Angus Scotney

2016 was a bum year for mangoose. But he's bouncing back...

When and how did you manage to injure yourself anyway?

I’d just been knocked out of my quarter final in a QS event in Portugal. I wasn't p*ssed, I was actually pretty stoked with the result. I was super amped for a surf straight after, I wanted to try the biggest airs I could on the first section, just like the guys in my heat. First wave I landed a one, the second was not so clean. As I landed to spin round from an air reverse, my back leg slipped off the back of my board. With my front leg still on the board, my knee buckled inwards under my weight. I felt (and heard) a very painful snap in my knee. It continued to collapse inwards until it hit the board, so my knee was sort-of folded sideways. I couldn't even walk up the beach, I had to get carried.

Best time wasting tips when you can’t walk?

Being injured for a long time was one of the most beneficial thing that’s ever happened to me. I didn't feel like I wasted any time, it all went so quickly! When you're injured you realise you don't have to go surfing all day or go up the coast for some swell or go to a competition, you find you have a lot of time on your hands!

But for me I spent most of my injury time pretty busy doing four things: holiday, work, seeing friends and working out. I started my injury following my friends around a few QS events in France with my girlfriend, it was fun but not quite as good when you're watching. We were only supposed to go for a few weeks, but ended up going for five. I couldn't surf, obviously, so we just decided to drive to all the major non-surf destinations in Europe. We drove through France, Italy, Germany and Switzerland. I had only passed my driving test a few months prior so the trip so definitely a steep learning curve.