Wilson McShane, Yorke Peninsula Country Times
Corey Taylor, a young surfer from Marion Bay, is facing the unique challenge of balancing his ambitions with the isolation of his hometown on the Yorke Peninsula.
At just 19, Taylor is striving to become South Australia’s sole professional surfer on the World Surf League Championship Tour, but the geographical and financial obstacles are significant.
Unlike his peers in Queensland and NSW, where the surfing industry thrives, Taylor feels the lack of opportunities in SA.
“All the big surfing and kids my age that are getting a lot of success live on the coast in Queensland and NSW” Taylor explains.
“The surfing industry is a lot more prominent up there than it is where I am.
“Unfortunately, here in South Australia, we don’t get much.”
Despite earning around $10,000 last year from sponsorships and prizes, Taylor finds his earnings quickly consumed by travel, accommodation, competition entry fees, and living expenses.
“I have to work and put that money towards me travelling, because I’ve always got to travel to these big comps,” he says.
One of Taylor’s recent trips to a competition in NSW involved a staggering 3600 kilometre journey, a distance comparable to travelling from Portugal to Belarus.
The trip cost him more than $2400, highlighting the financial strain of pursuing his dream.
SA offers four main surfing tournaments, including the upcoming Yorkes Classic, but none contribute towards Taylor’s goals of qualifying for the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour.
“Unfortunately, none of these comps have any purpose in the Qualifying Series or Pro Juniors, so they don’t really have much meaning to me as I’m trying to go bigger and make it professionally.”
To achieve his dream of competing in the WSL CT, Taylor must excel in the Challenger Series, which features some of the world’s best surfers.
His path to this series involves either finishing in the top 10 of the WSL Qualifying Series or winning the world junior titles (under 21), which requires out perform ing about 100 other professional surfers.
Despite these challenges, Taylor remains optimistic.
His love for the sport, which he began at age 3, fuels his determination.
“I find surfing just brings this sort of connection of all these different emotions of enjoyment, happiness, and surprise,” Taylor says.
“It’s honestly one of the most beautiful sports there is in the world.”
As Taylor gears up for the Yorkes Classic (August 24 and 25) and subsequent competitions in WA, he’s seeking support to continue his journey.
“Any support would be massive because you’d be supporting a local surfer that’s representing Yorke Peninsula and the whole of SA,” he says.
“It’s been my dream since I was a little kid.
“Hopefully sooner rather than later, I’ll be on the world tour.”
To donate go to asf.org.au/projects/corey-taylor/corey-taylor-professional-surfing-journey.
This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 13 August 2024.
