//Paul// Where did you grow up bro?
//Matt// I grew up in Ventura, California.
//Paul// For how long?
//Matt// My whole life.
//Paul// How long is that?
//Matt// That will be 22. I’m 22 years old.
//Paul// So what inspired you to start surfing and competing?
//Matt// I grew up with my friend Cory Arrambide. We were groms, and I wanted to be doing what he was doing and got into it, and I have a twin brother who I have competed with my whole life…my entire life.
//Paul// What’s your big goal this year?
//Matt// Big goal this year, do as much video and photos that I can. Starting a blog with a couple people, just working on my portfolio. Maybe get to Hawaii this year. That’s about it.
//Paul// What up with your sponsors this year?
//Matt// I’m riding for Volcom, Roberts, Filtrate, Pro-lite, VSS, and Freestyle. I’ve been riding for Rob’s boards my whole career, shapes great boards. He helps me out a lot, getting me the quiver that I need. Volcom’s a great company! They have done a lot of stuff for me in the past and the future.
//Paul// How do they help you progress? Trips, footage, good equipment?
//Matt// Yeah, they have helped me out with Shooster, one of their video guys. He’s coming up with a movie that I hope to get a full part in.
//Paul// Sick, who’s Shooster?
//Matt// Shooster is Volcom’s video guy.
//Paul// Talk a little bit about your equipment?
//Matt// Surfboards, I’ve been riding these boards that are one inch or two smaller than my normal short boards. A short board that helps me with the California surf. I have a rocker that we have been working on that I’ve put in all my boards whether it’s a fish or step up short board, and it’s been working pretty good. I’m going to be putting out a model pretty soon, once we perfect it.
//Paul// So tell us about Ventura? What’s Ventura all about?
//Matt// Well, Ventura is one of a kind for sure! We’ve got great waves, all the boys in Ventura keep the spot…..This is too much for me.
//Paul// Ahahahaha
//Matt// These questions.
//Paul// Tell us the history of this harbor?
//Matt// The history of this harbor, well, actually this harbor is not in Ventura. This harbor is the Oxnard Harbor.
//Paul// Super creep. Creepy bird.
//Matt// Hahaha. This is about fifteen miles outside of Ventura. Yeah, this is a bigger harbor than Ventura. Haha.
//Paul// What’s been like growing up out here?
//Matt// It’s been insane. Best childhood ever. Going to the beach whenever I wanted to, having all the people I surf with and looked up to as a kid. Helped push you. We are all really tight so we all push each other to get better.
//Paul// What’s it like getting photos and video out here?
//Matt// Getting photos and video out here is a lot more difficult than down South. The photographers that I know are really helpful and they help shoot everyone.
//Paul// You got a little quiver for Hawaii coming up?
//Matt// I got a 6’6″, a 6’2″, and a 6’1″, a couple shortboards, and a fish that’s been pulled in a lot. Might work good in a little bit over head high, it’s a smaller board. That’s what I’m taking to Hawaii.
//Paul// Sick.
//Matt// Hope they don’t charge me $200 for each board!
//Paul// Can you tell us about the most memorable trip so far?
//Matt// Probably be Peru. Drove from Ecuador to Peru. I don’t remember the name of the wave, but it was two hours away from anything. Totally barren and just off shore and a foot overhead. The sickest left ever! No one out. That was the best trip.
//Paul// How about swells here in Ventura?
//Matt// We had a swell this year out at Strand. It was insane. Double overhead, perfect barrels for about two days. That was memorable for this year.
//Paul// You got any sports or hobbies that you are into?
//Matt// I use to be into skating a lot when I was a kid. Kinda moved right into surfing. Also fishing was a big thing in my life. Still do both of them.
//Paul// What do you think was your worst wipeout?
//Matt// Worst wipeout was probably in Kauai at a rifle range….oh that bird is coming! Nuts! I was actually camping there with my brother and a good friend. We woke up in the morning, and it was firing. Everyone wasn’t psyched about going out. I went out, took off on this righthander. It was already breaking, but since everyone was on the beach, they would see it anyway, so I just went for it. I air dropped from the top of it to the bottom, and when I hit, the wave just took my board right out from underneath me, and I got sucked up and over the falls. My board hit me like five times under water. When I came up, the nose of my board was broken, the tip was punched off. My fin was broken. My tail was dinged, and I had a knot the size of an apple right next to my knee where my board had hit me, and I was cut up from my board hitting me a couple different spots. That was the worst wipeout!
//Paul// Heavy…Shoooooots Matt. Right on bra for the insights. (Towards the crazy water crane) Right on birdie.
