Thelen Worrel throwing more spray than his small frame would suggest is possible. Photo: Paul Greene
Following in swift pursuit of a darkly tinted black Tacoma, I am guided through the streets of Ventura, smoothly weaving through traffic. As the truck comes to a quick stop, Thelen gets out, checks his watch, and make his way through the doors of In-N-Out.
With a myriad of NSSA victories and innumerable memorable heats, it is easy to forget that this seventeen year old has only been surfing for seven years. Although he started competing at the relatively late age of 11, Thelen has won heats in ASP four stars at Sunset Beach, notching eight-point rides with turns bigger than his frame would look to allow. At age 15, an impressive backhand assault on Huntington Beach earned him a spot in the prestigious NSSA Open Men’s National Final. A formulaic approach initially spearheaded by his parents has proved to be immensely successful. Thelen works with Coach Toma on improving his technique and with trainer Andy Schmiess to build strength and agility in preparation for weekly surf contests.
In light of his upcoming travel schedule, let’s take an interesting look into the mind of the dark horse – a surfer that will surprise you with his consistency and explosiveness wave after wave and will leave you baffled as to why he isn’t getting more attention in the surf sphere. So, here we sit, both wondering how damn long it takes to make a burger.
I wait until we have both curbed the sharp edge of hunger, and start I inquiring. Clearly focused on the competitive hemisphere of a bifurcated surf world, I wonder aloud, “What does competitive success mean to you?”
Sitting up taller, he quickly responds, “Pride. And bragging rights.” The upper end of the under 18 group of surfers are incredibly competitive. They are all brutally aware that their fate hinges on every moment of an every shrinking window of time before the possibility of a big contract and invaluable support disappear behind a Maginot Line of emerging younger talent. Competitive success means triumphing over often hundreds of viable competitors, and pride is taken with every scalp earned.
Though I already know the answer, I ask what Thelen’s goals are.
“To do well in my amateur career, compete on the QS, and eventually qualify for the CT.” In this case, such an assertion is far from quixotic. “But, for this year,” he continues, “I want to win a (NSSA or Surfing America) national title and qualify for Worlds (referring to the ASP World Junior Championships). Ten years from now, I’d like to see myself on the World Tour. After surfing, I’d really like to continue working in sports. Probably in action sports.”
Thelen was born with a glut of athletic ability. It makes sense that he would want to work with people of his own ilk, be it as a professional surfer or a businessman. Basketball has become a recent obsession as many a flat day is filled with pick-up games and quite a few nights have been spent at the Staples Center.
“Who are you?”
Thelen thinks, clearly perplexed by the open-endedness of the question. He replies, chuckling with a mouth full of fries, “Am I supposed to say that I’m a surfer? I am a gentleman and a scholar.”
Unswayed by the pressures of imminent success, this surfer works to stay even keel on his track to a fruitful career as a professional surfer. While the other seventeen year olds work in classrooms towards their futures, Thelen heads back to his home of Malibu to check the waves, which he hopes will hold his.
