Down The Beach With Josh Palmateer

Reported by: Rachel Williamson and Robyn Melville-Smith

Earliest Memories of Surfing
Well, my first board was 7'8" (7 foot, 8 inches) with a round nose, it was really thick and had a huge fin which was about a foot long. I could never go over sand banks because my board would get stuck or my fin would snap.

I taught myself how to surf at the age of 13. I never had any lessons or coaching. (Josh's stance is natural i.e. left foot forward.)

Most Important Influences
Surf club (surf life saving) was definitely my major influence to surfing. I represented WA twice at the National Titles over east and was also captain of the team. In surf club you could only ride the waves on your stomach or on your knees, but I had always wanted to stand up so this is when I began to surf.

I learned about the ocean, wind and waves through surf club which gave me a really wide background for surfing.

Attitudes as a Teenager
I was always dedicated to my surfing and I preferred being in the water than being at school anyday!

Carine's sporting Teams
Yeah, I helped Carine win the WA School Surfing Competition which then lead to representing WA in the competition, which then lead to representing WA in the National School Surfing competition. Carine won 3rd place. I was also in the Carine Swimming Team, we won the Interschool Swimming Camival that year!

Brushes with Death
Yeah, seriously on two occasions I've had a close brush with death. The first time at Sunset Beach in Hawaii when I was out surfing in huge swell. I was trying to paddle back, out after catching a wave when set after set were coming through. One of the powerful sets grabbed me and sucked me under, the white water was about 15 foot. I was held down for many minutes trying to gasp for air thinking I was never going to come back up. The same thing happened again at Margaret River when I was held under by 15 foot white water. I suffered from a lack of oxygen, huge chronic headaches and nausea, I was pretty scared!

On the Road
Well, most of the time it's like we pile all the boards on top of a hire car and cruise down the highway for some of the best surf spots in the world. Everyone squashes into the tiniest, cheapest car with 18 boards on the roof. The hire cars would always go back with a huge dent in the roof from all the boards being piled and strapped on.

Amusing Stories
Oh, (laughs). The most amusing story I've experienced was about a 12 hour drive through the middle of a desert in rugged mountain terrain on a surfing safari in Sumatra. The boiling hot sun was pounding down on our eleven-seater bus with sixteen Indonesians. Most of whom had malaria and were vomiting out the windows or were eating fish heads. I was stuck sitting right in the middle of them. I will never forget this trip!

Life Goals
Well, when I was a teenager my goal was definitely to be a pro surfer.My goal now is to stay WA State Open Champion and to become Australian champion. I am currently ranked 4th in Australia.
Also to continue to run my surf school successfully!

Greatest Achievements
Being ranked 45th in the world two years in a row, winning the Margaret River Masters twice and coming fourth in the Margaret River Trials.

Greatest Disappointments
Being ranked 45t" in the world two years in a row and missing out both years by one place of getting into the new pro circuit which was for surfers ranked from numbers 1 to 44t" in the world.

Who do you most admire?
Tom Carroll and Nicki Woods, powerful surfers and good blokes.

What are your favourite surfing spots?
North Point, down South, Sunset Beach, Hawaü, Mundaka, Spain

Have you ever suffered from any injuries from surfing?
Yeah heaps but the worst injuries I've had are to my knees and back which caused me to have a year off surfing. Also I had to pull out of the fifth round in the 1997 Margaret River Masters when I injured my knees again. That was pretty disappointing.

Who are your current sponsors?
I've got a few sponsors, Westsuits, Icon Sunnies, Wet Dreams, Local Motion Surf Boards and Globe Shoes - I just swapped from Country Leather Shoes.

What advice do you give students today?
 

If you are dedicated you will succeed and achieve Dedication is the most important thing.