The SURFER Interview: Chris Ward

SURFER: Let's set the record straight about what happened a couple years ago on the way to Brazil when airline authorities detained you. When rumors first surfaced word was you tried to hijack the plane. What the hell really happened?

CHRIS WARD: (Laughs) Well, I definitely didn't try to hijack anything. Y'know, basically, I'm a pretty good traveler most of the time. The only time I get in trouble is when people start egging me on. That's when I can get out of hand. It started off with me just swiping a few beers off of the cart during this flight. We did it because we were pissed, it was an international flight, and they're supposed to be free but they wanted five bucks for them. We were a bunch of cocky little groms, y'know, so we were bitter.

SURFER: Were you already on the flight attendant's bad side at this point?

CHRIS WARD: Yeah, we were, actually, because earlier in the flight I tried to steel a knife and fork because they forgot mine, so she was super pissed, and y'know this was a year or so after 9/11 so everyone's still pretty panicky. That part didn't really enter my mind though. So by the time the beer incident went down, the stewardess really had it in for us. Since they eventually found a bunch of the beers in my backpack I was the one who got put in those plastic handcuffs when we landed. They took my visa, put a stamp on it that said I wasn't allowed past immigration and sent me back to Miami.

SURFER: So did you miss the contest you were trying to get to?

CHRIS WARD: No...that's the thing. I went straight to the Brazilian consulate and got a 5-year visa for Brazil. Then I jumped back on a plane and made it down in time for the contest. I made the quarterfinals.

SURFER: Still, that whole thing had to be a wakeup call for you on some level?

CHRIS WARD: It was a huge wakeup call, especially because of the rumors. When I called my friends from Miami they'd already heard that I was turned back, and they were like, "Dude, what were you thinking trying to hijack the plane?" Just debunking that whole myth was enough of a wakeup call for me.

SURFER: So basically, the lesson was learned?

CHRIS WARD: Yeah, I just pay the five bucks for the beer now and keep my mouth shut.