HEAZLEWOOD'S WINNING EDGE - ON BOARD AND BEYOND
25-year-old Caloundra surfer, Reef Heazlewood took out a World Surf League Qualifying Series event in Indonesia last month. A feat that has him well on his way to qualifying for the 2026 Challenger Series.
This win was a long time coming for Heazlewood who has always shown excellence and innovation in his surfing, along with dedication and focus to his training. Reef says that this performance was extra special with his wife by his side, “She’s been supporting me and so it was just so fun to go all the way with her there!”
Beginning his surfing journey at Moffat Beach and Happy Valley, Heazlewood is grateful to his family and hometown for fostering his love for the ocean, “The Sunshine Coast takes living at the beach and the surfing/beach culture to a whole other level and so our family was just at the beach before school and every weekend!” he reflects.
With a long history of successful surfers hailing from the Sunshine Coast, a location that is not renowned for consistently good conditions, there is definitely something else in water that fosters this breeding ground. When asked for his perspective on this trend, the Krui Pro champ provided an incredible insight into the backbone of these success stories, “I think it’s because we get used to working hard in less than stella conditions, so when good waves do come it’s such a gift! We don’t take anything for granted" he explained. "I also think sometimes kids growing up elsewhere can get recognised more easily whereas we have to dig deeper which instils such a great work ethic and a never give up kind of attitude!"
Conditions aside, it is also evident that local surfers have evolved to support each other in training and competition - a generational momentum of developing camaraderie within the sport. As a beneficiary turned leader of this momentum, Reef says he is excited for this encouraging environment to continue to strengthen, “It’s been around for so long now and we just keep seeing each generation continue to pick the camaraderie up and show the next gen how fun and supportive it is!”
Whether a surfer is shooting for a competitive career or simply enjoying a hobby, the local Board Rider Clubs successfully generate interactive and welcoming communities for all skill levels. As a member of WindanSea Board Riders, Reef reflects on the impact that this club has had on his development in and out of the water, “I actually was just talking to my wife about it recently, looking back on it being some of my best memories as a kid. The culture is base around having a great active lifestyle, raising kids to learn awesome life skills and have fun while doing it” he declares.
Exerting awareness and wisdom beyond his years, Heazlewood says his number one piece of advice for an aspiring surfer on the Sunny Coast is to “be eager to learn and it doesn’t matter who from. It could be coaches, parents, even friends that you’re surfing or competing against. There’s always things you can be learning and there’s no shame in learning from someone you least expected.”
Working closely with Kerry Keightley at the Ocean Performance Centre, Reef is currently trying to innovate his training so that it builds on his current strengths, allowing him to consistently apply them into competition, “I’ve been working on being powerful to be able to help what I love doing, which is aerial surfing” he shares.
With this training behind him, and some winning momentum, Heazlewood is excited to bring his current form into the next event, a WSL Qualifying Series event at the South Korea WavePark, “I just feel like all my training is going to lend itself so well to that setting, plus having just gone there a month ago and having an absolute blast with the local Korean surfers!” beams Reef.
With relentless drive, incredible talent and a contagiously positive attitude towards anything he puts his mind to, we are excited to watch Reef as he continues to evolve as a surfer, competitor and role model.
Following @sunshinecoastsports and @reefheazlewood to stay tuned.
