Growing up in a small town just outside Forster New South Wales, Tim Matley never pursued cold-water surfing – until he met the love of his life. You can Shop Tim's favourite base layers here.
With his easy-going nature, blonde hair and permanent tan, Tim is the iconic Australian surfer that we all know, or want to.
“I grew up in a tiny town called Diamond Beach, four hours’ north of Sydney. [It was] a town where, back then, you had to make your own fun. That’s where I developed my passion for surfing, following my father and brother.”
Tim recalls how his interest sparked: “for me it wasn't just about standing up on the waves… I really enjoyed learning about the ocean and learning how to read the ocean. It’s always fascinated me and still does. I guess it’s the feeling of the unknown that I love, and that’s why I really enjoy travelling and experiencing new places to surf”.
Initially, Tim divided his time between the warm waters of Australia and Indonesia but became drawn to cold-water surfing after he entered the prestigious Lofoten Masters. The competition is claimed as “the most northern surfing contest in the world”.
Tim’s venture into cold-water surfing can largely be ascribed to matters of the heart. “Travelling to cold-water destinations was never high on my list – until I met my girlfriend, Guro, from Norway”.
“The beauty of Lofoten totally blew my mind, and to see the Northern Lights for the first time left me speechless”.
Tim and Guro were “lucky enough” to win the Masters in the male and female divisions, despite the bitterly cold conditions.
“A week later was told I would be featured in the New York Times [read the article here], and then shortly after I was contacted by Andrew from Bluey Merino. As soon as he told me about the product and values of the company I was super-excited”.
Tim and Guro continue to travel, surf and venture into the unknown together. Tim, with his new love for cold-water surfing, stays toasty with Bluey Merino layers – both in the water and out.
“I have been loving the Bluey jacket and the shirts for hiking. I also wore base layers underneath my wetsuit and was impressed how warm they kept me… I’m really excited to try them on the next trip we have planned to Iceland. Cheers and thanks for keeping me toasty.”
images © Tim Matley, 2017