CraveOnline: Growing up in Hawaii, were you just surfing straight out of the womb?
Sebastian Zietz: Pretty much. I don’t remember discovering surfing. I knew what it was before my memory started. Kauai was the perfect place to home my skills.
CraveOnline: – Hawaii has had no shortage of pro surfers. What’s it like to carry on that tradition?
Sebastian: There are so many good surfers in Hawaii. I feel like all the kids I grew up surfing with were better than me. It’s pretty hard to get discovered in Hawaii. If you live in the outer islands you pretty much have to go to the North Shore and try and kill yourself at Pipe and Off the Wall to get noticed.
I really have to step up and make Hawaii proud.
CraveOnline: Could you tell us what a typical day is like for you while you’re on tour?
Sebastian: A typical day consists of at least three surf sessions. I like to be in tune with my boards and the conditions at all the stops on tour. If the contest is on that day I make sure to get a surf in before my heat just to get my groove going. I work out a little and stretch a lot.
I try to take advantage of the lay days and explore the cultures where ever I am.
CraveOnline: Is there a camaraderie amongst the surfers on tour or do personal rivalries ever develop?
Sebastian: Yeah theres definitely camaraderie on tour. I think its strongest in the Brazilians and Australians, they tend to stick together. I’m always watching Freddy (Freddy Patacchia Jr.) and Johns (John John Florence) heats cheering them on. My rivalry right now is probably with John, we seem to always draw each other. It’s a bummer when you constantly draw a fellow hawaiian.
Australian Open Of Surfing 2014: Surfing Highlights & Reel
CraveOnline: What is your most memorable wave throughout your career?
Sebastian: My final wave at the Reef Hawaiian Pro in Haleiwa during the Triple Crown. I was in second needing a score to overtake John John and I did three solid turns and claimed it. It was my first WQS victory and Qualified me for the World Tour and put me in the lead for the Triple Crown which I ended up winning.
CraveOnline: Funniest thing you have ever seen a kook do?
Sebastian: In Puerto Alex Gray and I were getting followed by a group of kooks so we took turns acting like we saw sets and paddled hard away from the peak. All the kooks followed the guy paddling and the other guy would get the good wave. We called it kook herding.
CraveOnline: What’s your favorite surfing movies? Point Break is the only acceptable answer.
Sebastian: When I was 12-14 I lived in New Hampshire and couldn’t surf. My brothers home made surf movie was the only surfing I saw for two years. I watched it so much my dad got fed up and broke it. I cried.
CraveOnline: Sebastian, what made you want to partner up with SoBe?
Sebastian: I’ve always been a fan of SoBe drinks. It doesn’t give me pre heat jitters compared to a lot of other energy drinks out there that are super aggressive. Its easy to drink and healthier for you, doesn’t taste like battery acid.
CraveOnline: How does it feel to be the ambassador of SoBe and to bring it back to its surfing roots?
Sebastian: I feel very fortunate to be the ambassador, especially with the addition of Life Water. It’s nice to see the brand getting involved again in the surf community. And the logo is AWESOME.
CraveOnline: What can we expect from Sebastian Zietz for the rest of 2014?
Sebastian: Hopefully some more results! I’d really love to win a CT. That’s pretty much my goal. I would love to take another Triple Crown again.
Joshua Caudill is a writer for CraveOnline Sports, a surfing enthusiast, an unhealthy sports fanatic, and an expert on all things Patrick Swayze. You can follow him on Twitter @JoshuaCaudill85 or “like”CraveOnline Sports onCraveOnline Sports.
Photo Credit: Getty
