Few people on the planet have the privilege of saying that
their office is Mother Nature’s blue ocean.
For these surf pros and legends, the water is another home where they
hone their skills to be some of the best surfers in the world. Take a look to see who made our list:
Laird Hamilton –
Never feeling the need to actually compete or turn pro, Laird Hamilton is known
as the best at big wave surfing. Born
March 2, 1964 Hamilton referred to surfing as a work of art rather than a way
to win cash and trophies. While out on
the water in 1992 with fellow big wave riders Darrick Doerner and Buzzy Kerbox,
the group created tow-in surfing as a way to reach giant waves that would be difficult
for a surfer paddling to reach. Though
some surf buffs thought this new creation was cheating and took away from the
sport, many accepted it as a necessary way to seize outrageous sized waves. Hamilton’s adventurous fire burned on in 2000
when he rode one of the “heaviest waves” in Teahupo‘o, Tahiti, a place known
for its dangerous coral under layer. The
ride made the cover of
Surfer
Magazine, exposing Laird Hamilton in his element of
big wave riding.
Kelly Slater –
Born February 11, 1972 Kelly Slater was, and still is, the inspiration for
surfers to pick up a surfboard and ride the waves for the first time. Though he won championships and appeared in
surfshorts in the 1980s, Slater started a new revelation in the 1990s when he
went pro. His appearance in
Quicksilver’s 30-minute video titled
Black
and White exposed a new style of surfing that challenged the way of riding a wave
and inspired many of the young pro surfers out there today. His accomplishments include being the
youngest
and oldest surfer to claim
the world title, which he won 11 times, along with 30 other victories spread
throughout World Title events and other Tour events. Still competing 20 years after being
officially sponsored, Slater is an icon for surfers everywhere.
Andy Irons – A full-blooded
Hawaiian, Andy Irons, born on July 24, 1978, used his backyard to hone his
surfing skills along side of his brother Bruce. His claim to fame came in 1996 at the HIC
Pipeline Pro, when he shocked judges and onlookers as he surpassed his competitors
on a 12’ Pipeline. Throughout his pro
career, Irons succeeded in winning four Vans Triple Crown Titles and three
World Professional Surfing Championships.
His battle with surf rival Kelly Slater was present throughout his surfing
career as he came up through the ranks to steal a World Professional Surfing
Championship title from the now 11-time winner.
Sadly, the surfer’s life was cut short when he unexpectedly passed away
November 2, 2010. However, his passion
for the sport and
determination while competing will never be forgotten.
Mick Fanning – Nicknamed
“White Lightening,” this Aussie native, born June 13, 1981, began surfing at
the age of five. His career launched in
1996 when he won three Australian National Titles. Going pro in 2002, he won the Rookie of the
Year at the Billabong Pro event.
Completely tearing his hamstring in 2004 didn’t stop him from competing
and placing in tournaments as soon as his rehabilitation finished. Then in 2007, Fanning knocked Kelly Slater
off the head of the podium when he placed first in the ASP World tour. He
made his presence known when he took the crown for the second time in 2009.
Taj Burrow –
Picking up a surfboard at the age of seven, this other Aussie native, born June
2, 1978, didn’t have his rookie year until 1999 when he won the Rookie of the
Year title. Making a name for himself,
that same year Burrows was the runner up for the ASP World Tour event. At the time, he was the youngest to do so at
the ripe age of 18. Landing in the runner
up position again in 2007, and 13 other event wins under his belt, this
Australian Surfing Hall of Fame inductee is a force to be reckoned with.
Dayne Reynolds – Born
September 7, 1985, Dayne Reynolds is a surfer known widely for his “go broke
style” of surfing. Sharpening his skills
on local Cali beaches, Reynolds experimented with many aerial maneuvers that
helped him win during the 2003 and 2004 X Games. His attacking of waves head on and time spent
in the air while surfing gets him noticed in ASP events, pushing the boundaries
of the sport. However, that
aggressiveness is getting him inducted into the Surfer’s Hall of Fame in August
2012.
And now for the soulful shredding ladies…
Layne Beachley –
Diving head first into the pro level of surfing, Layne Beachley, born May 24,
1972, was the best of her generation before retiring in 2008. Ranked #6 in the world at the age of 20,
Beachley pushed herself, successfully riding big waves like no other woman. Her skill and soul of surfing played out as
she became the ASP World Tour Champion in 1998 and maintained the title until
2004, only to win it again in 2006.
Stephanie Gilmore
– Born January 29, 1988, this Gold Coast native entered the surfing scene at
the age of 17 when she won the Roxy Pro Gold Coast as a wildcard. She shocked fellow surfers even more when she
won first place in the 2007 ASP World Tour event—her rookie season. Gilmore went on to the claim the title for
three more years, only to lose it to newcomer Carissa Moore in 2011. Riding waves that can be classified as wimpy
to explosive, Stephanie Gilmore is one of surfing’s best.
Sally Fitzgibbons
– This young surfer is making a name for herself throughout the ASP. Born December 19, 1990 she qualified for the
ASP World Tour in 2008 faster than most surfers before her did. A well-rounded athlete (participating in cross-country,
touch football, and soccer along with surfing) Fitzgibbons followed the call of
the wave winning junior-pro titles one after the other. Adding pressure to experienced athletes, she
placed second two years in a row for the ASP World Title.
Each of these surfers has the heart and drive to be successful
in riding waves. Determination and
drive, while mixing his or her own style to the mix, makes each of these surfers
an individual. Here at
StoreYourBoard we
keep that in mind with our various
surf racks, making sure each is designed to fit
your various riding needs.
Ride On,
Colleen
Since Tom
Carroll won the first ASP World Championship back in 1983, there have only been
12 different
winners of the championship in 29 years.
The biggest reason there have been so few winners is because of the
dominance of Kelly Slater, who has won the championship 11 times, including 5
straight championships from 1994-1998.
Other repeat winners include Tom Carroll (2x), Tom Curren (3x), Damien
Hardman (2x), Andy Irons (3x), and Mick Fanning (2x). Every year, new stars stake their claim to
the championship, but Kelly Slater or Mick Fanning has won the championship
every year since 2004. 
So far
this year, the tour has completed 4 events: Gold Coast and Bells Beach,
Australia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Tavarua, Fiji. Taj Burrow took the win at the Gold Coast,
Mick Fanning was first at Bells, John John Florence won at Rio, and most
recently, Kelly Slater came out on top at Tavarua. After those 4 events, Mick Fanning is number
1 in the tour standings, followed closely by Kelly Slater, Joel Parkinson,
Adriano de Souza, and Taj Burrow. To
make sure that each event maxes out the opportunity to get great waves, the
time for each tour event is about a two week window. Early on every day during those two weeks,
contest organizers check the surf conditions and swell forecasts to determine
whether the conditions are right to run the contest. If it's flat, or if they see something better
coming in the forecast, the organizers will call a "lay day",
temporarily postponing the contest until the waves arrive. As any surfer knows, this can be a tough
decision.
