Share

Surfing

The 25 Most Influential Surfers of all Time

Occy, the hero of of all Goofy footed surfers, is not only one of the most influential surfers of all time but also one of the most iconic. In the early eighties he was a teenage sensation, dropping out of school and immediately placing in the top 16 on the tour. He contested the world title for the next 7 years, going up against the dominant duo of Tom Carroll and Tom Curren but never quite beating them. His super powerful approach won him Pipe masters titles but when it came to grovelling in mush he didn’t quite cut it.

He starred in a string of classic films and created an aura of legend around him. But the wheels fell off, a minor breakdown saw him pile on 50 pounds and drop off tour, he came back but had a meltdown in France, burying his boards in the sand before disappearing, gaining even more weight, drinking and developing a drug habit. Then came a comeback straight out a Hollywood movie. He got fit, got clean and in 1999 came storming back to take the world title that had evaded him for so long. A true legend of surfing.

Share

Newsletter Terms & Conditions

Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. We will never sell your data and you'll only get messages from us and our partners whose products and services we think you'll enjoy.

Read our full Privacy Policy as well as Terms & Conditions.

production