Luke Gordon lives to surf. The 15-year-old from Pawleys Island, South Carolina, enters about 30 competitions a year. In July, he beat out a field of 52 of the best surfers on the East Coast and from as far away as Puerto Rico to take home the Wrightsville Beach’s O’Neill Sweetwater Pro-Am $4,000 top prize.
How did you learn how to surf?
I always loved coming to the beach. One day my dad brought me a little foam board to play with and I did it all day, every day I was at the beach. Then eventually I got good enough so my dad could push me into waves and stuff, and it grew from there.
Do you have any pre-heat rituals or superstitions?
I like to be in a good mood, kind of just visualize myself surfing the waves and finishing them. Getting in that contest mindset.
What is the single most memorable wave of your life?
I just got back from Bali, Indonesia, a couple days ago and I was surfing a wave at the Keramas break, and it was a big right barrel. I remember being in the barrel and then the wave spit water out and I was still in the barrel and came out. I think that’s the most memorable wave of my life.
What do you do when it’s flat?
Luckily I live in a very fun place so I get to go fish, and I skateboard, and I hunt a lot. But I’ve got to keep in shape so I hit the gym every now and then.
Favorite surf movie?
“Step Into Liquid.”
What’s your dream surf trip? Who would you go with and where?
I would gather up all the boys from home and we would go to Indo, to the Mentawais [a chain of about 70 islands and islets off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia]. Pretty sure the waves are the best there out of everywhere.
What surfers on tour inspire you?
All of them. They all work so hard. I look up to them, and they’re so dedicated. I hope I can be like that one day.
Is there a particular pro you’d like to model your own surfing after?
I like to watch Kelly Slater a lot. It’d be really cool to surf like him. And Mick Fanning.
Are there any surfers in your own generation that inspire you?
Definitely. All my competitors. They push everybody. We just see them do something and we’re like, “I want to do it, but I want to do it better.” Everybody is hungry, everybody wants to win.
What is the best prank that either you’ve pulled or that’s been pulled on you?
I think I put Saran Wrap over my friend’s toilet one time
Did he get you back for that?
That’s classified information.
Do you have any hidden talents that people might be surprised to learn about?
I guess shooting my gun; I’m pretty good at that.
What’s your favorite thing to do when you come to Wrightsville Beach?
Definitely hang out with my friends and surf all the different spots. It’s really good.
Who’s your group of friends you visit up here?
Bo Raynor, Gabe Morvil, Shane Burn, Tyler Faulkner.
What do you do around here when you’re not surfing?
Bo [Raynor] and Gabe [Morvil] are my age so I like to hang out with them when we’re not surfing, just goof around.
What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened to you on a surf trip?
I think somebody put a spider on me when I was sleeping. It freaked me out so when I woke up I started to scream and I kind of ate it. I bit down on it and then I spit it out.
What would you say your biggest contest win has been so far?
Probably the contest at Wrightsville, the Sweetwater Pro-Am. It was pretty big for me.
Why was that your biggest win?
All the talented surfers in it. I was up against the best of the best from the East Coast.
What did you do with the $4,000 prize money?
I bought a boat, a Triton, 16-foot. It’s camo, so I can go duck hunting in it. It’s kind of a hunting/fishing boat. We don’t really have any [surf] spots to get to by boat where I live so I use it in the river.
What are your goals for your surf career?
Hopefully just to make it my career, my job. It would be a dream life just to live off of surfing. To be able to travel and surf different waves, compete with pro surfers and make enough money to do that, it would be insane.
