// Jai Lee
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Maestro - Livin’ a Life Of Jai Lee - |
| Classic Malibu Team Rider, Jai Lee, isn’t your run-of-the-mill character. Moving to Noosa at a young age, Jai felt the draw of the points early in his surfing life. |
 Trully a tip-time genius, Jai can clock pinkies over for ridiculous counts and in the meagrest of ripples. (photo: Andrew Carruthers) |
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You may have noticed that Jai Lee hasn’t been seen around the contest traps lately. Becoming an elusive Miki Dora / Michael Peterson character, only appearing on rare occasions to remind the nay-sayers and sceptics just how good good can be, has become Lee’s modus operandi. Lee’s intentional retreat from the competition has not dampened his profile. Endorsements and media attention still flow his way, a sponsorship from Rhythm Clothing keeping him in apparel and numerous magazine articles and images keeping him in the limelight. Jai’s primary focus now is in paint. Having spent his earlier years taking texters to foam, he fast advanced to canvas creations. Graphics for Rhythm, art exhibitions and commissions of various kinds have nurtured Jai’s artistic flair. Meanwhile, Jai has signed up with the family business, working under his father on the other side of painting, giving houses, units and buildings a fresh coat. His freesurfing, sub-cultural image has struck a chord with many surfers, keen to pursue a surfing lifestyle but dodging the harsh glare of over-commercialism. To these kindred spirits, Lee has become somewhat of an icon and he will often swing by the Classic Malibu shaping bays to ink an original masterpiece onto a custom surfboard destined for local national, even international hands. Though Jai admits himself to being “over the whole competition thing”, his drawing back from the multitude of commitments he has shouldered over the years has ulterior motivation. Though an eternal grommet himself, Jai will soon have a new protégé – early in 2009, Jai Lee will be answering to a new name. That name? Daddy… |
