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Subscriber only The Smales brothers are making waves on the surfing circuit as they prepare to take on the nation s best at the Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles on Friday. The popular Noosa duo, 17-year-old Kaiden and 14-year-old Landen, are ranked 1 and 2 in Queensland in the under 18 mens longboard. Landen is also the reigning Australian champion under 18 logger, a title he hopes to defend at the Australian Longboard Championships at Port Macquarie in August. The grom was the youngest surfer to win an Australian title back in 2019, when he was just 12 years old. We re looking forward to heading down to Aussie titles this year to defend title, Landen said.
Last modified on Sun 14 Feb 2021 11.32 EST
Some people call him the rainbow lorikeet because he flies so high over the water. When Otis Hope Carey is surfing, when he is in the ocean, he is home. Coming down a wave, down those blue-green walls, he seems to dance. An important spiritual symbol of the Gumbaynggirr people, the ocean – called “gaagal” in that language – and the country around it is where Carey came from and where he will go.
His parents first brought him to the beach, at Coffs Harbour, when he was a week old. The pro surfer, painter and father, now 32, has never really left it.