The continual reinvention of Damian King.

It is not a hypothetical any new dad would like to entertain: a world title decider on the other side of the planet or his daughter’s first birthday at home? “I would be practical,” said the man known as the Joker, risking the wrath of his wife who recently gave birth to their first child, Siena. “I would tell my daughter her birthday is a week later and we would celebrate it when I return! I don’t think she will be pulling me up at this stage.”

Whatever his wife may think of practical the proud new dad has already faced such realities, last week flying away from wife and daughter for the pool party that is the E3, proof in itself of his determination and willingness to sacrifice. On the whole, of course, his is a career that will offer him more opportunity to spend days with his baby girl than most new fathers. Actually, a bit of both he says: “Yeah, I get to stay at home more when I’m there but going away is a pretty big sacrifice.”

Currently seventh on the World Tour he is positioned to requalify with a good seeding. Add to that Amaury Lavernhe’s near unbeatable position and this is a trip other riders may have simply abandoned. “My hunger to win is still very strong so long as there is the possibility of repeating history,” he says. “I’m grateful for my achievements to date but it’s not over yet. I have been gaining momentum over the past year. I was at the back of the pack then and now the majority of that pack is in my rear vision mirror.”

For the unfamiliar King’s is a personality hard to map. His last comment could be arrogance or it could be bait for the unsuspecting. One subject that is fiercely protected, when the Joker becomes Damian King, is the administration of bodyboarding. Last month, at a local comp in his hometown of Port Mac, organisers were reluctant to alter venues to a better wave in close proximity despite the protestations of the riders. Frustrated by their unwillingness to cede, King wrote a lengthy op-ed piece for the bodyboarding media. As a member of the international riders’ board, one of the most experienced competitors in the world and someone with an obvious passion then our sport’s administration might seem like a natural progression for his post-competitive life but, perhaps surprisingly, it holds little interest. “It’s a hard job and one (the administrators) don’t really get the props they deserve. But (the article) was more about the specific issue of ignoring the riders and not taking advantage of good wave venues. It needed to be addressed so I took the action.”

Despite his own reluctance he believes the sport needs experienced riders to graduate into the governing of bodyboarding. “No one knows the sport like the riders, especially the older guys,” he reasons. Having surfed professionally through numerous administration bodies under numerous guises he says it is experiencing the past mistakes that makes the riders best equipped to guarantee the sport’s future. “I think the Tour has become a lot more professional,” he says on the current state of affairs. “Now we need to get these contests into better waves. There is a proposal for next year’s World Tour that if it’s accepted will be a real shake up and everyone will be frothing on it.”

Even without a seat at bodyboarding’s round table King’s is a voice much heard. He is, as far as we know, the only professional bodyboarder making a buck as a columnist, and a mainstream one at that. His blog, Damian’s World is hosted via the regional media company iPrime. While the paycheque is surely a motivator the project is a serious one for man. The articles are diverse, consistently long and the subjects confrontational at times. “You have to be honest, no matter what and talk like you’re talking to your best friend,” he says are the secrets to successful online publishing. “The reader will become your friend and a genuine friend at that because they will know you. People sniff out bulllshit more than we think so don’t go there for starters. That doesn’t mean you have to be a hardcore revolutionist, just tell the truth and don’t be afraid about how people will react.” Somehow, most surprisingly, he’s even managed to avoid the internet haters that hide behind pixelated masks.

Among the numerous reinventions of Damian King has been a new board sponsor, which he singularly attributes to his resurgent form. “I have made four international finals out of seven events I have entered during the past six months – that speaks for itself.” After an unamicable separation from his previous sponsor life’s clearly good on the equally resurgent team Turbo.

Fortunately there are aspects to King’s game that have remained the same. The Joker is back and now available in podcast form, free for all. The comedic flavour is rich, yet as funny as it be, it’s vastly overshadowed by surfing. His talent is most obvious when seen in the type of waves us commoners most often surf. It’s a style that seems constantly tapped to an unseen power source such is his ability to find pockets of energy. It’s a unique style of riding, a product of an earlier era but one that looks no less destructive today, always on edge but always in control.

AND THE WINNER IS.......... Sam Strachan (Australia): It is hard to believe Sam Strachan is only 16 years of age. There has been plenty of talk coming out Cronulla (one of bodyboarding’s toughest proving grounds) about Sam Strachan for what seems like years, and at the age of 15 Sam already had a Hawaiian season under his belt. More recently Sam beat a field of the best aspiring stars in the sport to win his place in the Shark Island Challenge. Sam has a level head on his shoulders and the talent to do anything in the sport. Turbo Surf Designs is proud to announce Sam as the 5th member of the Turbo 5 Professional team. He will be working closely with Turbo Development Manager, Andrew Lester and travelling with the Turbo professional team to take his career to the next level. Congratulations Sam and welcome to the team

See the other finalists in action here