The Global Paddling Community

Interview with kayak surf IC world champion Leonard Kelleher.

This interview was originally produced for the Portuguese web site 'kayaksurf.net' and is published exclusively on Playak in english to make it available to a wider audience. The portuguese version of the interview is available here.

Name: Leonard Kelleher
Age: 19
Nationality: Irish
Occupation: 3rd year Mechatronics student in DCU. Work in a clothes shop (Pennys) to pay for my kayaking expenses.
Competition records:
IC World Surf Kayak Champion 2007,
3rd Junior IC World Kayaking Championships 2005,
2nd European Freestyle Kayaking Championships 2004,
11th European Freestyle Kayaking Championships 2006,
15th World Freestyle Kayaking Championships 2005,
35th World Freestyle Kayaking Championships 2007,
3rd Irish Surf Kayak Open 2007,
winner of numerous freestyle kayaking competitions in Ireland.
Paddling experience: I started kayaking with the Malahide sea scouts about 8 years ago. I mostly freestyle kayak with some creeking and surfing thrown in. Kayaking has brought me all over the world to places such as Costa Rica, Australia , Spain, France , Switzerland, USA , Canada and England .
Website: Doubleyouess.com
Sponsors: WaveSport, Rough Stuff Paddles and Gath Helmets.

World Champion! Did you ever think that this contest would go so well for you?

I had never even dreamt of winning this event. I turned up to the event with the intention of enjoying surfing some world class ocean waves. I have discovered that when I compete in freestyle kayak competitions, I worry about winning so much I end up underperforming. To me surf kayaking has a more purist and less technical vibe than freestyle. I think this fact allows me to get more enjoyment out of a surf kayaking competition as I am able to relax more than in freestyle. Being so relaxed for this competition really helped me to win it. I didn't have to worry about how well I did because I was the underdog. I also had the advantage of not having to worry about pleasing any surf kayak sponsors. The result of this way of thinking was completely uninhibited expression while surfing the waves, bringing my surf kayaking to another level and ultimately winning the world championships!

Did you do any special training for the competition?

No special training really. Surfing every weekend that I could helped me but I wouldn't call it training in the strict sense of the term. There was too much fun involved for it to be called that. My freestyle background certainly helped. Also the freestyle kayaking world championships which was held in May of this year in Canada took place on a very large river wave called Bus Eater. Although not the same as surf kayaking it was definitely of benefit to my ocean surfing skill set.

Do you also do whitewater kayaking?

Yes, I usually freestyle kayak and I have competed in many international freestyle competitions. I have been a member of the Irish freestyle kayak team over the past 3 years. I also compete in boater-cross white water race events whenever I get the chance.

How did you like the world championships?

Definitely my favourite part of this championship was the whole atmosphere of the finals in Bakio. In the days running up to the final the weather was overcast and the quality of the waves was good but people knew there was much more potential. Then on the day of the finals we woke up to blue skies, no wind and a large swell. Sun shinning, excellent waves rolling in while competing in the world championships with the best kayakers in the world, what more could you ask for…

The organisation could have been improved on in certain areas. We are now in the year 2007 and yet a schedule of events for the competition was not clear from the get-go. I had to wake up every morning in time for the first heat at 8.40am to see whether or not I would be on that day. The mens IC class final and semifinal were postponed and changed so often I never knew when my heat was going to be held. One minute we were told it was on in Mundaka and then next it was going to be held in Bakio. If I wasn't present to hear the announcement saying that the finals were being held in Bakio I could have missed it.

What gear did you use to win this World Champs?

It's funny you should ask me this because I don't own a surf kayak yet. I used a Mega Trident which I borrowed from the Irish Surf Kayak committee. Thanks for that lads. I hope to get my own surf kayak by the time the next world championship comes around. I used a straight shaft Rough Stuff twin-tex Black magic paddle. I really like Gath helmets and in Spain my weapon of choice was a lovely blue Gath Gedi. I used a PeakUK Shortie cagdeck and PFD. Under all that I was wearing Wavesport booties, a pair of surfing shorts and a thin surfing thermal so as not to affect my range of motion.

Is IC your favourite class?

Yes, IC is my favourite class. I found HP much more difficult to get used to due to the fins and really sharp rails. Wipe-outs are much more painful than in the no-fin IC class. I really love the purity of the IC class and what it represents. It's really like old school surfing and feels very natural.

I think introducing fins to the class would go against what the essence of IC kayak surfing is all about. It would move the IC class away from its roots in primitive surfing. The HP kayaks are called HP because they are just that, high performance. Technology dictates how the HP class will evolve so that the surfer can get as much performance as physically possible from a surf kayak. If they allow fins in the IC class then I think the very argument for having two different classes will no longer be justifiable.

After the finals, I heard from spectators that the IC class was more entertaining to watch than the HP class. The waves that day were perfectly suited to IC boats. I don't think it would have been as entertaining a performance if the IC boats had fins.

What do you think about the current state of surf kayak design?

I think the designs are becoming more and more radical and exciting. It is always interesting to see, despite certain class restrictions, how boat designers can still optimise surf performance to amazing levels. I can't wait to see what's around the next corner.

Do you have any new "rules" in mind that should be respected in future surfkayk contests?

Maybe no board surfers dropping in during the competition would be nice :)

And in 2009, the World Championship will be, for the first time, in Portugal. Satisfied with the decision?

Yes very satisfied! I have never been to Portugal and really look forward to the worlds being held there. I only hear great things from friends who have been to Portugal .

Any surf kayaker you admire in particular?

Dan Crandell, just look at the guy! (reminds me of Chuck Norris)

Your scariest moment at sea?

Surfing the wave in Mundaka and starting off too deep on a big day. Ouch!

How do you see the future of our sport?

I see this sport really getting big very fast. With the right publicity (like this website) the sport should grow really quickly. More and more people are beginning to enjoy surf kayaking and numbers of surf kayakers are increasingly growing.

And in Ireland, how is kayak surfing developing?

It's better than ever. Seriously I have been surf kayaking more in the past 2 months than I ever have. I have really become hooked on the sport. There are so many different breaks on the west coast of Ireland, it's truly amazing. I usually surf down in Co. Clare or up in Co. Sligo (both about 3-4 hours from my house).

When going surfing I bring my freestyle kayak (WaveSport Project 52) and if I can find a surf boat to borrow I bring that along too.

Favourite paddling websites?

Doubleyouess.com, Irishfreestle.com and playak.com

Did you know www.kayaksurf.net , and what do you think of it?

Yes I have seen it before. It's a great site, there some really cool photos and videos on it. Oh and did I mention the interviews? :)

What have you been listening to on your ipod lately?

I listen to all types of music, depends on what mood I'm in. I'm not much of a music man though. Some random tracks that were on my iPod during the week of the event were: Song 1, 2, 3 etc.

Closing remarks to all that read this?

First of all I would like to thank some people who have helped me over the years and who have helped me get where I am today. Thanks to my family especially Finbar and Sophia (my parents), Mr. and Mrs. taxi drivers for past number of years. I am very grateful for all the lifts to and from competitions/training and all the early starts and late nights. Thanks to the Malahide Sea Scouts and to all the leaders involved with them for all their guidance, support and teaching. Thanks to all my Sponsors throughout the years, Rough Stuff Paddles, WaveSport, Gath Helmets, DCU and all the people who have helped raise funds to help me compete abroad. Thanks to Wayne Timmons from Ireland for managing the Irish team this year and for all his encouragement and support. Thanks to all my brothers for all their support and for keeping me in a competitive frame of mind (24/7, even at the dinner-table). Kayaking alone isn't safe and I always kayak with another person, so thanks to the people who were that other person. Thanks for all the people who have supported me and helped me throughout the years. Thanks to people who have let me stay in their homes while kayaking away from home. Thanks to the people I may have forgotten to mention.

Get out there and try new things, make changes to your general routine and think outside the box. I only recently got very interested in this sport and it has opened my eyes to a lot of new things and I have met many new friendly faces. I am still stuck in the situation of borrowing from very kind people who allow me to take their precious boats. It just goes to show that you don't have to own a surf kayak to go and have fun surf. So ask people for their kayaks if you don't yet own one, 9 times out of 10 kayakers will loan you their kayak so don't be shy and ask around.

Text - Luis Pedro Abreu
Photos - Bakio.com + Moe Kelleher
Video - Greg / www.easkeybreak.com