Watch: Matt Banting // Out for redemption
When Matt Banting qualified second for the CT back in 2014 the path ahead must've seemed so straightforward. Supported by Quik, he was Australia's best young hope and an upward trajectory, not unlike the person he qualified behind, Filipe Toledo, was expected.
Then reality hit. Injuring his knee at J'Bay he missed half the 2015 season. Banting secured the injury wildcard for 2016 but was outside the Top 22 when a second injury, this time to his pelvis, took him down.
Dry-docked for twelve months, his sponsorship lapsed and the tour moved on without him.
Last year he returned, got to 40 on the QS and secured places into the comps that mattered. He's built on that this year with a first, two thirds, and a second through the Aussie leg, plus a 17th at the Ballito Pro, which puts him at 7th on the QS rankings.
A second chance looms for Banting, and going on his form in the video below, filmed in South Africa, Portugal, France, and Australia, he's deserving of a return to the top tier.
Filmed by Len Banting, and edited by Matt.
Comments
Riiiiiping! Hope he makes it always loved his surfing
Geez after that many injuries you wouldn't knock him for being gun shy however it looks like he is flying, literally. Rail work, toobs, and airs has the lot and smooth too. There is a big vacuum in the Oz ranks so if he can get over the zillionbrazillions he has little opposition.
... possibly the best style in the game!
Guy is ripping!!!. A real definite point of difference in his surfing....has style to match the tricks and....a rail game better than most of the current flyers. Never heard of him prior to this....good luck young fella!.
Might be first pro surfer sponsored roofing contractor.
Most fun looking waves in a recent vid I have seen for a while.
good for him. present day Kirk Flintoff
So smooth. Nice waves too.
Great music and epic edit, love his crouched stance, he's like a coiled spring waiting to bounce
The one word to describe his surfing is crisp. Always so sharp and precise with the coolest tweaks. So much smoother than the flailing Brazzos.
Really hope he does well after all his injuries.
I get to see him surfing quite a lot and can attest to the quality of his surfing. Clean, fast and very high make rate...you rarely see him fall badly. Certainly deserves to make the tour on style alone...but you only need to see the US open heat he lost to see that counts for little. One thing I've noticed when he surfs, is he seems to catch a lot of "in between" waves. Maybe his wave selection in heats at QS/CT level could be better?
He's ripping at the moment though..
2010 King of the Groms: Banting V Toledo.
Note the maturity of Matty's surfing in contrast to Toledo's earnest reliance on the air reverse... ! From memory, Quiksilver spruiked Banting as 'the next Slater' from a very early age... possibly a case of waaaaaay too much pressure/expectation for a young man????
Really hoping to see Matt back on tour jousting with Toledo (and co.)!
Matt surfs unreal but im not sure he is at the level of Toledo yet.
Happy to see him take a place from the Brazzo Storm!
I remember when he came on Tour, surfed awesome but just didn't seem to have the Raaaagghhhhhhhhhhhh! Looks like he's put on a bit of weight in the right places and his surfing is so good. Can't wait to see him rip into the Brazzo's, he's got the attitude too.
Overnight, Matt scored his best result of the season, a 5th at the Galicia Surf Pro, a 10,000 event, and raked in 5,200pts. While it sounds a lot he only jumped two places, up to 5th, and realistically he's holding his ground as the top ten climb all incrementally accrue points.
Last year's cut off was 18,000 pts, Matt is now on 16,750 so he's looking really good. However, he already has five solid scores, so his throwaway will be 2,200 pts, meaning he has to score more than 2,200 for his total to increase - i.e if he wins 2,500 pts at the next comp his total only increases by 300 pts.
Worryingly, every surfer below him with a shot at the top 10 has a vastly smaller throwaway. This means he cant just do as good as them to retain his position, he has to do better if he's to increase his total.
And Jadson A has well and truly qualified.
Good luck to Matt Banting.