ON THE WATER

His style is new-school. His aerodynamics on the water earned him a reputation as a mathematical genius. He's unofficially the best surfer in South Carolina. And according to local, veteran pro-surfer Gregg Elliot, Kyle Busey has the moves to battle the waves with internationally known pros such as Kelly Slater.

"All I'm sayin', is that if Kyle Busey and Kelly Slater competed in 10 heats," Elliot paused for emphasis, "Kelly wouldn't win 'em all. That's some big damn words, but I got the credentials to back it up."

But somehow, this 22-year-old surfer dude from James Island emerges from the white water with a regular-sized head on his tanned shoulders.

He picked up the U.S. Surfing Federation National title at age 14, was named the 2002 South Carolina State Surfing Champion, won his division in state "a few times," and has competed in 40 to 60 competitions worldwide (Kyle can't remember exactly how many). But this grounded guy always finds a minute for friends, a few beers and some Kenny Chesney.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT SURFING? The independence, : and how it gives you an opportunity to travel. And it keeps you in shape.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU CATCH A WAVE? Freedom : That's a good word for it. It's just good to clear your head. It's good to get in the water. It relieves stress, it's carefree. Whatever is going on in your life at the time : you can always just go surf and it takes it all away for a minute.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO SURFING? Inevitability, living in Charleston. My mom had a board laying around and I took it out one day. A lot of older surfer guys taught me, and my friends took me out a few times and showed me the ropes and stuff like that. But I taught myself mostly.

TELL ME ABOUT THE BEST WAVE YOU'VE EVER RIDDEN? In Hawaii, it was like having a seven-story building in front of you. : Cape Patterson was really fun. I can't narrow it down to one wave or anything : California's been really good, in San Diego. I think California's been the best. I've been out there nine different times.

HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH YOUR TRICKS? You see them on surf videos and stuff, and I think about how to do it in my head and how to approach it. Once you get it down a couple of times, it comes pretty naturally.

YOU DON'T GET SCARED? I used to be scared to do big aerial maneuvers on big waves, but then by the time I was 17 years old, it just went away. I guess I got big. I'm like 6'3" now, so the waves aren't that big to me anymore.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN HURT? (laughs) Yes. All last year I was out of the water. I went to Cape Patterson (Australia) and cut my head wide open.

DID YOU GET STITCHES? No, I should have. It was like a 13- to 14-foot wave : Anyway, the board hit my head. I could fit my whole pinky in it. Then I tore my MCL, and right when that healed I broke my ankle in August. It still clicks.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP? My parents separated when I was 6 months old : going back between houses. It wasn't a troublesome type of childhood, but it was a lot different then all my friends. I lived in a low-class neighborhood. I had to grow up real fast.

DOES YOUR FAMILY SUPPORT YOUR SURFING? They didn't : And then I started doing well. They gave me kind of a time frame. If you don't do something by 18, you gotta give it up and go to college : Then my dad passed away when I was 18. My mom supports me. She wishes I would put a little more time and effort into it, you know, like, commit more. But I think that takes all the fun out of it.

WHOM DO YOU ADMIRE? My mom. : My grandma passed away - she loved my surfing. My dad. In terms of surfing, there's a lot of undiscovered talent around here : Sean Ducker, Patrick Evers, Jacob Stackland, Anthony Osmund, the Thomas brothers. And Gregg Elliot, of course. Gotta throw that out there.

HOW DO YOU PAY THE BILLS? Mostly I do odd jobs. Renovating homes and construction. Surf lessons in the summer are always good.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WORST JOBS YOU'VE HAD? Shoveling dirt, building a playground, construction, electrical work, building docks. I've done a lot : Any manual labor they offered : Washing dishes at a restaurant. Landscaping was pretty bad.

WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO? Everybody hates on me, but mostly just country. And old-school rock like Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd. I roll into The Washout listening to country, and everybody's screaming at me, "Turn it off!"

FAVORITE MOVIE? "Dazed and Confused." I could probably watch that one four times a day. I like all the new comedies like Superbad :I've got a real sick sense of humor, and I can relate to it.

WHAT DO YOU DO TO RELAX? I like to drink a lot of beer. Hanging out with a bunch of good people, good friends :drinking a crapload of beer.

DO YOU HAVE BIG PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? I just want to keep progressing. I want to travel more, make a lot friends worldwide : Surfing is not going to last forever; anyone will tell you that.

Reach Emily Lane at 843-937-5519 or elane@postandcourier.com