A delightful pastiche of six-two meets five-eight by San Clemente’s Timmy Patterson…
It’s a little after seven on a cool Spring night in southern Orange County. Timmy Patterson, shaper to the Brazilian tour leader Italo Ferreira, has just downed tools at his San Clemente factory across from Biolos and the gang at Lost.
Patterson, who is fifty-five years old, has been whipping up Italo’s boards since the kid from Baia Formosa was fifteen. Back when he had a “Brazilian squatty style and was always doing airs but never landing ‘em.”
In 2014, Dino Andino, who is very good at recognising such things, came up to Timmy and said, “Who is that Italian guy? He’s doing floaters on eight-foot closeouts on grinding beachbreaks and making ‘em. He’s going to be on tour next year. That guy’s a freak.”
The following year Italo was on the tour. He made the semi finals in Rio, quarters in Fiji, Tahiti and France and, with Filipe Toledo, turned the world in its head with their final in Portugal (Filipe won). Rookie of the year, easy.
Last year Italo, who is almost twenty four, tore ligaments in his ankle and missed three events. Finished twenty-second.
It ain’t his natural habitat.
In 2018, after two-and-a-half events, Italo leads the world. And that Bells win? I was on the phone to Maurice Cole and he whispered, “Have you seen Italo’s fucking boards? The back third is… dead straight. It’s really fucking simple. He’s riding the fastest boards. You gotta talk to Timmy Patterson about ‘em.”
Timmy kicks open the CAD file of Italo’s boards. It’s a 5’11” x 18 9/16” x 2 1/4”, 25.6 litres. Tells me the outline is a six-two at the back end with a five-eight’s nose. Translation: fuller in the nose, narrower in the tail.
“Italo is all natural ability. Guys like Italo have the freest mind to go where they want,” says Timmy.
“Look at how centred he is,” says Timmy. “Surfers are usually forward surfing or tail heavy and he’s so centred. He lives at this spot with a rightander that peels and he gets boards to fit into tight little pockets. The flat spot is right between his feet. He can get speed out of anything. He’s got those low centre of gravity tree-trunk legs. I mean, when you watch him, he doesn’t pump or wind up. He stiffens his legs, pushes it and he’s gone. He’s not really sinking his board, just planing.”
It’s the intermediate surfer’s lot to attempt to find a secret weapon in a surfer who’s suddenly become chic. The thing about Italo’s boards, however, is they’re classic Timmy Patterson. It’s all Timmy’s schtick. Beautiful, neutral boards that go fast, that fly, if y’got the chops.
“Italo is all natural ability. Guys like Italo have the freest mind to go where they want,” says Timmy.
As it happens, Italo had flown through California on the way back to Brazil. Did he talk… sharks? Well, sure. Italo pointed out how…creepy… it was there, how unsafe it felt.
“I surfed my whole life in Dana Point, never saw sharks, and then last year they showed up,” says Timmy. “To see White shark fins and to see ‘em breaching, when it’s actually happening in front of you, you would never go in the water. It’s that menacing.”
(Watch Italo in his breakout performance at Portugal in 2015 here!)
Hands down , sickest most rippingest board I had for a decade was a lime green and yellow Timmy Patterson back in the 90’s. ..
These two are a rad fuckn combo
I reminisce for spell or shall I say think back
11 championships ago to keep it on track
the birth of a child on red october
Sean Connery’s acting good but sober
Kelly’s dad counting all fingers and toes
Now I suppose you hope the Cocoa boy grows
Eighteen and some many years later, My name is Taylor
When I date back I recall Kelly off the family tree
My right hand Poppa Doc I see
Took me from a girl to woman so I always had a father
When my biological didn’t bother
Taking care of this so who am I to bicker
Not a bad ticker but I’m checking K’s CI quiver
With Firewire and Tomo they say that his surfing blue
But you can never say that his 12th is through
World Champ before 21 believe he got a right too
Here we go while I check the scene
With the Portuguese speaker at the age of 14
Brazilian storm front, no HI, US, or OZ
The same age, front page, no fuss
But I bet you all your dough, they win more than us
Never been senile, that’s where you’re wrong
But give the man a Timmy Patterson and he’s gone
For real, baby, TP is the new AI
Merrick sold out Like that
To Burton for real
Comin’ atcha In Oh Six
PU PE still surfs Smooth
Yeah, c’mon, surf me!
Noddin’ off, sleep to a jazz tune
I can hear Kelly’s head banging on the wall in the next room
I get the pillow and hope I don’t wake him
For this man do cuss, hear it all in verbatim
Telling me how to surf a wave pool unless he’s taking over
I said K-pop maybe when you’re older
He laughed all night about lemoore hookers at the party
The old man Turpel standing yelling good God, almighty
Use your Firewire, take sips of the brew
When they reminisce over you, for real
Listen, just listen
To the funky retro as I slide on
Respect, that’s word is bond
I’m not snaking
Everybody, just coolin
This song we dedicate
To the one and only
Never be another
He was my brother
Trouble Awesome AI
It’s like that y’all
And you don’t stop
PU PE still surf Smooth since ’52
And we out, swells filling later
I reminisce so you never forget this
The days of wayback, so many bear witness the fitness
Take the Italian first winner out of each contest in this joint
Listen close as I prove my point
PU to PE Team Glassing is the feat
No more Hawaii, fighting in the street
But only you saw what took many time to see
I dedicate this to you for believing in me
Ocean’s the life, one day you’ll see
Wave pools work, no sharks
Rain or shine, yes in any weather
Iceberg is the the Titanic’s tether
My grandmom Sophie holds the WSL family together
My Uncle Slates’s the greatest better yet the latest
Uncle Peter Schroff’s saying shapers the fadest
If we’re talking about tech, Uncle Prices got the latest
I strive to be true cause I got no choice
And surf in the ocean’s business like my Aunt Rell
So TP-shaper hit me, nuff respect due
When they reminisce over pro surfing, listen
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Legalize pcp.
It’s the intermediate surfer’s lot to attempt to find a secret weapon in a surfer who’s suddenly become chic.
Ok hear me out…
I worked my arse off to try and get a nickname for Jadson André cemented into surf/pop culture with my Jadson “Jazz Hands” campaign. I came very very close, but ultimately it was a failure…
In hindsight it was probably due to the negative connotations associated directly to his poor style and the fact that it came, at the time from my cold mean dark heart.
For that, wherever you may be currently surfing a 1.75 star QS competition I wholeheartedly apologize Jadson.
But I feel the time is right ,and with no malicious intent or intentions to push for a nickname for Italo.
With full power, full speed and full rotations. He’s the bridge between dark & light, new school and old, the bogan & buffoon, the “passionate” Bazzo and the mulleted Ocker Swellian… A nickname, like his surfing that respects the past but still is capable of making the ladies swooon.
May I present Italo, from this day forth as Ponch…
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I would have preferred something from your cold, mean, dark heart period!
Hate is so easy though… I want the commentary to be better than bigger than the easiest path.
No hate, I love the bastard 🤘
Shall we address you as Master Yoda from now on?
No need for such formality, Sir is adequate.
I’d like everyone to have to address Pottz in the following manner:
‘Inset your name’ here with ’89 world champ Martin Potter, Pottz what’s your thoughts on….?
Pottz is a super cool human
Total Boss in my book.
A new and improved Jazz Hands campaign could still be relaunched. Maybe some stickers?
I think Chazzy already nailed it with “Italian Ferrari”
of course, every ferrari is italian, where they suppose to be made, china… no, wait…
Did you know Erik Estrada is actually a deputy sheriff in Bedford County Virginia? Life imitating art etc.
No I’d didn’t! Met Erik in full Chips attire on a family holiday in the States… highlight of my Childhood.
Ummmm, the Bell seems to have shrunk in transit??
Must I be puerile, and ask the obvious question ?
It would be unbecoming and an insult to BG if I didn’t.
Little dick little bell ?
I get the funny feeling a Italo is hung like the proverbial.
He’s got a little bell as evidenced.
Physiology is on my side.
I can’t argue with your determined logic.
I rest my case
To be fair, I think those boards are 7’ guns.
Those are tall dudes.
Floats like butterfly , hung like bee
Something is amiss… that Bell/trophy was bigger!
Maybe it’s just faaaar away
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But I totally understand not letting your Shaper touch the real thing if that is the case…
Maybe a travel Bell! Calling the WSL now…
any chance you can crop out the tool on the right and repost?
TED
According to Matt Hoy the Bell you get to take home is considerably smaller.
Oh I didn’t see this. Yeah, you’re right…
And so, the bell that is rung on stage is “the Bell” according to the WSL, “and only those who have won it are permitted to ring it. That Bell stays down there year round.” The little one is the traveller.
Pretty sure that big bell they ring on stage stays in the Rip Curl shop in Torquay on display, or at least it’s on display during the contest.
Get one for Longtom to review!
I want one of those muthafuckers so bad.
maybe you can explain that when you put the back end of a 6’2″ on the front of a 5’8″ you don’t get “full nose and narrow tail”, you get lots of outline curve above the widepoint and significantly less in the back half, like MC said. and Timmy’s boards go pretty damn good in my experience.
You want? I’ll get for you!
Me toooooo
I can’t remember any other guy coming from so far in the QS rankings and being on tour the year after. And it was his first year on the QS, or maybe one year and a half…Nobody knew him in 2014.
Ah good on him.
Cheerful little dude!
“Tim ? Jordy here. I need 6 different sizes plus backups at least.
I’m fucking desperate here, bru. Nothing’s working.
Don’t care how busy you are, like now, now man.”
Italo let those pricks ring The Bell??? If you don’t win it, you can’t ring it! Expect very bad luck at Bells for Italo next year. Like, shark level bad luck. Or having to sit beside Peter Mel on a plane bad luck.
Kelly, in his usual me-me-me style, rang the bell at the on stage when Mick Fanning beat him. Someone should have donked him on the head with it.
It was an early indication that Kelly is a bit socially inept.
So that works with ‘squat’ body types huh? What about us lanky blokes and bloke-ettes? I mean, 25l is about as useful to me as a boogie board. Pffft.
That’s OK, we’ve got Dane in our high-volume corner.
“I paid nothing for nothing/That’s what I spent/ C’mon”…can’t wait to see Hot Snakes in a few weeks!
You won’t be disappointed, Shampy!
Fuck yeah!…such beautiful noise!
Tell me more about your body and I’ll contact T Patterson for analysis.
the first part of that sentence was pretty creepy.
6’7″, 95-100kg variable depending on recent surfing activity. Good levers for wide open turns, trickier for the in the lip snappy manoeuvres. Mostly riding slow moving beach break waves.
We’re basically clones!