In surfing, being labelled a Waxhead is a term of endearment. A loose definition would go something like this…

Waxhead - a person who engages in the surfing culture who spends every spare minute of their day either surfing, thinking about surfing or talking about surfing.

The explanation is pretty accurate when describing Matt ‘The Waxhead’ Chojnacki.

He’s an interesting cat; a self-professed surf nerd, WSL Longboard Tour surfer, part-time judge, coach and all-round frother of wave riding. Matt draws inspiration from a by-gone era and surfs a variety of retro and longboard surfboards inspired by the 60’s and 70’s. His roots lie deep in longboarding, but he’s partial to riding more contemporary craft, switching to pointier nose quads, twins, and cruisers when the waves suit.

Early in his surfing life Matt would develop a close friendship with legend Bob McTavish, who would become a mentor and major influence in and out of the water. Their relationship is underpinned by a thirst for design and form, so it’s little wonder Matt’s knowledge of surfing history and equipment runs deep. In the water, the similarities in styles are uncanny, although Matt has added a modern flare to a traditionally viewed approach. His surfing is delightful to watch.

There’s also another side to Matt which further expands his love of form and function. As a side gig, Matt restores classic cars, literally stripping them back to bare frame and metal, then rebuilding them into beautiful collector’s items. It’s a skill passed on from his dad, and Matt easily draws parallels to his ‘day job’ and his passion for surfing.

It’s little wonder Matt is also a total geek when it comes to fins and hardware. Having had a long-term relationship with FCS, Matt recently designed a new signature longboard fin, which in his opinion, is a perfect allrounder that delivers pivoting prowess off the tail while still allowing for confident nose riding.