ZA Boogie, a South African website, did an interview with Tristan Roberts about life, the 2019 World title and the lockdown in Portugal due to the sudden coronavirus spread. If you didn’t know, the heart of the Bodyboarding World Champ was stolen by Laura Dutra, a young bodyboarder and TV actress from Lisbon. So Tristan is kind of following the footsteps of Pierre-Louis Costes and Max Castillo, spending more and more time in this beautifil tiny little country called Portugal. Laurinha’s fault, we may add.
“Lockdown in Portugal was good compared to what I’ve been seeing happening in most countries. Yes, we went without surfing for about 50 days, but we could always still exercise outside whenever we wanted and that kept me sane. But now that we can surf again since the 4th of May, it’s been good. I’m grateful to be cruising in Portugal in these tough times we have been facing”, started by saying Mr. Roberts to ZA Boogie.
When it comes to compare his home, Cape Town, to Portugal, the champ is polite but at the some time honest and pure. “I love home, to me being in Onrus and chasing waves along our coastlines is something that will always be 
something I long for. There’s just something about it. I have a good life road tripping pretty much all the time when I’m home. Portugal has been really good to me, the locals are epic and I’m trying my best to learn as much as I can of the Portuguese culture. The waves are incredible and there’s really good food. I think my lifestyle here is a lot like the one I live at home and that’s why I enjoy it so much. I do have my beautiful girlfriend [pictured left] showing me around here too, which has been a massive help. So it’s hard to choose, but I will say I miss a braai and Winter is calling me. So I’ll be home as soon as I can”, he said. [On its way as we write this piece]
Regarding the World Tour, the South African bodyboarder stays confidence about defending the title and hope things get together in a good way, even knowing nowadays there’s a lot of doubts: “Who knows what the reminder of 2020 will bring. I think it’s a very unpredictable year for a lot more than just bodyboarding. So we will just have to wait it out and see. I hope I can just bring an exciting show to the fans when the tour does start again. I think this break was good for me. It gives me time to just reflect and enjoy some off time from competing after such a crazy year. Now I can enjoy free surfing in Portugal and just take it day by day.”
You’re always welcome, champ.
