‘. . . Do you feel surfing was a way for you to channel away any negative feelings, such as grief or anger?’

‘Yes.’

‘Was it somewhere you could be in control?’

He smirked. ‘Anyone who thinks he’s in control of the ocean is a bloody fool.’

‘. . . Do you think you’d have become a nine-time world champion if you’d had a happier childhood?’

‘How could I ever know? I am who I am because of the experiences I went through. I don’t know any different to this. If my parents hadn’t divorced, I’d probably have grown up in New Zealand and I might never have even got on a surfboard.’

‘What do you think you’d be now, then, if that had been your path?’

‘Nine-time world champion snowboarder.’ She saw the arrogance shine in his eyes.

‘So, you would always have been a winner? No matter whether your parents divorced, no matter where you lived?’

‘Winning is fifty per cent preparation, fifty per cent mindset. You have to want it more than the other guy.’

‘Victory at any cost, you answered just now. Do other people matter to you, Kit? Or are they just obstacles to beat?’

His eyes narrowed. ‘. . . It’s not personal out there. It’s every guy for himself. They’re doing the same.’

‘Are they? The snowboarding community is known for its camaraderie. There are plenty who think it shouldn’t be an Olympic sport; that even just competitions erode the spirit of it.’

‘. . . I meant the surfing world.’

‘Do you still think of yourself as a surfer?’

His jaw slid forward slightly. ‘Of course. I lived and breathed it for twenty years. How could I not?’

‘Do you think you’ll ever love snowboarding in the way that you did surfing?’

‘I prefer the weather in surfing.’

He was being pithy but she smiled. ‘Ari said pretty much the same . . .’ She knew it would put him off his stride, just a little, to be reminded that other people had talked. He couldn’t know exactly what they’d said, what she knew about him. ‘Why have you come into snowboarding – really?’

‘There was nothing left to win in surfing.’

‘So you didn’t feel driven out, then?’

‘. . . No.’

‘Have you felt welcomed by the snowboarding community?’

‘. . . I’m not here to make friends. I’ve come to win.’

‘To prove yourself?’

‘To myself. I’m not interested in what other people think of me.’

‘So you want to be Kit Foley – nine-time world champion surfer and world champion snowboarder – for you.’

‘Yes.’

She could feel the questions beginning to gather a rhythm; as his answers became shorter, she knew she was nearing the nerve centre. She was skirting the main issue and he knew it. ‘. . . Why does it matter to you so much to be a winner? Is love of the sport not enough?’

‘I like having targets. It focuses the mind.’