“So you want to talk about the great Gold Coast tragedy, as I call it,” cackles Lennix “the Beagle” Smith. Back in 2025, the Shellharbour-born and bred Smith decided to move to the Gold Coast. It was felt that surfing alone, in a small town, albeit in quality waves, didn’t provide the competitive environment needed to compete against the world’s best in comps in s%#$ waves. He would also be closer to elite coaching and training facilities run by Surfing Australia.
Spoiler alert: it didn’t work out.
“For the six months that I was out there, I barely even surfed, cause it was one foot and onshore, and there were 500 people out,” he said. “Why would I even want to go out in that?”
And if he was rattled by the mix of crowds, he was almost allergic to the training that now comes as part of the package of being an elite competitive surfer. “I’m trying to get better, but I need someone there telling me every single second, ‘come on, Lenno, come on.’ Otherwise, I'm just hopeless,” he admitted.
So, the Beagle beat it back home. His first week back coincided with a fresh run of swell and offshores on the slabs at home. If there was any chance of him ever leaving home base again (another spoiler: there isn’t) the start of this year’s swell run further cemented his belief that he’s in the right place to achieve his lofty goals. He reckons he couldn’t even count the number of barrels he scored at home as it became a blur, shrouded in spit, tubes and beatdowns.
You can see the two sides of Lennix's personality battling for attention. He’s talented, funny, good natured. He was brought up in a small town with a humour and work ethic as dry and hard-baked as the slabs that surround it. You take the piss, you get the piss taken. Work hard, play hard, walk quietly, carry a big stick. And send it when it matters, whether you are alone or not.
Words by Ben Mondy
Footage Supplied by Aron Cox & Zach Bowden