Luke Dillon is an English Pro surfer from Newquay Cornwall. He won the English Nationals in 2020 and is the highest placed UK athlete on the World Surf League Qualifying Series. After seeing his 2020 season paused, Luke is gearing up for a pivotal 2021 campaign where he is just 27 waves away from a place in the Tokyo 2021 Olympic surfing event.
Above: Luke Dillon in the latest issue, Carve 187, go grab a copy.
Above: Luke Dillon driving off the bottom, last light Porthleven Photo: Sharpy
1: Surf as much as you can and get in the sea as much as possible because that will help you learn.
2: Watch videos of your favourite professional surfer or YouTube channel, and try to pick certain things from them, favourite styles or parts of their surfing that you like to watch!
3: Make sure you pick the right board for you! Make sure it’s the right dimensions for you so you’re able to surf with it and catch lots of waves because that’ll help you improve!
4: Try to surf with people that enjoy it because then you can always increase the chance of your ability and also enjoying surfing for what it is.
5: Keep surfing, because that in itself will let you improve. Get in the sea as much as you can, the more you put in, the more you will get out.
1: I would defiantly say the most important part starts with paddling and what I recommend is trying to get into the wave as early as possible. Paddle as hard as you can to get into the wave early and give yourself the best possible chance to have a good wave.
2: Once you get to your feet, try to visualise in advance what you plan to do… For example when you’re on your feet focus on when and where you want to start your bottom turn or when you start heading down the line. Make your decisions early.
3: Allow yourself time, rush nothing. If you rush your surfing it won’t work.
4: Pick the best manoeuvres from your favourite surfer; whether that is going down the line or during a turn or air and try to replicate their body positions and timing. You probably can’t do airs like John John, or carves like Fanning, but it will help you get closer to what they’re doing, believe it or not.
5: Have fun! Whenever you are struggling or feeling like you’re falling out of love with surfing just remember why you started and why you do it. Surfing is what you make of it, whether it’s competitions and trying to progress to the next round, trying get your photo in a local magazine, or just cruising down the line fun is the key to everything.
