Kael Walsh has tricks in the bag. Full rotations…check. Big pits…check. All put together in a one-minute banger called Chile. With that said, we quizzed him about the ‘QS grind and the traveling that goes with it.

What Youth: Kael what’s Chile like?

Kael Walsh: Looks cold and grey.
Chile was super fun except not many people speak English over there haha! The
people are super nice though and the waves remind me of home so I enjoyed it a lot.

It’s pretty cool to see an edit from Chile, were you there for a comp?
Yeah, I competed in two events. I didn’t get the result I wanted but it was super fun
competing in barrels even though you’re not always coming out of them or getting the
good ones.

How easy is it to just get lost on the ‘QS?
It’s really easy. I feel guys get caught only surfing like comp guys and that’s a downfall
in my point of view. There are so many events all year and to be consistently getting
results is hard especially when half the sport is lucking into the right wave. So, I feel it’s
better to back yourself by making clips and keeping your surfing exciting.

How do you juggle making edits and getting points on the ‘QS?
I try to go to the comps that have good waves so I can get some filming done to. But I’ve
been learning that it’s hard to juggle both when you really need to be focusing on the
one task to do good. Can’t be trying airs or risking injury and boards before heats. So,
I’ve been thinking about staying longer at the spots now to get the filming done then.
A lot of older guys are retiring from the tour now like Taj, Parko and soon Kelly. Do you think
they’ll become invisible now?
Depends what they want to do like Mick is doing the search thing so I don’t think he will
and Taj has been doing a couple film parts. I don’t think they will anytime soon. They
are the godfathers of the sport.

It seems like the surf world is trying to become more mainstream. What do you think about
that?
I don’t know. I wasn’t a fan of it a couple years ago, but it feels like they are making
more streetwear stuff now that fits good, so just gotta wait and see.

How far of a trip is that for someone from West Oz to Chile?
It’s pretty long. It takes two days from home. It’s a four-hour flight to Sydney then 13 hours to
Chile then another two hours to the spot. It was as a mission!

Has this year been heavier than others with the shark problem?
The media definitely blows it up a bit, but this year hasn’t been good. There’s always a
couple [sightings] every few years. Some people just don’t listen to the signs or the
warnings.

You have some of the best waves in the world in WA. Is it hard to leave sometimes?
It’s hard when you’re away and see it’s pumping at home! But in winter it gets pretty
stormy so it’s nice to jump up north or Indo!

It’s kind of a mission to travel from there it seems like. Do you find it an advantage or
disadvantage?
Yeah, we always get to jump over to the east first so the guys over there have it a lot
easier than us! But we have the better waves in my opinion and Indo is three hours
away so I can’t complain.

What’s it like being a surfer from WA? Is it hard to get exposure?
Don’t really know. The media is over east so we don’t always get stuff out instantly, but I
feel that everyone likes watching surfing from over here. So, I don’t think I’ll be moving
anytime soon.

There are so many great Australian surfers that go unnoticed in the US. How hard is it to get
attention over here?
Just gotta make more gnarly clips and hope people watch and talk about them I think.

Could you ever see yourself living on the East Coast in a big city?
Yeah, I could I hang in Perth heaps so I wouldn’t rule that out as an option.

Who do you surf with over there?
I’ve got a few mates that are all sponsored and surf pretty sick! I Have the odd session
with Jay [Davies] and Taj [Burrow] sometimes!

Sounds like a new wave pool is about to be finished on the Goldie. What’s your take on the
artificial waves?
Yeah, they look pretty fun. The sports going to take off I think but it’s going be a different
type of surfing. I think it’s going to be similar to like street skating vs. vert. Some guys
might just only be good in wave pools but we will have to wait and see.

Do you enjoy watching wave pool clips or do you think it’s a novelty that will wear off?
It will definitely ware off but as long as guys are doing new airs, we will still see it on the
gram but the edits will die fast I think.

What are your plans for the future? What’s next for you?
I’m going to make a longer clip next year filled with the best surfing I can do. Then
hopefully, grab a spot on the CT in the next few years to come.