clicquez ici pour voir la version Française de cette rencontre et interview
I met Glenn in Lacanau. He had just been eliminated from the Lacanau Pro the day before, but he actually remains the only surfer to have won a heat in Lacanau this year against Gabriel Medina…
Early morning (7:30) at the house rented by his sponsor, Soöruz, during the Soöruz Lacanau Pro. I’m supposed to meet Glenn who is travelling with his wife and newborn baby. On the way, I meet some Soöruz crew who are coming back from a long party night and preparing a Bar-B-Q before going to sleep. Glenn and family have already waken-up. A few moment with Jemma and the newborn Zara,in a small room pretty much oriented towards baby Zara. Pretty odd environment when you have the cliché vision of a surfer chasing the waves… On the wall of this rented house, a letters form the word “BONHEUR”, meaning happiness or wellbeing or… quite adequate for the scene I photographed…
Then a breakfast in a local bar and a short look a the flat ocean. No Surf… Glenn meets son locals for a golf… The golf photo isn’t inverted but Glenn plays as a left handed.
Glenn Hall
Q: For many, a pro surfer’s life is like a dream, travelling from beach to beach… Can you tell me what this life really is, from your insider’s point of view?
Glenn: Yeah life as a pro surfer pretty much is a dream. There are definitely some things that aren’t so glamourous but the positives out weigh the negatives by far. The negatives are things like,sitting in airports,planes hotels alone for long periods when your family is miles away. Then the positives like getting to where your going and the waves are pumping,or you get a good result are what you live for as a pro surfer.But I try and look at it positively and see it that these negatives make it all so much better. Like when you have been on the road for a few weeks,and you finally see yoir family,you appreciate every seconds you have with them. Or when you have travelled for 4 day straight,then arrive to score perfect waves,you appreciate the waves so much more.
Q: how much time du you spend travelling in a year ?
Glenn: Well I don’t even know where home is these days. Home is pretty on the road. I’m like a gypsie. Haha. I spend probably 80% of the year on the road either at a contest,photo trip or chasing waves. When I’m not at a contest or photo trip Im either in France, Ireland or Australia.
Q: You’re married and just had a baby… congratulations! how do you manage life around the globe and a family life?
Glenn: Yeah my wife Jemma just gave birth to our beautiful little baby girl Zara. I feel like being a pro surfer,or even just any kind of surfer,you need a really understanding partner. If the waves are pumping, everything just stops and all your worried about is getting out there. People who don’t surf can’t really understand this. Jemma knows that if the waves are pumping, I might not be home til dark, or I might stay away a couple of extra days to get the best of he swell. So I’m bloody lucky to have wife who understands. I would like to have jemma and Zara at every event,but its just too expensive. We try to not spend more than a few weeks apart now we have Zara.
Spending time away from Jemma and the Zara is always hard,but it only makes our time together ever more precious.
What are the 3 place you prefer on earth ? and why ?
Glenn: My 3 favourite spots are -
(this interview was originally made for the program / catalogue of the Soöruz Lacanau Pro).
Previous post
Début de matinée avec le Team Oxbow
You have to be logged in .
Social connexions