Bryan Metcalf Perez (26) is the only US American, who has been competing at the PWA freestyle tour. In the past there were a few more guys from America, like the Pritchard brothers or Josh Stone. This year, Bryan decided to participate in a few AWT events and skip the PWA event in Austria and Fuerteventura. Bryan took part at the AWT Santa Cruz event and at the only AWT Freestyle event on the river Gorge, which he actually won. We caught up with Bryan, because we wanted to know, what he has been up to.
C7: Congratulations Bryan! You recently won the AWT Gorge Freestyle Frenzy & Big Air 2013. How was the event for you?
Bryan Metcalf-Perez: The event went really well. We couldn’t have asked for much better conditions. The frenzy was a single elimination and I made it through five rounds. The conditions in the Finals had winds that were averaging around 25-35+ which would be considered a “good day” here in the Gorge. We have been lucky enough this season to get many days like that.
Bryan with a really high Shaka during the comp at the Gorge (Pic: AWT)
C7: You are probably the most experienced freestyler from the States. How is your freestyle level at the moment?
Bryan Metcalf-Perez: My level is still improving day to day. In light wind flat water conditions I feel like a fish out of water, but with a solid breeze and some tasty ramps i’m ready to go head to head against the best. This summer my big moves have been air skopu, spock culo/kono, burner pop funnel, and double burner. I haven’t been training Pasko a lot this summer, but I was getting the move pretty dialed down at Pro Windsurf La Ventana in Mexico, which has really nice conditions for learning the move.
C7: Who are your biggest opponents in the States in the freestyle discipline?
Bryan Metcalf-Perez: My good friends Wyatt Miller, Rob Warkwick, Nick Allen, and Tyson Poor are all very talented freestylers especially when you add in Gorge style freestyle. Gorge style simply put adds in onshore jumping.
On top of the podium
C7: Did you watch the second tourstop of the PWA at Fuerteventura?
Bryan Metcalf-Perez: I was checking out the action during Fuerte and cheering on my friends and teammates.
C7: Were you impressed by the current skills of Gollito & Co?
Bryan Metcalf-Perez: To me the most impressive part of the top 4 sailers (Gollito,Kiri, Steven & Tonky) is not just their ability to do high level moves, but their ability to do them in moderate to poor conditions.
Rankings from the AWT Frenzy 2
C7: Which tricks impressed you most?
Bryan Metcalf-Perez: Anything involving double pop in that much chop deserves some recognition!
C7: How is the freestyle judging on the AWT tour in freestyle. Do you go for the best trick formats like on the PWA or do the judges judge the overall impression?
Bryan Metcalf-Perez: For the pro frenzy it was kind of a mixture of the two. You had to fill your moves on both tacks and the top moves were scored.
C7: Why didn’t you compete at Fuerteventura this year? You were the windsurfer on the event poster and on all other merchandising products (cups, t-shirts etc.), quite cool?
Bryan Metcalf-Perez: Haha it was fairly ironic that I was the poster boy for an event that I didn’t get to go to. Fuerte… is well really far away ha and to be honest my sponsors were not willing to give me the support I needed to get to the event without paying out of pocket. Also, the Frenzy is a contest I looked up to when I was younger so to be given the chance to compete in it from the AWT was very special. If given opportunity again I would make the same decision. I hope next year the contests are not on the same date… hint hint.
The 2013 Fuerteventura poster with Bryan on (Source: rené-egli.com)
C7: Will you join the PWA Worldtour in the near future again (Holland or Sylt)?
Bryan Metcalf-Perez: I’m keeping my fingers crossed for strong winds during both events. I’ll have my 3.8 wizard rigged and ready. haha
C7: How much alive is windsurfing in the States?
Bryan Metcalf-Perez: During the summer months in the Gorge windsurfing is alive and well. There is plenty of hooting and hollering from happy American windsurfers of all ages.
C7: Is it the massive industry it once was with boards and sails for every pond or lake in the country?
Bryan Metcalf-Perez: No, but many of the people who owned those boards travel hundreds even thousands of miles to the Gorge or Maui to get their fix on the new equipment designed for epic conditions.
Even active when not sailing, behind the cam
C7: Will there be more freestyle events on the AWT tour this season?
Bryan Metcalf-Perez: This season no, but I am looking forward to the wave event at Ho’okipa event this fall, the 2013 Aloha Classic!!!
C7: Did you miss it a lot not to compete at Fuerteventura this year?
Bryan Metcalf-Perez: Every missed opportunity to compete against the worlds best riders is disappointment to me. I’m happy to be representing The States and competing in the 2nd half of this season, and even more excited for a full season next year with my new Angulo Boards.
Landing a backy (Pic: AWT)
© continentseven.com 2013
