Stephen Hill

By chubbard

Name: Stephen Hill (Hilly).

Age: 30.

Lives: Barnstaple, Braunton, Shanghai China.

Surfs: Mostly Croyde.

How long have you been surfing? 17 years.

What got you involved with surfing? Hanging out with older skating guys when I was young and they just dragged me along one day — the rest is history.

Who rips in North Devon? Billy Saunders, Cotty, Nigel Cross, Alex Baker, Rannochan, Charlie Charlesworth, Sarah Whitely.

Who's the best up-and-coming surfer in the area? It's between Alex Baker and Lyndon Wake.

What's your most memorable session and why? Winter at Croyde. Wide open barrels with no one around.

What is the best thing about surfing for you? Barrels.

What would you say to people wanting to get involved with the sport? Maybe get some lessons, respect the ocean and people around you.

Where else have you surfed in the world? France, Canary Islands, Indonesia, China.

How does North Devon compare to other global surf spots? Apart from being fairly cold, grey and windy in the winter, on its day it holds its own.

What's the worst thing about surfing? Being stuck at work while the whole of Devon texts and phones you to tell you how good the waves are today and how you should be at the beach for low tide.

What about surf schools, anything to say? I guess they are good for the local economy and kind of teach people the basic rules of the ocean.

Have you had any nasty injuries surfing? Landed on the rocks a few times, couple of black eyes, broken my nose, hurt my back pretty bad when I was younger, but other than that I have been pretty lucky considering some of the situations I've been in.

Best wave you've surfed? It's between Changgu left, Indonesia or low tide Croyde.

Most overrated wave? Most of Newquay.

Most underrated wave? Has to be the Mexican Wave, it works real well when everybody joins in.

What do you think about competitive surfing? It's not my cup of tea.

Anything else to say? Yeah, thanks to my sponsors, Glen at Surfedout, the guys from Alder Wetsuits and Matty from Undaground Clothing Company. Also is it wrong to cross dress? I just like to wear women's clothes.