Hometown support helps buoy Jed to heights

Sandon Point surfer Jed Ashton took the win at the Australian Shortboard Open Men’s Titles, riding the waves he grew up surfing.

"I got the opportunity to go in the Aussie titles and it went my way... It's a pretty sick achievement. I'm still frothing over it," Jed says.

"It was awesome, especially to do it back at my hometown... the support on the beach, hearing the cheers and everyone screaming after a good wave... definitely, definitely fires you up."

Growing up in the northern suburbs, Jed, 22, was drawn to the high-performance culture of the local surf scene. For him, the ocean offered more than just sport – it was somewhere to relax.

“Catching waves with your friends and being in the ocean is a sort of relief from everything,” Jed says.

 “There’s always a good crew down there, it's always fun, good banter and stuff."

Looking up to older, more experienced surfers such as Joel Wood and Benny Duncan, Jed decided to ‘'get serious'' about surfing in year 8.

“I wanted to be like them, so that's when I sort of put my head down and I was like, 'all right, I want to do it,” Jed says.

"I think my first surf comp was the Illawarra titles, actually... Maybe under 15s or under 16s. Then I was up against Joel Wood and Benny Duncan, all those boys, and I was in the final with all of them, which was pretty crazy."

'It was crazy'

For Jed, competition is about the mental challenge and strategic thinking involved, which he says is distinct from free surfing.

"The mindset is different... you can do one right thing or one wrong thing, and it goes either way... there’s a bit more to it – it's all about the challenge," Jed says.

“I've been pretty lucky. I haven't really been injured or anything, so... touch wood. But I've been pretty lucky in that sense."

Following his win, Jed received overwhelming praise from his family, friends and other members of Sandon Point Boardriders and wider surf community.

"It was crazy, I was going through my socials for probably like two hours after I won, just going through messages and people calling me... saying congratulations and stuff. It was pretty overwhelming, I did not think it was going to be like that."

"Sandon Point Boardriders, obviously, were supporting me heaps, and all the locals there... I couldn't thank them enough. They helped me to get to the position I am today."

"Big, big thanks to Mum and Dad too for giving me the opportunities that I have."

Mutual support

His long-time shaper, Parrish Byrne from Byrne Surfboards, showed confidence in Jed's victory, making the win even more special.

"I saw him after I won the comp, walking up the hill. He was like, 'I'm not surprised, mate. It was only a matter of time.' So that's awesome. It's pretty good to hear that."

Jed says the Sandon Point crew is tight-knit, mutually supportive and committed to high-level surfing.

“Everyone gets around each other... We're all friends, we all go hard, we all surf well and everyone backs each other... It's a real good crew."

"They are good, like, if you're doing the wrong stuff, they'll pull you up, and not just while surfing. They're looking out for you out of the water and also in the water."

For Jed, the benefits of surfing include the physical fitness needed to compete, but he says the biggest prizes are the friends and fun.

“Obviously surfing is good for your fitness and your head state. You can run a marathon or be the biggest person in the gym, but not surf-fit – you're not going to go well in the water,” Jed says.

"Sometimes I just feel like surfing, no matter if it's bad or good. If I'm keen to surf, I'll have a fun time no matter what."