The SURFER Interview: Chris Ward

SURFER: Were you born into the San Clemente Mafia?

CHRIS WARD: No, actually I was born in Texas. My dad moved us out here when I was about seven years old. He actually came out first, found a job and then sent for us: my mom, my sister and me. We moved over by 204, about a 1/2 mile up from the pier, which is where I first started messing around in the ocean. If you know 204 you know it's pretty much a shitty closeout on most days, but I didn't know any better. I would play all day in the water surfing on my boogie board. I actually got pretty good riding it. Finally, some people saw me standing on it and said, "Hey, you need a surfboard, kid." Do you remember the Smith twins? The two blonde girls?

SURFER: Jorja and Jolene?

CHRIS WARD: Right. They were on the National Team at the time. Hobie sponsored them. They actually gave me my first board-one of their old ones. It was fluorescent green on top and orange on the bottom. I was so stoked I couldn't believe it. I just kept going down to 204 every day and before long I was going down the line. Pretty soon, I realized that 204 was a pretty shitty wave so I walked towards the pier one day because I saw more surfers hanging out down there.

SURFER: And do you remember what you found?

CHRIS WARD: It was more like what didn't I find (laughs)? The place was pretty crazy. I didn't know anyone at all until I stumbled down there that day. The characters you run into around here are just classic. Guys like Archy and Dino were in the water every day. A bunch of rowdy guys would be chasing girls all over the beach. Richard Chew [1968 U.S. Champion] was head lifeguard. And there were bums everywhere. We actually used to have names for all the bums, and one of them was Randall, from ...lost, who was sleeping under the pier and up at North Beach back then....maybe still...I don't know.

SURFER: Were you having better luck progressing with the waves at the pier?

CHRIS WARD: Yeah, basically I discovered the further I walked south, the better the shape of the waves I was riding became. The pier was still a closeout, but it was better than 204. Then if you keep walking south you run into T-Street. For me, though, walking from my house to T-Street was like crossing the Sahara or something. But I still remember my first wave at Cropley's, it just kept going and going. I thought I was at Jeffreys Bay. Then y'know, if you keep going south you get to Trestles, which is by far our best wave. Every kid in San Clemente makes that walk a few times when they're young when they can't get a ride.

SURFER: Which of those surfers influenced your style the most?

CHRIS WARD: Archy. Without a doubt he was everyone's favorite down there. Matt had the whole package, you know. From cutbacks and floaters to giant aerials, he had it all. But I think the best part about watching him was his style. He had this stance that gave you the impression he was just going to murder the wave, and it could happen at any moment. It was a really aggressive approach, but at the same time it was playful and fun, the perfect blend. I remember seeing people get out of the water just to watch him surf. He was surfing better on and above the lip than anyone at the time.

SURFER: Was he your favorite surfer?

CHRIS WARD: Curren was my favorite, but Archy was the approachable guy I could put my finger on and analyze on a day-to-day basis. I think that's what all of us were doing, y'know-Beschen, Dino, Christian...if Archy was out there we were always watching everything he did.

SURFER: How would you describe the difference between the whole pier scene and the scene that existed at T-street at the time?