded in the back half of 2011, what do you think about Gabriel Medina, John John Florence and Co. announcing their arrival with a bang? It's great! Those guys surf so well, Gabriel in the beach breaks is so hard to beat and then you have John John being so good on the reefs and barrels. They’re pretty impressive.

Yadin doesn't hold back when he's got a contest jersey on either. Boosting his way to runner-up behind KS11 at the 2011 US Open. Photo: Nike

Who do you think will be world champ? Jordy Smith and Owen Wright are on the top of my list. Kelly Slater if he cares to show up, Taj Burrow if he has a good start and Joel Parkinson, Mick Fanning and Julian Wilson will be hard to beat too.

Ha! Covering your bases much? Well, good luck this year mate. Cheers boys!

For all the latest World Tour news head to ASL's Air Asia World Tour Page.