Sabre Norris is punchy and brilliant!
You’ve got to love a pro surfer kid born without a censor button. Sabre Norris, who is eleven years old and lives in the provincial Australian city of Newcastle, got on national television yesterday morning, called her former Olympian dad “fat and said he “has to suck his gut in for photos” and admitted that, even if she comes last in the Sally Fitz contest she’s a wildcard in, is going to drop the $250 prize money on doughnuts.
Sabre Norris, in case you missed the torrent of clips and stories over the last couple of years, is punchy and brilliant on a skateboard (watch her 540 as a nine year old, here), tears hell out of waves, has a dazzling website and, I will predict although predictions of this sort are damn easy, will be a Carissa Moore-esque game-changer on tour.
As the always-wonderful Sean Doherty reported:
As a grown man, and a proud and crabby ol’ bastard, it’s hard to describe the feeling of being outsurfed by a 10-year-old girl.
After the initial denial that it was actually happening, it made me think deeply and depressingly about my life. I knew this moment would come, a sad sign of inevitable decline, but I expected I might be at least 70 years old when it did. Instead here I was, seemingly in my prime, my ego being shredded by the forehand turn of a killer smurf.
My sense of self-loathing, however, was soon overwhelmed by a sense of unbridled joy. It’s impossible, you see, to watch Sabre Norris surf and not be spellbound. “Cute” isn’t the right word for her surfing. She’s too damn good to be cute. A searing, grab railed, laid over cutback isn’t “cute”. Steph Gilmore describes Sabre’s surfing as “badass”, and this was a badass turn. Halfway through the turn, somewhere, surely, a single tear was rolling down Matt Hoy’s cheek. On Sabre’s next wave she threw a forehand air reverse. Then she got tubed. Blam! Blam! Blam! Between waves she was effervescent company. She never stopped moving and there was no dead air. “How sick was my last one!” “How much fun is this!” And, finally, “That last turn of yours was really, err… interesting.”
God she’s good. Now watch her light up the Today show!
see her surf most mornings of the week
Yes dear old Brian has been keeping us informed. I meant the bio-med, but yeah the time-wasting thing too
twins are kicking goals, mate. loofy has had a man in. it didn’t go well
blue is my absolute favourite colour but (permit a small amount of drunken condescension) don’t forget to return to the other thing if you can.
Nice to see you too, you ridiculous hairy hipster. The other place is still pining for you, what with it being tard season, but hopefully our loss is biotech’s gain
$250 will buy you, what, a half dozen donuts in Australia? Jesus Christ, your food prices are obscene.
absolutely. Shearer reckons Europe’s dead, I think we can narrow that down to the UK. By the way KVF, Australian kiddies are equally puzzled by the American accent. Once, they weren’t but that was back when the USA made tv shows they wanted to watch…back when the USA mattered.
I have strong suspicions that shearer’s never even been to Woop Woop, let alone Europe. All his views are lifted wholesale from Rex Hunt’s Fishing World then lightly filtered through A Pocket Guide to Nietzsche. They should be challenged instantly on sight, and without mercy
USA still matters, and will matter for the duration of our life times.
More personality combined then the entire current WCT tour
“Yeah, got last place, but that’s sweet. It’s $1500 american. Bonza night on the coke. Rio is up next, best donuts and columbian coke, can’t wait for that. Cheers Rosie, luv ya”
Interview prep with Mason Ho?
Using my 5 year old as a comparison
hmmm, donuts…
…
She is the raddest.
pretty sweet to see a young Novacastrian getting the call up. it seems really out of the blue though, i’m interested to know who’s in her camp / who has the muscle to get her the wildcard over 100s of other young aussie females (particularly ones actually trying to qualify)
Kids a prodigy, many big name pros singing her praises. Not that surprising she got a call up. She wont win, but adds novelty factor. But remember her name – kids a freak!
Isn’t her mom dating josh kerr now?
Classic. I hope she’s able to maintain that attitude. She’s gonna go far.
Fast forward 10 years…”yeah, it’s so great travelling the world with my best friends, all of whom I love and are my best friends and competing against all my best friends who are my best friends” while secretly hating that sea-hunt who just knocked you out it the first round.
This girl makes them Coffey sisters irrelevant… unless they’ve already reached that point?
They were decaffeinated a year ago.
I loved that. Watched it 4 times.
She’s a little bit retarded.
actually more like you you are a lot clueless
not really relevant to me. Tell me you’ve ever seen a CT surfer give an interview that funny and candid – they’re all somewhat retarded too.
Certainly the best ones are.
Only a complete ignoranous would be inspired to call that amazing little girl a “bit retarded.” Wait, is that you Donald?
Your first positive comment ever, wow, nice to see!
How do Australian children understand each other, having accents like that?
Now you pick on little girls? Oh Karl!
They don’t. It’s why Australians invented the high rising terminal to let one another know whose turn it is to speak. It’s an elegantly simple system when you think about it – no messy comprehension problems, no arguments, nothing to worry about except for how hot it’s going to be and what other words you can mindlessly truncate by adding an o, y or ie to the first syllable. Profoundly retarded, of course, but elegantly simple nonetheless
…even worse when they’re pissed [translation “drunk”]
Exceedingly well Karl Von, thank you
Ya fuckin’ wombat