What’s up MotoSurf Nation!
I had the pleasure of interviewing American MotoSurf racer Tyler Chenault this weekend in Keystone Heights, Florida. After this interview, I was able to witness Tyler’s first podium finish as a professional racer. I want to congratulate Tyler and wish him luck for the rest of the season!
Tyler Chenault’s Instagram: @chenaultracing
Watch Tyler show off his MotoSurfing skills above!
How did you get into MotoSurfing?
“Yeah, so I kinda just got pushed into it because I got into JetSurf Academy here in Florida. I really wanted to teach other people how to ride, and I never in a million years thought I’d be racing within my first year. Basically, I sold my house, sold everything I owned, went down to Miami, bought a bunch of boards, came back to Destin, FL and started an [JetSurf] Academy. Long story short, the only way I could make money is the fact that I rode 8 hours a day handing out waterproof business cards to hundreds and hundreds of people every day, until I made enough money to eat lunch and dinner, pay my bills…so that’s how I got really good, riding 8 hours a day. Then my first year, I actually raced in a MotoSurf World Championship event and placed 26th in the world, which I would consider the start of my career.”
How long have you been MotoSurf racing for?
“Since 2018!”
What is your favorite aspect about being a MotoSurf racer?
“Obviously, the community and everyone is super nice, but I’ve never been on a motorized surfboard and not been just smiling. Really, it’s the thrill and excitement of actually riding and being around other riders. Like I said, I can ride 8 hours a day by myself. But it’s way more fun to ride with other people compared to riding by yourself.”
How do you feel about the 2024 MotoSurf Games season so far?
“It’s going great, I just wish there were more races here in the States. I think we only have two on the schedule this year. I’d like to get some more in there in the future. It’s kind of hard to really see how far you’re growing unless you’re doing it every day, but I do see some improvements in my racing every year. Like I said I just wish we could race here more often.”
Where do you see the sport growing to in the future, especially with the news of MotoSurfing being in the China World Games next year?
“I think that’s awesome. We [America] are just behind compared to Europe and the rest of the world. It’s growing rapidly over there and I’m kind of jealous. That’s why me and a few other American racers are trying out best to push this sport in America. We see it becoming a big thing in America, it just may take a little longer than we want. But yeah, it’s really fun being a part of growing the sport right now, and hopefully we can get to where Europe is at, where they have 5 to 10 races every year. That would be pretty cool for America.”
Where is your favorite location to race at?
“I can tell you the ones I regret not going to, which includes Cancun and Dubai. I would love to go to those races. Because of business and personal reasons, I’ve only raced in America so far, just doing all the American races. But now I think I’m ready, my business is doing good now, to leave and compete in some races overseas. I’m talking to Antony [Squire] about going with him to Italy this year, which would be awesome if I could make it to a World Championship race overseas.”
What does training for a race look like?
“Yeah, so I started training Matt Glover down in Destin when he was 16 years old. He’s 18 now and he’s a beast. We’re neck and neck, and he lives near me. Both him and I have race courses set up, but his course behind his house is a really good location and we will go drop buoys and push each other. We only do that once every other week or so, but on a typical day I’d say I go out weekly for about two hours once or twice a day and just push it until my legs give out. I just try to keep riding for as long as I can, even when I’m tired. That’s what separates the good from the great racers, that endurance on the last couple of laps on each race.”
What is your favorite board to race with?
“I’m honestly really upset I didn’t buy a [JetSurf] Titanium back in 2018. I’d been racing with other boards up until the end of 2022. I got my first Titanium then, and I’ll never go back to a normal board. Having the Titanium compared to my old boards is an incredibly huge difference. The hull might be the biggest change, but the speed and having that extra 2 or 3 MPH makes a huge difference.”
Do you have a favorite race story you’d like to share?
“Oh there’s been a couple. Back in 2018, in my very first race on the very first turn, I fell down and got ran over. I ended up finishing 26th at Worlds. Another year, Ruby from England, he was down here racing and got knocked over on the first turn. Someone ended up hitting him, and it was a huge wreck. The video of the incident blew up on Instagram and got millions of views. Anyways, I had to jump over him and his board at the last second to avoid hitting him while he was in the water. I thought it was pretty clutch to jump over Ruby and not hurt him, but it was just right in front of me and I couldn’t go around. Pro racers have to always be ready to jump over opponents so they don’t hit the racer in the head and cause an injury.”
I want to thank Tyler for his time, and make sure to follow him on Instagram. While you’re at it, make sure to follow @motosurfnation for the latest news and events in MotoSurfing!
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