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Kai hails from New South Wales and reached the WCT in 2007.

Sizing up the Middles playing field during the Pro Search.

Middles was very much to Otton’s liking in terms of wave quality.

Look for more big things from Otton on the 2011 WCT tour.

Interview and Photos by Adrian Wlodarczyk/Next Set Management

So Kai, Puerto Rico and a WCT event, do they fit together?

Yep, absolutely.  This was my first time here and it definitely has worthy waves.  It’s a great venue with a few different spots and it has the things every event should, warm weather and surfing in boardies!!

You were eliminated by a Taylor Knox’s 9 point plus ride in the event, did the conditions affect the end result?

The conditions did worsen a little as the day went on and I got bitten by them. I made a bit of a priority mistake just before the best wave of the heat came through, and Taylor latched onto it and ripped it apart.  Not many came through after that so it left me hanging.

The local crowd seem to be getting involved in the event a fair bit.

Yeah, they love it! It’s a real surf orientated area and they all know all the surfers and can’t get enough.  Once you get out of the water it takes a while to get off the beach because they all want photos, autographs – young and old alike – and that shows their passion and enthusiasm for the sport.  You walk down the street and they know you as well and are always yelling out.  There are stickers all over road signs and stuff like that so they are pretty hardcore.

‘Middles’ was chosen as the primary event site, did you freesurf any other breaks while you were there?

Yeah, I surfed Wilderness with a few of the boys.  It wasn’t too big but it was a really fun wave anyway, and it was offshore so it was nice to be out there.  I rate it.

Any wave advice for travelling surfers?

The waves are similar to Hawaii except you don’t need your big boards for them.  Maybe just a step up board but nothing like you need over there.  The locals are pretty experienced as well, so you just have to work in with them at the lineup as they’re not going to give you every wave.  I followed some advice I got for the hidden away spots and really scored some great waves away from the crowd.

 How’s the golf game going, sneak one in here?

I didn’t get a game in so to speak but did sort of check out the course.  To get to Wilderness you have to drive through the golf course and the road splits a fairway.  As we were driving a ball flew across the car from someone’s tee shot so yeah, I had a golfing experience as opposed to a game.  It was classic.

What about the local nightlife?

Gave that a miss with the competition in full swing, but have heard the stories!! All the bars down at Jobo’s beach have a massive Sunday session where the locals rum it up from the morning onwards so it goes off.

2010 was a bit of a tumultuous year for you with the neck injury. Is it good to string a few events together at last?

It’s great just to be back in the water.  My confidence is growing with every event but I am still off my best game a little.  I have had to change the way I paddle to prevent aggravating it more, so now I use my lat’s more than my shoulders in my style and the neck doesn’t bother me at all while I’m out there.  A few massages along the way don’t go astray either.

So it requires constant management?

Yeah a little and through the rehab and management I found out that that the neck injury could have been caused by an old break in the wrist on the same side that hadn’t healed properly.  I’ve just had surgery to repair it and then hopefully the neck heals totally as a result.  A few bones in there just need a bit of realigning and stabilization.  I’m pretty amped to get it right so I can hit this new season running and have a better year than 2010!!

Thanks, Kai.

Cheers, mate.