SurfWatch (SW): So did you have a feeling you would end up as 2018 Season 1 champion based on your surfing all season? Were you feeling confident?
Kris Marley (KM): I don't know really. Like, after four seasons, I've learned you can never tell. Sometimes you think you have surfed great but they [the judges] like something better, or somebody surfs better. I'm always pretty confident in my surfing, so I guess I knew I had a chance, but you just never know. I think after T'ai, like, I just nailed that competition, and the North Shore everything went perfect. And I started to think it was on this time (laughs).
SW: Back in March 2017 last time we interviewed you as SLSA Top 3 pro surfers, you mentioned your favorite moves were "the higher the better". Has that changed or is that still your fave?
KM: Definitly still the same (laughs). I worked hard on the aerial stuff this season on every board, and even when I'm just surfing myself, I just find it the most enjoyable thing to do really.
SW: Now that you're an SLSA director - how many terms has it been?
KM: I never finished my first one. I chucked it (laughs). I was too new then and got wrapped up in a bit and all that. I did, like, five months though, so nearly a full term. I suppose it's effectively my third term I'm going into now. Will have been a year straight by the end of this one. Definitely the last one (laughs). I think a year is long enough for anyone before handing it to somebody else. Keeps things fresh.
SW: Has that changed your perspective on SL surfing, being in a director role as opposed to straight pro surfer?
KM: Ermm, I guess it has on some levels. As far as SLSA goes, it really opens your eyes to the challenges Directors face putting a season together. I think on surfing in general, not much. Even when I was just surfing from early on, I wanted to encourage people into it, and felt the SLSA should do more in general in connecting with people and the entire community. I still feel the same on that. Surfing stretches far and wide across SL, but being a Director gives you a great platform to try and bring a lot of it together. It's really a great thing having the opportunity to meet and deal with so many people from across surfing.
SW: You took the last competition off to take on the judging role. Why was that?
KM: Staffing competitions is one of the biggest challenges you will face as a Director. Nothing causes more stress than a night before a competition, you're sweating on finding a third Judge, so it made everyone's life easier. I had won the season the competition before so I could take it off and help out on the staffing of it. I picked the right one because it was wild, crazy competition to surf in and was a blast to watch it and judge. I'd encourage everyone to train to be a Judge and give it a try. It's a lot of fun watching people surf and learning a different side of surfing.
SW: What was it like from a judging perspective? Did you see things differently? Does it give you a chance to really examine the other pro surfers moves in a way you don't normally?
KM: Definitely. I've learned so much from just watching people surf. Since I've started, I've watched A LOT of people surfing (laughs). You pick up stuff you never thought of, or stuff people are just doing better than you, and opens your eyes on how to improve your own surfing. When you're judging, you're locked in tight on them watching every single thing. It gives you a different perspective absolutely. I find it really interesting honestly and seeing how different people bring different ideas and styles. It's very cool.
SW: So our last interview, you mentioned the music that pumps you up to surf. What are you listening to now almost a year and a half later?
KM: (Laughs) What was I listening to then? I've got a feeling it will be exactly the same.
SW: (Laughing) Let me see..."This Girl - Kungs vs Cooking on 3 burners or anything Liberty (Justice) tells you to listen to."
KM: Aye, the same competition wise anyway (laughs). I tried changing songs and have a bad wave and it gets binned and This Girl goes straight back on (laughs). It just gets me in a nice rhythm.
SW: What about advice to new surfers after all this time and all your new experiences. Last time you said, "learn to turn first." Any new advice?
KM: Definitely still the same. You have to stay on the wave before you can start enjoying it properly and putting your own style into your surfing. If you surf straight off the other end, you're not gonna enjoy it a whole lot, stay on it (laughs). Over the last six months, we've had Jus (Strat), Richie (Marley Di Vaio), Moonie (Kismet), Bunni (Kismet), probably others start doing competitions, and they all start learning from the basic thing of staying on the wave. In the past six months we have run into a lot of new surfers. The SLSA group has taken in about 140 odd new members, and every single person who asks me anything, I will tell them learn to turn and stay on the wave before anything. Then you really start having fun with your surfing.
SW: Okay, so anything about surfing you'd like to add? Or being a Director? Or life in general?
KM: Ach, I don't know. Just give it a try, ask questions, meet people and have fun, don't be a dick, all that stuff. The last seven months have been awesome, honestly. I really can't thank Jus, Solsty (Kismet), Cierra (Theriac-Triton), Richie and Gia (Villano-Triton) enough for just being awesome Directors to work with. It makes life so much easier having a great team. It's been amazing, they have been amazing. We got Surf Camp coming up at the start of August, doing all kinds of lessons from board design, to surf photography, surf lessons, whatever we can think of to throw in that people might want to hang out and learn a few things about. So keep your eyes peeled for it.
SW: What else are you doing these days when you're not surfing and directing?
KM: How much time do you think I have? (laughs)
SW: You live here, right?
KM: I'm gonna live in this office and butter you up with coffees to get you working for me so I got more time for stuff (laughs). Denise (Foxtrot) who owns Maoli waves, with a couple of other guys, recently brought back simball so I been playing a bit of that. It's so much fun, I love it.
SW: Oh that's cool! Have an LM? It's at her Maoli sim?
KM: Aye, the arena for it is up in the sky the boards you buy at ground level, can get a free one or more expensive ones. It's like 3 v 3 games you can have, but can play with 2 or 6. its awesome.
SW: Thanks, Kris, for your time and congratulations on your season championship!
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