Australian surfer Jack Robinson is riding a wave of success, with consecutive wins at Margaret River and G-Land propelling him to No. 2 in the World Surf League rankings. The 24-year-old West Australian is now a serious contender for the WSL championship, a title no Australian man has won since Mick Fanning in 2013.
Robinson's journey began early: he started surfing at age three and was charging the heavy waves of Pipeline by 11. In 2010, he was dubbed 'the next Kelly Slater' by the Weekend Australian magazine. That same year, he took his first sponsored trip to G-Land, where a photo captured him as a 12-year-old gliding through a barrel.
Recently, Robinson posted that image alongside a nearly identical one from his win at the same break, 12 years later. 'Then and now,' he wrote. 'It's pretty wild to think – we've done so much work to get where we are. To come back and be there again, it's quite surreal hey – full circle.'
But the path has not been straight. Robinson's father, Trev, acted as his coach, manager, and home-schooler, raising questions about the pressures of raising a prodigy. Despite the challenges, Robinson remains mellow and focused, texting with humor during a long transit from Bali to El Salvador.
Now, with four events left before the finals, Robinson is on the verge of a major breakthrough. 'You can get ahead of yourself … it's about enjoying the ride too,' he said, reflecting on his journey from child star to championship contender.
