THE LIFE OF a pro-surfer sounds fanciful and idyllic; carving up waves, surfing paradisiacal locales and scooping up a few sponsors here and there to fund the lifestyle.
Lahinch-based Ollie O’Flaherty, an ambassador for C-Skins wetsuits and Globe boards, wouldn’t trade his lot for all the money in the world, even when that means coaching beginners in temperatures barely above freezing.
“To be part of mother nature and feel the energy surfing creates is truly special and I’ve seen and experienced things words just can’t describe,” O’Flaherty explains of his, erm, 9-5.
There are no waves he won’t surf (though Teahupo’o in Tahiti scares the hell out of him).
“They are the ones that give you the ultimate thrill and that’s the draw of the sport. If I’m out of the water more than a week I start getting withdrawals; I need salt in my veins!”
And the odd wipe-out is no bad thing either to make him feel alive. If you thought the life was cool, you’d be right.
Here’s just a day of it…
“A normal day for me, in the summer months anyway, starts around 8.30am.
“I do a lot of coaching and training so I start the day with a nice strong coffee, usually black with almond or coconut milk as well as a bowl of porridge with honey.
“I stay away from dairy as much as I can. I find I feel way better when I don’t eat it. I have a bowl of porridge, rocket fuel to keep me going for hours.
9am: I’ll usually go and do a yoga session to get my body moving.
I came to yoga about three years ago and it changed the way I approach my training. It relieved a lot of my niggles and back injuries and it clears my head like nothing else.
10am: I’ll have my first of two coaching sessions which are both two hours long. I love coaching and have recently set up Ollie’s Surf Academy in Lahinch where I cater for intermediate and advanced surfers trying to get to the next level.
2pm: Time for some lunch and I eat a lot at a local cafe in Lahinch because they’ve amazing salads.
Most likely I’ll have mixed leaves, mixed seeds, chick peas, turkey, goats cheese, some balsamic vinegar and lots of water to get hydrated before I go for a surf in the afternoon.
4pm: After a surf I’ll either hit the gym or keep surfing, depending on the conditions.
In the gym I focus on high-intensity workouts with short rest periods to get my explosive fitness the best it can be.
I’ll end with a light swim session and a breath-holding session to prepare for big wipe-outs when I surf big waves; fail to prepare, prepare to fail, as they say.
6.30pm: Dinner time! I like to pack it with lots of veg and meat and a small amount of carbs. One of my favourites is chicken paella, as my girlfriend is from the Basque region of Spain she cooks some incredible food.
8pm: Time to chill out with Netflix and off to bed about 11pm.”
Flaherty is one of a number of hugely dedicated surfers who populate the west coast of Ireland throughout the year. In fact, of all the places he’s travelled, he reckons the best surf is less than two hours from his front door.
“Waves like Aileen’s and Mullaghmore are among the best in the world and I’m blessed to be able to call them local spots.
“It’s one part of surfing that’s incredible and has brought me all over the planet – though I love it where I am - I do get to travel a lot and last year I was in Portugal, Morocco and northern Spain chasing waves. But the best waves are to be had in Co Clare and in Sligo.”
He knows he’ll never be rich from the sport, but that was never the intention.
“Surfing to me is everything and it’s been the main focus of my life from a very young age I got into it at the age of four when my uncle Alan Coyne pushed me into my first waves.
“He brought me surfing for years and taught me a lot of the things that got me to where I am now.
“It’s has given me a life I could only have dreamt of, and an adrenaline rush I never tire from.”
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
Come on spurs. Destroy those deluded fools.
The irony.
Liverpool fans are the most deluded on this planet. Everyone knows that.
Yidds are in cookoo land
Coming from a United supporter still in denial
How are Spurs delusional? Ask City…
Spurs fans have been deluded since their Champions League dizziness.
Spurs on their day can beat any team in that league; consistency is the problem more so than delusion. The ability is there in droves.
Karol is 100% bang on. Liverpool fans think they are a title winning side that can still compete in the champions league. They’re a mid table club as best. Or as Carragher once said. “Liverpool are no longer a big club”.
Yeah a lot of fans are deluded, sure many united fans thought they were favourites to win the league a few weeks ago. Back where they belong? Hilarious.
Lads, does Ron know United are 3rd and 2 points off top?
Ron, City lodt 4-1 to spurs, a lesser side than Aresnal. Don’t write United off just yet
Ironic, so biased
All football fans are biased when it comes to the team they support, its human nature.
Carol and Loner are correct, they have accepted that Man U are average and have moved on.
Another few hundred million and the league cup is within your sights. The idea of a spurs fan calling Liverpool fans deluded is embarrassing for them
I’m not a Spurs fan.
How on earth are our 3 main strikers all injured?
Liverpool fans must be delighted with a manager actually playing Can and Lucas together in midfield.
Come on the pool !!!
And why is anyone even surprised that Daniel Sturridge is out injured, sick note head on him
He’s hardly making it up, and is fairly useful when he is fit.
Will take a draw
2-2 is 11/1 with PP
Jeasus he’s no-one up front to choose from .. Hope it goes well for him YNWA
For his first game he has a pitiful choice of players.
Come come now. The Liverpool squad is full of promising young players, it’s a bit harsh to be writing them off. I know for a fact if anyone of them played for United you’d have a different perspective. Biased, simple as…..
Come on Kloppo!
3-1 to the Pool!
YNWA
Wouldn’t get ahead of yourself there, I got a back lashing the last time I gave a prediction. It will a good game however.
You’re not calling him Kloppo already are you. Oh God.
Ah Chris is back!!!! I LOL with his prediction in the arsenal game how do you call it today Chris?
Alan B = Pathetic.
Not as pathetic as your predictions Christopher
Difference is Alan B, I can say I got it wrong and acknowledge it.
Where there is you, whom keeps sprouting crap on this site.
I can imagine Alan B having really greasy hair and needs glasses because of all the time he’s spent looking at a computer screen.
You do know the journal is available as an app on smartphones unknown you don’t have to log on to your computer to read it
What’s your prediction today Christopher?
Chris, I would have predicted this would turn into a slagging match.
3 – 1 Spurs with Kane 1st goalscorer
Make that 2-1 and I’d agree with you
What’s your prediction in the united game?
1-1 draw
Mine was 0-3 ! Was I close ….
I’ve had a bet with my Liverpool supporting nephew that whoever loses has to send the other a photo naked in a shopping center. Please win Spurs !!!
@Shakka
Could turn out to be the worst bet of your life.
Come on da Pool!
why do you want to see your nephew naked?
Are you his aunt or uncle. Too weird either way
Please tell me your nephew is over 18 at least.
I’d go into the jacks in one and send one from there. you should have been more specific
Or a changing room
Which shopping centre?
What was the plan in case of a draw?
Well, a patched up team, against a very good team that destroyed Man City…. Sorry to disappoint deluded Man U fans, but Liverpool have a manager who is going to reinvent this club, bring them back to where they belong….. Will take time, but it will happen.
Yeah shoring up the defense has to be the priority but Liverpool did get a few chances in the second half. Spurs were the better team but not by enough to deserve the win.
And having faith in some players….Sakho for example.
Sakho Sh!te