Between Pipe and the Australian reboot this April, Gabriel Medina swapped out step-dad Charlie Rodrigues and subbed on former Mick Fanning and Julian Wilson coach, Andrew King.
Kingy was a QS Top 30 surfer when a sucker punch outside a Sydney pub in 2003 left with him in a coma with a fractured skull, completely deaf and with no balance.
King eventually battled back to make the semis at the Pipe Pro in 10ft surf, but unable to hear scores or even tell which way was up, was forced to retire from pro surfing. He then embarked on a coaching career that saw him help Fanning & Wilson, among others, to numerous Championship Tour successes.
We caught up with Kingy during the Rip Curl Narrabeen Pro for some insights as to how the Medina hook-up came about, what he’s like to work with… and if he thinks he might end up getting sacked five times, as he did with Julian Wilson.
He even offered a bit of free coaching to help improve the surfing performances of hosts Evans & Mondy.
Kingy admits that his coaching style and frank analysis is in part due to his accident.
“When I was on my deathbed 15 years ago, I realised that I can’t lie, I’ve got no filter. Life’s too short for all that…. I’m a c*nt.”
“My secret sauce is that my successes are down to my failures; I fuck up but I never fuck up twice…. well actually Julian (Wilson) thought so, coz he sacked me 5 times (laughs).”
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