Oscar Berry joins Kaipo Guerrero on Meet The Rookie after earning Championship Tour qualification in just two seasons on the Challenger Series. Born in inland Australia before finding his footing in the waves of Yamba, Oscar shares how he balanced skateboarding and surfing growing up until fully committing to competitive surfing later than many of his peers. Despite the late start, a breakout run on the Challenger Series accelerated his rise to the sport’s top level. Oscar reflects on the ups and downs of his qualification journey, including injuries, early exits, and a dramatic turnaround that reignited his campaign. He also talks about celebrating qualification, representing his hometown with the 64 postcode on his jersey, and stepping onto surfing’s biggest stage. He breaks down working with longtime coach Tim MacDonald, collaborating with performance psychologist Tom Greer-Smith, and dialing in equipment with Luke Short Designs. Oscar explains how focusing on the mental side of competition helped unlock consistency and decision-making in heats. Plus, Oscar discusses rookie season expectations, waves he’s most excited for, the Australian opening stretch, and his goal of keeping surfing fun while competing against the world’s best. Learn more about Oscar and follow him here. Follow Kaipo Guerrero here. Stay tuned to the Western Australia Margaret River Pro, Apr 16 - 26. Join the The Lineup Podcast Mega League Fantasy and The Lineup Podcast Brackets for your chance to win Prizes! Terms and conditions apply. Stay up to date with the rankings. Get the latest merch at the WSL Store! Use code LINEUP at checkout for FREE shipping. Join the conversation, follow the league, follow The Lineup, and stay updated on all things WSL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related