Gordon Fontaine is a second year BA Marketing student who became the 2010 British University & Colleges Sport Surf Championships at Fistral Beach, Newquay. You may have seen the dedicated poster up in The Atrium. We had a chat with him to find out more about him, surfing and being a BU student.
How did you get into surfing?
I started surfing at the age of 9. My father used to windsurf and we were just bodyboarding until we finally decided to stand up (on the bodyboard) and start hiring real surfboards. I’ve never stopped since.
Did you come to Bournemouth University because of the beach or because of the marketing course?
I came to Bournemouth Uni for both the beach and the marketing course. I had heard about the artificial reef being built and thought there would be some waves down there, so it was ideal!
Are your future plans to combine the two at all?
My future plans are indeed to combine the two! My initial plan however was to make it as a pro surfer (make a living out of just surfing), which is one of the reasons I moved to England from France. I am still on this path but if that fails I know I will be able to count on a good marketing degree.
Do you think the Students’ Union at Bournemouth provides enough opportunity for students to get involved with beach activities?
It seems like the Students’ Union has a few beach related clubs, who can organise such activities so I’d say they’re doing a good job!
Tell us about your recent successes as a surfer?
I recently finished 2nd on the UK Professional Surf Tour (second time in a row!). I am pretty happy about that result but hoping to clinch the title this year.
How do you balance being a student and surfing?
It is very hard to balance student life and surfing. Obviously the university requires a lot of studying and time spent behind a desk, but surfing takes a lot of time, too. And it’s not just about going out for a surf. In my situation I’m having to promote myself as much as possible, deal with sponsors and magazines, organise trips and photoshoots and just be on it 24/7! So yeah I’d say it is very hard to combine both at the moment.
What’s your number one best surf moment?
It’s very hard to pick a number one best moment with surfing because there’s just so many! I went on a boat trip to the Mentawaii Islands in Indonesia a couple of summers ago with a bunch of friends, getting photos and surfing absolute perfect waves. That’s definitely one of the best moments!
What’s your number one best moment being a student at Bournemouth University/marketing opportunity?
Getting to learn practical applications of marketing that I can apply to either my self promotion or my girlfriend’s business on a day to day basis is probably the best thing about being a student!
- Courtenay Bayly