While Nat Young keeps things down on Santa Cruz’s Westside, Austin Smith Ford is busy keeping it quite real on the Eastside. Maybe not boasting the same competitive accolades as Nat, what Austin lacks in trophies he more than makes up for in bravado. Raised on the playground that is Pleasure Point and The Hook, for some time now Austin has been poking around up north of town where the swells have a little more power and the sharks a little more size. Becoming more and more comfortable in the heavy stuff, like Santa Cruz forefathers Barney, Flea and Rat Boy who made a name for themselves at Maverick’s, Austin has also developed quite the aerial repertoire. East or west, the future of Santa Cruz is in good hands.