In two weeks the first Challenger Series event will begin in Newcastle, and Josh Kerr will join daughter Sierra on the five-stop tour. 

It seems only a matter of time till Sierra breaks through to the CT, and considering the recent form of CT-retirees, no-one would be surprised if Josh made it back there too.

Since retiring from top-level competition at the end of 2017, Kerr has become a twin fin disciple. It's not an unexpected turn. Many freshly-retired surfers say they felt hidebound by a surfing criteria that corralled them onto Thrusters. Once off tour and free to ride different equipment, they blossom in ways the tour wouldn't allow.

Mikey February is the most recent example of that phenomenen.

While the conformity is understandable, it's been a long-held hope of mine that someone would force the issue and begin riding something other than a 6'0" rounded-square Thruster in competition. Perhaps they could serve up something different, force the judges to look at surfing a different way, and set themselves apart in the process.

Noting that Kelly has ridden Akila Aipa and Mike Woo twins when the surf was small, yet hoping the behaviour would become more common.

Well, Josh Kerr is making a start on that.

Twin versatility: Josh charging over the lip and under it (Draft Surf)

In Newcastle and at all other stops on the Challenger Series he'll be riding twin fins. "I'm planning on riding twinnys mainly through the Challenger Series," Josh told Swellnet.

He won't be riding them exclusively, adding that, "there might be the rare time I jump on a quad for certain conditions."

No Thrusters, though.

He's unfazed by the chance of sub-par surf, times when a Thruster might seem a better choice. "It should be pretty fun," says Josh, "especially if we get some good waves along the way."