The first time I met Conor Beatty, I didn’t even know what hit me. It was a normal Saturday, and my boyfriend was picking me up to surf. To my surprise, when I ran out front to catch my ride, there was a crazy redhead jumping around in the truck bed, effectively terrorizing the UCLA sorority row. “This kid is nuts,” I thought. A couple hours of surfing, a gourmet homemade brunch, and a spontaneous road trip to the mountains later, and I knew my first impression was absolutely correct, but in the best possible way.
Conor has a contagious energy, and his ridiculous sense of humor can make just about anyone laugh. Frequently spotted wreaking havoc around the world with fellow madman Alex Gray, Conor is perhaps best known for performing extreme activities in his birthday suit. However, he’s always a surfer’s surfer, whether he’s wakeboarding sans boardies or dropping into the wave of the day, he’s always humble and down-to-earth.
And then there’s his surfing. Raised in the South Bay, Connor has surfed his whole life, and the last couple years he’s caught some attention as a local up-and-coming surfer. This past year, Connor began to ramp up his game in heavier waves. He spent the summer in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, and he logged several weeks in Hawaii this winter. However, this February he really turned heads with his standout session at Burnout during the swell of the winter. I caught up with Conor to get inside the mind of this 20-year-old stuntman.
What made you want to surf heavier waves?
Up until a few years ago I’ve always been petrified of any wave over double overhead. I started getting interested in the heavier stuff about a year ago. Probably after that trip to Puerto I realized I wanted to push my personal limits. That place is so much fun and I had some awesome wipeouts. I think after getting pounded and coming up in one piece gave me the confidence to want more.
How has faith played a role in you pushing yourself in heavier waves?
My faith has played a tremendous role in surfing. Knowing that no matter what predicament I find myself in or how bad I eat it, God has it all under control. It makes all the difference for me.
What’s your best travel story?
One of my fondest memories was in Mexico last summer when I was staying in Puerto. I was sharing a hotel room with two Portuguese bodyboarders while waiting for a friend to show up. Anyway, this room was tiny, so when I asked if I could crash on their floor for a couple nights they were reluctant to let me in. That night I awoke in a puddle of sweat. I sat up with a hundred degree fever. I realized I had contracted the infamous Montezuma’s revenge. I tried to make my way to the toilet but it was too late; my entire plate of beans and rice erupted out of my mouth, like lava from a volcano, and it splattered all over the walls and floor of the bathroom. I made one final leap of faith back onto my mattress, and I landed only half on before passing out. As dawn broke, I decided to surf all day and clean up the mess when I came back. Needless to say my Portuguese friends weren’t too stoked and had all my belongings scattered outside and told me to find new roommates. Whoops.
Who are some people who have influenced you as a surfer and a person?
The two people who have influenced me the most are my dad and Alex Gray. My dad pushed me into my first wave when I was a grom and has been there for me ever since. Alex has been a huge inspiration to me and so many other kids in the South Bay, not only for his big wave antics, but also for his immense capacity to give to others.
Do you have any plans in store for the future?
Just to keep living the dream! Chasing swells and perfect waves is the best life I could ever imagine and I want to keep doing it as long as I can! Hopefully get a job that allows me to keep surfing as much as possible. I think that’s most surfers’ goal. I don’t know what my future holds, but I know who holds it.
