Johnny Rainbow
Name: John Hooper
Age: 26
Job: Insurance Consultant
Years Surfing: 6 years
Habitat: Cardiff but home town is Neath.
Boards: 3
Quiver: 6'10" 'Simon Anderson' shortboard (from Oz), 7'2" Gun, 6'1" 'Odd' retro fish.
Local Break: Used to be down the Gower, but now mostly go down Porthcawl although when I go home I take a trek back down the Gower! Got some mates down West Wales who I try and see when I can.
Places Surfed: Wales, Cornwall and Jersey.
Favourite Surf Films: Without a doubt "Big Wednesday" I love that film very funny, especially the Vietnam recruitment scene!
Worst Wipeout: There have been a lot, not so many these days though touch wood!
Worst, has to be when I was bodyboarding one stormy Winter many years ago. Was down Three cliffs with my mate - solid 6-8ft waves were steaming through. It started off stormy but then the wind dropped. Saw my mate on the horizon waving his arms madly, sneaker set coming through. Got past the 1st one ok, tried to duck the 2nd one but the wave was having none of it, popped my shoulder out.
I can remember feeling immense pain and then seeing a nasty looking lump in the area where my shoulder would be! Glad I was body boarding, as without flippers don't know if I would have been able to swim to the shore with one arm! Sat on the beach waiting for my mate, he lost his board as well as the sneaker set had got him too. He also popped me shoulder back in for me which was nice of him!
Favourite Manoeuvre: Going left crouching down and holding onto the rail with my back to the wave pretending to get tubed!!
Worst Surfing Habit: Dragging my back foot and taking ages to get to my feet.
Best Surfing Experience: Has to be Horton down Gower a few months back when I got tubed for the first time, not for long though.
Weirdest Surfing Experience: Surfing down the Gower and seeing some Seals in the line up.
Other Interests: I like most sports, I really like rugby and football. Also enjoy, music, boozing and partying!!!!
