June 18, 1988 // Santa Cruz, California
Synopsis: A standout in a city of standouts, Austin has fought his way through the pack and has been recognized for his high-performance attack on small summer days and his lack of fear when big northwest swells roll through The Hook in wintertime. He spent 2008 focusing on the North American WQS and Pro Junior events, making five semis but no finals.
Variables: Being dropped by his sponsor, Rip Curl, in 2008 could hamper his ability to follow the WQS and travel extensively.
Forecast: With a new sponsor behind him, Austin could follow in the footsteps of Eastside greats like Peter Mel and Adam Replogle, who crafted surf careers centered around surfing anything and everything.