Last week Matt Lackey announced his departure from the Billabong stable. It is now just Rocky left on the roster of the surfing superpower from a trio that once also included Ryan Hardy. Here he says it was a choice of his own making and

Movement: Can you name the new label yet? 

Lackey: Not as yet. Next week or so and we can go legal.

Movement: Without giving too much away, how hard is it when negotiations break down with a sponsor you've had for so long and whose employees are also your friends?

Lackey: Woody Sedgman is the bodyboarding team manager there at Billabong. I’ve known Woody since I was a grommet doing all the contest scene and travelling together. We were really good mates so when Woody became the team manager at Billabong it became really easy with negotiations, no beating around the bush, no bullshit involved - it was great. This year was no different. I had actually accepted a new contract with Billabong for 2010, but Woody was out of the office for most of January, so the contract was sitting on the desk and I just hadn’t had the chance to sign. Then this opportunity came up, it was a huge decision to leave Billabong, but once I saw these new wetsuits and the potential, I was amped to be part of it so the decision wasn’t hard. Plus financially I’ll be making the most money I’ve ever been on. Once I locked everything in with the new company I had a meeting with Billabong and told them the news, which totally took Woody by surprise. He pulled out the contract and I said, “Sorry Woody, it’s not looking like ill be signing”. But he’s a good mate so he totally understood. I have nothing bad to say about Billabong. They have helped me out plus they’re putting money into bodyboarding so we’ll take every cent of it! I guess the best feeling for me was being able to leave Billabong for a bodyboarding company. It shows that our sport can support itself. We have our own quality clothing and wetsuit companies, we don’t have to buy from surfing labels. I know people keep saying it, but if you’re a true bodyboarder you should be only buying from bodyboarding companies, it’s the only way our sport will grow and move forward. Bodyboarding is going off in its own direction, a lot like skateboarding has with its own hundred percent skate labels, so I see a bright future. But I’d like to thank Woody, he’s holding the fort for the bodyboarders in there at Billabong, without him who knows where it would be.

Movement: Where have you been travelling/surfing lately? What's the latest with the vid? 

Lackey: To tell you the truth I’ve been sitting on my arse surfing D-bah everyday. Last year I was travelling for almost ninety percent of the year, so I’ve been amped just surfing around home, perfectly fine with me, but sponsors don’t really like that too much, so I’ve got to look alive and get on a plane real soon. The Lackey Project is raging. I’ve been working a lot with Dylan Lee - the fucker rips. He lives right next to me so we surf D-bag together a lot, and we’ve been nailing a lot of good footage. I’m looking to release it towards the end of the year, I want it to be good, I don’t want any half arsed shit in there, even if it ends up a short video with just the best shit, that’s what I’ll do. It’s not going to be an emotional roller coaster through my life, it’s going to be nothing but the best tail throwing, amping shit I can find! 

Right now, dropkneers literally have no new vids that they can watch and get amped on, you might find a small DK section in a vid, but no full throttle mayhem devoted to DK. Plus the Roach footage is mental, need I say more?