MATT Banting will spend most of his 25th birthday in the air somewhere between Sydney and South Africa.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Port Macquarie product will then hit the water next Monday aiming for another strong showing at the Ballito Pro as he continues his climb back onto surfing's world stage.
Currently, he sits in second position on the Qualifying Series with a top 10 finish at the end of the year required which would see him re-qualify for the world tour.
"I haven't really had any competitions of consequence since Japan in late May," Banting said.
"I had a third-round result there which wasn't ideal because I didn't get the waves."
But that disappointment is a thing of the past as Banting looks to finish the year claiming as many points on offer as possible.
"I've got a whole stack of 6000s and 10,000s (point events) in the back half of the year so there's a whole bunch of points up for grabs," he said.
Banting is focused on making the most of the second half of the year, but without the added pressure of expectation.
He simply just wants to surf.
"It's a long year ahead, but South Africa is very similar to back home and I've got a couple of new boards as well," he said.
"I'm feeling really fit, been surfing a bunch and it will be good to have a few new boards under my feet.
"There are no expectations over there (in South Africa), I'll just go out and give it my best shot."
What else is happening in sport?
While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox from the Port Macquarie News. To make sure you're up to date with all the news, SIGN UP HERE.