‘Surfing is part of who I am’ - Andrew Cotton explains why breaking his back would never break his will to surf again

For professional athletes, the dynamics of elite performance and injury prevention is very much a balancing act; a decision process which pits ambition against risk assessment.

Serious injury can change lives, cut short careers and have a devastating effect on the mentality of an athlete.

For those in the realm of extreme sports, this line becomes even finer.

Big-wave surfer Andrew Cotton found out the hard way.

The 38-year-old was filming a documentary in November 2017 at the infamous Praia do Norte, near the fishing village of Nazare, in Portugal.

Having caught a couple of big waves - including one that was submitted for the World Surf League’s Big Wave Award - Cotton took on another.

It would leave him in what he would later describe as ‘a world of pain’.

He had broken l2 vertebrae in the lower part of his back.

Remembering the events that day, Cotton told Standard Sport: “I remember thinking in the seconds after I came of the board ‘oh, I won’t be able to get back out today’.

“Then when I was in the ambulance I thought ‘well, maybe not this week.’ Even when I was lying in hospital I was rationalising that I would at least be able to get back before the end of the season.

“I had to accept that I needed time to recover, listen to my body and be realistic about when I could get back on a board. But never going back at all? It never crossed my mind.”

That day in Nazare, Cotton was out on the water with his tow partner, Hugo Vau. While the two were working together, surfing is an individual sport, one person and the water.

But while the sport creates a liberating feeling when all is going well, when things go wrong, the lack of support structure can make the solitary life of a surfer a daunting struggle.

“It can be quite isolating and to an extent I didn’t fully appreciate before,” Cotton admitted.

“I went and did a workshop with a local rugby team and seeing how they all band together brought home how much everything rests solely on my shoulders.

“Some days were harder than others. The initial stages of rehab were really tedious and it was hard to feel like I was making any progress.

“I decided to focus on what I could do, rather then what I couldn’t. I missed a load of great waves, but I went to watch my mates surf them.

“It helped give me a bit of perspective and keep my end goal in sight. I knew where I wanted to be, so I just looked ahead and cracked on.”

Surfing has been a part of Cotton’s life since he was first tackling small swells on the Devon coast, while also learning his trade as a plumber before turning pro.

Despite the setback over the last five months, Cotton has no intentions of slowing down following his recovery. In tandem with General Tire, Cotton returned to Nazare this month to begin the next stage of his career.

“I wouldn’t say that breaking my back was the best thing that’s ever happened to me, but it has given me time and space to appreciate what I have,” Cotton adds.

“If I had to retire now, I would be absolutely gutted because there are a load of ambitions that I haven’t achieved yet.

“So this time away has helped made me more focused and ready to take on the next challenge. Returning to Nazare is the first step on this new journey.

“Surfing is what I do. It’s part of who I am. And, besides, there’s a lot more I want to achieve.”

Find out more about General Tire's 'Anywhere is Possible' campaign and their work with Andrew Cotton on their website and YouTube channel.