hiya wa howa aswat

Sitting here on the southern end of the Gold Coast, we’ve spent the past month gazing towards the horizon, longing to carouse on the side of sunsets, the West Coast. Y’see, it’s been pumping over there, and uh… less than, here.

Just to get a little taste, we rang up Taj to see what’s been on his cards since Hawaii, and what we can look forward to this season. As luck would have it, he’s got his eye on the prize. It’s Title time, baby!

Hey Taj, what’s up?
Nothing. Just about to go to the dentist.

Root canal?
No way!

Phew. How’s your off-season been?
It’s been really good. I got back from Hawaii about December 20^th and have been at home settling in ever since, hanging out with family and friends. Been eating a bunch of food and have had some good nights out and a bunch of good surf. It’s been a really packed with swell over here, it hasn’t been under about 4ft since I’ve been back. It’s been a great summer, with waves right out the front of my house.
It was a really successful season and today I’m just starting to get my life back on track… get my emails done and organize for the next year, or this year I guess it is. Sure comes around quickly.

What’s on deck for next year?

I’m really looking forward to next year. I spoke to my trainer Johnny Gannon, my trainer, the other day and we were just talking about how we don’t want to go through the New Year putting in a half-assed effort. I want to really prepare myself and have a good crack at winning the World Title, because I mean, because I can. That opportunity won’t stick around forever. We’re gonna get down to it and start training. I’m scared, but you know. He works me hard but is smart about it, nothing too hectic.

ur staff photographer, Shieldsy, also spent some quality time with Taj this season in Hawaii.

Doing anything different?

I have a couple minor things going on but nothing really to report on. I’m just gonna be serious about it. Have fun, of course, but be really serious at the same time.

Speaking of fun, what’d you get up to for New Years?
Quite a few people around here really like to party, basically all my friends. So every New Years I’ve always thrown some sort of pool party at my house, but it’s always definitely a bit stressful. You’re always worried about how much damage is going to get done and, like I said, my friends can get pretty wild. So I was a bit nervous coming into this year about what was gonna happen, and no one else was really keen to throw a party. But then, fortunately for me, my nextdoor neighbors said, ‘Yeah! We’ll have a party!’ Couldn’t have been better. So yeah, I basically went round there and made a mess of their house then came down to a clean house. It was pretty nice.

Any trips planned before the season starts?
I’ve had a few opportunities, but nothing yet. There’s one I always do, I always take my dad on a trip somewhere in the South Pacific and I don’t know if I’m going to fit it in this year. If a swell pops up, I might go for a few days. But I think I’m just gonna sit put and train for the time being.

And that's a wrap, folks!