**Watch the full feature video on Callum Robson by clicking on this link**
The usually sleepy Evans Head Bowls Club on the north coast of New South Wales was pulsing in late December when local lad Callum Robson put on a party in celebration of his qualification for the 2022 World Surf League (WSL) men’s world tour.
Possibly the best thing to happen to Robson’s surfing career was growing up in Evans. With a population of just under 3000 people coupled with the region’s excellent variety of waves made for the perfect nursery to foster his non-fuss, hard work philosophy on being a world class surfer.
‘Cal’ or ‘Caltex’ as he’s known by his friends, has done the qualification thing his way, with little to know fuss through the media or surfing circles. This is just the way he likes it.
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“I come from a small town, I’m not from a big surfing family or anything like that so it’s been nice to slide under the radar and go about my business,” Robson said.
Having flown under the radar on the world surfing stage for the past half a decade, Robson well and truly made his presence felt on the qualifying circuit in 2021 with a fifth-place finish at the Huntington Beach Challenger Series event and a win at the Tweed Coast Pro before banking a handful of solid results heading into the season defining Hawaiian leg at Christmas.
“The fifth place at Huntington really gave my coach and I confidence and reassurance that my surfing was going to get scored well up against the best surfers in the world,” Robson said.
“Then I just kept things simple and continued to back myself and found myself in Hawaii with a crack at qualification.”
Competing against the world’s best in the ultimate proving ground of Hawaii was always going to be the yardstick for the 20-year-old. When he beat two-time world champion and global superstar John John Florence, the writing was on the wall for all to see.
“We had really good waves for the competition with three days of six-foot waves,” Robson recalled.
“It was really exciting surf with high stakes for everyone. It was a great way to finish the year, finishing in the semi-finals, but the main goal was to qualify so I am stoked.”
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