Shaka brah from Guadeloupe’s finest…

20-year-old ASP Europe Pro Junior Champ Charly Martin does things a little differently. Most of the European surfers bailed off island a couple of days after Sunset ended, whereas Charly on the other hand only just arrived early last week. He’s staying at the wicked Nike 6.0 house at Off The Wall and is chillin quite hard right now due to a nasty cut on his right plate.

SE: Comment ça-va Charles Martin?

CM: All good. I’m just cruising, stoked to be back in Hawaii with the boys. I had a fun year this year, didn’t really score crazy good waves but I went to some new places and still scored waves. The Juniors went well in Europe, I was stoked to win that. I’m pretty happy about my season really. I had a pretty fun summer at the Nike6.0 Roundhouse in Hossegor, that was all time. But the best thing is to be here now on the North Shore.

Who’s staying at the house?

Michel Bourez, Kai Barger, Alejo Muniz, and there’s many people passing by all the time, chillin. It’s pretty cool. We have our own chef here making us meals, we get massages 3 0r 4 times a week, it’s a nice set up right in front of OTW. I just did a bit of cleaning up but mainly the chef takes care of all that. We’ve been watching soccer, UFC, pretty Hawaiian kind of chilled vibes.

What else is new?

Well I have a chick now, a girlfriend. So I’m a man now hahahahaha.

If you say so Charly. So what happened to your foot?

Fuck, I’ve been here a week and only surfed twice. I cut the foot last Tuesday out the front (OTW). It wasn’t even a big wave, I just fell in the wrong place and hit the bottom. I didn’t think it was anything but it’s kept me out for a week. I’m hoping I’ll be able to surf again tomorrow or the day after, it’s in a bad spot, right where my foot goes on the tailpad.

Ouch (or aie! as they say in français)

So what’s been the routine for the invalid the past week?

I’ve been training every morning, wake up, stretch, have a little work out with Kahea (Hart) and Michel. Do some sit-ups, whatever. Gotta get the six-pack for the ladies, you know? Then cruise all day, do some emails, then all the time I haven’t been surfing I’ve done another work out in the evening. Twice a day brah, what have you got to say about that?

And when you are able-bodied, what are your favourite spots out here?

Pretty much out the front here (OTW), it closes out a bit but I like it. Then Backdoor of course, Pipe. Rockpile too on the right swell. I haven’t even surfed Rocky Point yet this year coz I’m staying down here but I’m moving up there soon so I guess out at Rocky’s too would be a fave.

Best surfers here on the N Shore?

Andy was the boss for sure. Also Bruce, Jamie, Kelly, all the locals really, the locals get the bombs, charge super hard, have a good line in the barrel, I like to watch and learn from them.

What’s in Charly’s near future?

Going to Oz for the Pro Junior on the 27th. It’s my last junior event ever, hoping for a decent result this year, I got 3rd when I was 17 but haven’t had a good result since then. I was training a bit for that at home in Guadeloupe before I came out here. Then I’ll also work on some boards over there with my shaper, Chili, and come back here to Hawaii for the Pipe QS.

How about your headphones? Are you still listening to that funny little syrup-drinking guy with the hair extensions?

Yeah I’m still into wizzi.

Who?

Wizzi. It means Lil Wayne.

Oh… sorry.

Yeah I’m listening to Lil Wayne. He just got out of jail actually. So yeah still the same crap, rap, dancehall, bit of rock form time to time. But sure the heavy rotation is Lil Wizzi or some dancehall from Gwada. That’s all I need.