Words and images by Brad Bricknell

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No one expected the swell to show up on the final day of the Vans World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach.  The forecast was for 3-4feet waves at best, much like round one, which was held on the point and marginal, especially for Sunset.  

I arrived in the dark and could see white waters rolling through the inside bowl.  It was 6-10ft proper sunset, and it caught a few people off guard.

I’d seen Jack around the contests and the free surfs for the past few weeks.  He’s always friendly and cruisey, but today was different. An intensely focused Jack replaced the happy Jack I’d seen around town. He gave a small nod as I waved hello and paddled out for a quick freesurf before the final day started.  He was in the first heat and had a job to do.  With so many potential qualifiers still in the mix, Jack’s job was on the line.  It was eye of the tiger type stuff.

Going into the final day he just knew he had to get through rounds.  But as more and more potential qualifiers kept making heats, the task at hand got a little clearer.  We met up at the Billabong house and Jack replayed the day for me. 

“We got to the semi’s and it was a bit more clarified.  My coach Stace (Galbraith) was like, if it comes down to you and Ezekiel in third and fourth – Don’t get fourth.”  Pretty clear instructions. 

“I was trying to do the math in my head, but at the same time I didn’t really want to think about it.”

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Above: Jack and girlfriend Alana Blanchard at their North Shore pad. Photo: Brad Bricknell.

But that’s the exact scenario that played out in the first semi-final.  With a few minutes to go, Jack was in third, with Zeke in fourth.  It would have been the longest few minutes of Jack’s life, helped only by the fact that he had priority over the Hawaiian.  So he did what he had to do and stuck to Zeke like glue. Once the dust settled on the day, a miniscule 50 points separated the two with Jack claiming the last spot on tour. Don’t get fourth. It was the difference between qualifying and not.

“I had my heart broken at sunset a few years ago. I was sitting on the cusp of qualification coming 10th and got knocked out in my first heat.  I just sat there and watched everyone overtake me. It was the hardest thing ever.” He knows all too well what Zeke would be feeling.

When I catch up with Jack he’s just cruising at the house with his girl.  He’s relaxed and back to the guy I’d been bumping into.  He’s learned to flick the switch between competitor and much-liked human well. 

By his own admission it’s been a weird year on tour and getting injured didn’t help his confidence.  Then he came back and got second to the new world champ in Brazil and it almost surprised him, but after that a few early losses in a row and the mental rollercoaster continued.  When I asked Jack what he’s learned this year. He replies bluntly. ‘That the CT is hard.”  Almost like the answer is a given.  

And if you ask me what I learnt from watching Jack this week – I’d tell you the kid’s got grit.  You don’t come out of the pressure-cooker like he did at Sunset and not grow.  And growing is just what Jack Freestone has done this year; just how much I think he’ll only realise when next year kicks in.  Confidence is like a performance-enhancing drug in this game and Jack just got a shot in the arm.  

If you were a betting man, you’d be factoring this kid into your mix next year.  I’m not (a betting man) but I am calling even bigger things for the young Mr. Freestone in 2017.