CJ Nelson’s recent moment of glory at the 2017 Mexi Log Fest and Duct Tape Invitational at La Saladita was inspirational on multiple levels. A sense of victory in a pair of contests not so concerned with victory was heightened by what it represented outside of surfing – a person making a true comeback from a dark place in life.

It’s no secret that Nelson has struggled with alcoholism and addiction. In an interview entitled The Ember In The Ashes with SURFER Magazine’s Asthton Goggons, Nelson recounted what it was like in the early 2000s when his focus on surfing started to slip away:

Surfing took a back seat in my life at that point. I was still surfing well, but I was getting really out of shape. I was super tired and gassed, more concerned with when I was gonna get my next drink than when I was gonna get my next wave. 

After loosing his father to cancer in 2012 he finally hit rock bottom:

I was at the bar one morning and I had been on a 10-day tear, up the whole time, near death. I looked around and thought, “I never want to feel this way again.” My dad would have been so ashamed of me. I couldn’t even ride my bike home, I was so wasted. I walked home and locked myself in my dad’s old house and slept for a week. I would wake up and have the worst shakes. Honestly, I should have gone to the hospital, because what I did could have killed me.

It was at that time when the renowned logging virtuoso started to pull himself out of the deep end and refocus his life. He started surfing more, eating healthier, and recalibrating his intentions. Since then he’s walked the walk (right up to the nose) and revamped his act – both in and out of the water, culminating in a double victory at both the 2017 Mexi Log Fest, and the Duct Tape Invitational at La Saladita.

Given his background and pivot in life, the win was profound for Nelson. As he stated about his spot on the podium in a more recent interview in SURFER Magazine with Davis Jones, “I feel on top of the world. It’s been such a long journey for me, getting sober and the whole deal. Coming here and being able to win both events is amazing.” 

Following through to the point of success, legitimacy, and accolades that come with two victories in one highly publicized, evolutionary set of surf competitions offered a true sense of validation for Nelson’s new direction. What remains to be seen now is how he rides this wave of success and carries momentum into the next phase.

Above is footage by Sean Keany of CJ surfing his way to victory.

Watch footage of Ryan Burch, Alex Knost, and Tommy Witt from the same event here.

Read more about the 2017 Mexi Log Fest at this link.

Go here to learn more about CJ Nelson Surfboard Designs.

sources and links:

www.surfer.com/features/the-ember-in-the-ashes/#1Po1CbzdsSKVbJfc.97

www.surfer.com/features/interview-cj-nelson-wins-duct-tape-invitational-and-mexi-log-fest/

http://cjnelsondesigns.com

featured photo from https://www.facebook.com/mexilogfest/