The science of youth and experience

Being the greatest champion in the sport doesn’t necessarily make you the greatest influence on future generations. Whether out of altruism or as grooming for a future on his company’s payroll, Mike Stewart has a history of hand selecting talented groms and offering them personal tutorage, guidance on the North Shore and making them the envy of kids the world over.

While some have gone on to greatness others have gone nowhere. What part Stewart played is completely circumspect, but the air of expectation that accompanies his blessings is undoubtedly great, especially on young minds.

Tom Rigby is the latest candidate and agrees that a place on the Science team is more than just a board sponsor. “It means I have a good sponsor as well as a mentor, which you can’t get with any other company. I’ve learnt heaps from Mike already and the more I travel with him the more I learn.”

It was only a few hours after arriving back in Australia that Rigby came to meet us, ignoring obvious jetlag to have a video camera pointed in his face for an hour. He is a week into his seventeenth year and already has a ninth place on the IBA World Tour to accompany his pro win on the Australian Tour that he achieved at 16. He’s shoulders above any Australian his age and has a future as big as he wants if he can form a symbiotic relationship with the man who, after winning in Chile, is again the number one rider in the world while being well into his forties.

It was strawberries to accompany the champagne for Mike, who, via email, sounded just as pleased for his young charge as he did about his own victory. “This was one of the biggest events of the year, and perhaps the most important for many, so it makes his march that much more impressive. After winning his way to the to the round of 16, he then won his first top 16 heat, beating the current world champion in the process, who, I might add, was in form.”

Chancing the kiss of death, Stewart went on to say: “(Tom) surfs and competes with a style and sophistication way beyond his just-turned-17 years. I would have to say that he is the most complete young rider I have ever seen.” (Cue breakdown?)

While being his first IBA World Tour event, Chile was also Rigby’s first chance to hang with the whole Science team. “It’s really international: me from Australia, Mark McCarthy from South Africa, Magno from Brazil and Mike from Hawaii, so that’s pretty cool. They’re all really focussed when it comes to the comp, which is good, it gets you in the right frame of mind.”

On the team he’s built by hand, Stewart says it’s not all about pure performance, but some specific qualities that makes an ideal candidate, notably these: “A good person with an honourable character; a good work ethic; open minded; and exceptional riding skills.”

At the moment Stewart is the best example his young stable can have, a tenth world title now a reality as he leads the Tour into the European leg. When asked if he would retire if he landed another title, Stewart said he had “no idea at this stage”, but added, perhaps prophetically, “these trips are very long and (it’s) difficult for me to be away from my family.”

Owning it at 17. 

Still owning it at 40-something (it's rude to ask, don't you know?). Mike at the Zone.

The ever photogenic Master Rigby.

60 Minutes styling.

Movement's new intern.