Portugese surfer, Tiago Pires, is stoked to be back on tour after a 2013 filled with high highs and low lows. We chatted to him yesterday before the Quiksilver Pro kicked off about that land-locked feeling.

QS: So 2013 was a special year for you, a lot of things happened – some good, very good, bad. You spent eight months out of the water, how was life without surfing?
It was definitely a rollercoaster year for me. I started really fresh and feeling really fit. After the Australian leg of the tour, I arrived home and the waves were pumping – just perfect – every day. I was so happy and so motivated but probably got a little over confident during this one surf. After having so many barrels for two hours, I probably should’ve come in. I got this one wave a little late and the lip landed on my knee and pulled my leg back. After that, the year was done. I’ve never felt a pain like that before surfing.
So doctors say one thing, physios say another thing – and your mind says plenty of things. I think I probably rushed a little bit and pushed it too hard and I started surfing again after two months. But doctors keep saying you have to feel the pain and eventually it goes away. I kept surfing for a month and then relapsed and had to have the whole year off.



But some really good things happened. I got married to my beautiful wife, Matilde. And to be home a couple of months away from the tour and to be able to put my life in perspective … it was a pretty special year.
Fortunately ASP gave me the wild card to compete in 2014. I’m so stoked right now because I feel hungry and really motivated to do my best surfing.



QS: Do you have more fun now than before getting injured?
Yeah, I think as you grow older, you start looking at things from another angle. I’ve competed pretty much for two-thirds of my life and I just have to be happy. I’m looking at the events and trying to absorb all of the good energy, respect my colleagues and have a smile on my face.

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