At 21, Dion’s talent was undeniable. At a time when aerials were just entering the age of the full-rotation, he was stomping 360 degree air reverses and full-rote alley oops with a regularity that few could match. It was progressive surfing but one that hadn’t yet earned a spot in the competitive arena. Try as he might Dion simply couldn’t get scored on the World Qualifying Series leaving his career on the scrap heap before it had even begun.
As a teenager growing up on the Gold Coast Dion had become close with a talented young filmmaker (and pretty handy surfer) by the name of Kai Neville. Long before Kai had put together such modern classics as Stranger Than Fiction, the Modern Collective and Lost Atlas, he’d spent his days chasing the Gold Coast’s megastars around – Joel Parkinson, Mick Fanning, Dean Morrison, Josh Kerr- and attempting to shoot them, without their permission. Accompanying him on many of these missions was Dion, himself an avid cinematographer with ambitions of one day becoming a filmmaker. Together the pair produced a series of well received films for Australian Surfing Life Magazine and later a number of bootleg tapes for a Japanese publication. With his surf career hanging in the balance Dion even considered giving it up to concentrate on a career as a filmmaker. But before he did he put in one last pitch to his sponsor Globe telling them why they should keep paying him. As a teenager Dion had idolised Ozzie Wright, the famous Australian surfer, musician, artist and fashion designer who is largely credited with being the first surfer to successfully make a career out nothing more than being himself. Dion’s other muse was fellow Globe team rider and former World Champion, CJ Hobgood, whose advice during this period in Dion’s career would prove pivotal. “He just told me no one is going to do it for you. You’ve gotta promote yourself,” recalls Dion of the conversation.

Yep he’s a pretty decent surfer, but imagine how good he’d be if the cunt could only carve or go right…