Jacob Willcox in 'By Default'

“I didn’t want to surf shit waves or do any turns or airs,” says Jacob Willcox. “But on the QS, that’s all you think about. This year was the biggest blessing because it gave me time to do whatever I wanted—and that was trying to get as barrelled as I could.”

If getting barrelled was the aim, then Jacob Willcox’s year has been a certified success. We’ve long known that he’s an exceptional tube-rider (that’s why we snuck him into Surf100 WA) but the above clip is Chippo's manifesto. Fifteen minutes of unadulterated WA freight trains, about a dozen of which left us gobsmacked.

'By Default' makes the case that Jacob is one of Australia's most masterful tube-riders. And there are some seriously gifted dwellers “stuck” in this country at present. Russ Bierke, Jack Robinson, Creed, Chun, Taj and his gen, etc.

Jacob threatens to outclass them all, forehand and backhand.