Andy Irons

The surfing world was shocked when the announcement came that World Champion surfer Andy Irons, age 32, had passed away on November 2, 2010. He was found in a Dallas hotel room. He had been suffering from Dengue Fever, but the cause of death has not yet been determined. Many kind words were said about the surfing legend. He was regarded as a very down to earth person, not tarnished by success. Competitors saw him as a very creative and powerful surfer who always threatened to win every competition he entered. Indeed, friends, family and the many surfers and fans who follow surfing, will miss Andy Irons.

Andy Irons was born on July 24, 1978 in Oahu, Hawaii. He grew up and learned to surf in the big waves of Hawaii. Standing just over 6 feet tall and weighing 170lbs, he was the perfect prototype of a surfer. He had been surfing professionally since his early twenties and had achieved much fame during his career that ended much too soon.

Irons was the subject of a number of films made about surfing and the surfer lifestyle. In 2004 a documentary film called ‘Blue Horizon’ compared him to free surfer David Rastovich. He was a big part of helping to introduce the general public to surfing and was a proud spokesman for the sport.

Andy Irons also did well serving as a spokesman for a number of large companies. His major sponsor, Billabong, produced a line of boardshorts in his honour. Other companies Irons was associated with include Von Zipper, Nixon Watches, Kustom Footwear and Dakine.

Andy Iron's Career Highlights

There are so many highlights in Andy Irons short career, it is hard to mention them all. He was ranked number 1 on the ASP World Tour for 3 straight years (2002-2004) and also won 3 Quiksilver Pro France titles (2003-2005). Other accolades Andy Irons included the Rip Curl Pro Search (2006 and 2007), and the Vans Triple Crown four times (2002-2006). His latest victory came just a month before his untimely death. On September 3, 2010, he won the Billabong Pro in Tahiti. Over his career he won more than 20 titles in surfing. He traveled all around the world looking for the biggest and best waves. Andy Irons will be sorely missed.