Timmys Back

HB pro Timmy Reyes is all healed and “ready to do some damage”

It’s been a long, hard year for HB’s best surfer, Timmy Reyes. The Foster’s World Tour sophomore was enjoying a strong, consistent year in 2006 when he tore ligaments in his knee while competing at the O’Neill Coldwater Classic at Steamer Lane. Initially thought to be only a minor tear, Timmy postponed surgery because he thought it would heal on its own. But when it didn’t get better, he finally went under the knife. And as any knee surgery patient will tell you, it takes a long-ass time to recover.

But Reyes remained upbeat. He stayed out of the water for a few months, but then started a paddling regimen that made the time fly. “It’s weird,” says Timmy. “Because on the one hand, you’re totally spinning that you’re off the tour. But on the other hand, you take a step back, realize how fortunate you are and become so much more disciplined with everything. I don’t consider myself a pro surfer anymore, I consider myself a pro athlete. And I need to treat my body that way.”

His long road to recovery was finally confirmed during a Labor Day mission down to Baja with O’Neill bossman Garth Tarlow. According to Reyes: “I surfed so much, I came home and slept for two straight days.” He considers himself at 85 percent now, and while he doesn’t feel the consistency is there yet, he’s ready to “go out and do some damage.”

That damage may or may not have to wait. Two weeks ago, he didn’t think he was ready to compete at the Boost Mobile Pro at Trestles. But after his Mexico mission, Timmy scrambled to get into the event to no avail. His spot already went to another wildcard – Sunny Garcia, and they’re now all waiting to see if Garcia’s parole officer will let him surf in the event. “Either way, I’m fine with it,” says Timmy. “Sunny’s my friend, and I hope he gets to surf. But I promise you this: I will be wearing a jersey at the Quiksilver Pro France. And I can’t wait.”

[Note: In other knee-injury news, Damien Hobgood reinjured that fractured kneecap while surfing and will likely miss the next three events. Deep in the hunt for his first world title, Hobgood’s injury couldn’t have been more untimely.]

 

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