Twenty three years after he won Bells as a sixteen year old grom, nineteen years after he won the Billabong Pro at Sunset, he's back. Nicky Wood - or as he's now known, Nick Wood - has won a wildcard into this weekends Breaka Burleigh Pro courtesy of a promotional competition by the sponsor.

And what better excuse to dig through my old surf mags!

Here's a visual retrospective of a grom life lived in the public spotlight. //STUART NETTLE

(Archive material courtesy of Tracks, Waves, Wetside and Rip Curl)