Everyone loves a comeback story. Robert Downey Jr. Jesus Christ. Some iconic sports team that my limited sporting world knowledge does not encompass, nor did I take the time to Google. As humans, we love tragedy; we love seeing people hit rock bottom almost as much as we love seeing them overcome adversity and rise back to the top. It’s goddamn uplifting, ain’t it?
By 2011, Nick Rosza had lost everything – he was a washed-up talent, wasted by early fame and hard partying at the ripe age of 23 and cast off into surf obscurity when he was dropped by his sponsor Reef and told the news that his girlfriend was pregnant. But it was just the wake-up call he needed. Nick came back with a few clips, entitled the “Homegrown” series, as a last ditch effort. After that, if nothing came of it, he would quit surfing and settle down to father his child. Sure enough the clips were a hit, a jumpstart to his career. Kelly Slater dubbed him, “the best unsponsored surfer in the world.” Soon, he was back on Reef’s team.
Nick and his filmer Chris Papaleo went on to start SaltyBeards.com, a blog featuring frequent clips mostly centered around the beach breaks of the two’s Ventura stomping ground. And the latest from the duo shows Nick in his characteristic backhand assault around home, but also throws in some early season Hawaii footage as well. Rosza, Mr. Comeback Kid himself, proves he’s more than just a one-trick pony as he charges some meaty waves on the North Shore. And how bout that man bun? Looks like the old, hard-partying Rosza has officially been reborn as a sophisticated samurai of shred.
