Surf
From Duke Kahanamoku spreading the sport beyond Hawaii, through Mavericks and big-wave era, Pipeline Masters, the Wave-of-the-Day record at Nazaré, and Kelly Slater's 11 world titles.
Part of Extreme Sports
15 moments in this segment.
- — Gidget novel — surf hits pop culture. Frederick Kohner publishes Gidget; the 1959 film triggers the Californian surf boom and a generation of teenagers buying boards.
- — The Endless Summer. Bruce Brown's surf-documentary follows two surfers chasing summer around the world. The film codifies surf cinema and the search-for-the-perfect-wave mythology.
- — Duke Kahanamoku exports surfing. Olympic swimmer Duke Kahanamoku begins giving public surf demonstrations on the US East Coast and Australia, spreading surfing beyond Hawaii.
- — Kelly Slater wins first world title. At 20, Kelly Slater wins his first ASP world title. He will go on to 11 world titles — more than any surfer in history — across four decades.
- — Mark Foo dies at Mavericks. Big-wave surfer Mark Foo drowns at Mavericks, California. The first death at a major big-wave spot puts the discipline's risk profile on the global radar.
- — Laird Hamilton — Millennium Wave at Teahupo'o. Laird Hamilton rides the "Millennium Wave" at Teahupo'o, Tahiti — declared one of the heaviest waves ever ridden. The shot becomes the most-circulated surf image of the decade.
- — Andy Irons era at Pipeline. Andy Irons wins his first world title and three Pipe Masters, sparking the Slater-Irons rivalry that defines surf in the 2000s.
- — Garrett McNamara — Nazaré record. Garrett McNamara surfs a reported 78-foot wave at Praia do Norte, Nazaré, Portugal. The town becomes the global big-wave capital almost overnight.
- — Gabriel Medina — first Brazilian world champion. Gabriel Medina wins the WSL title, the first Brazilian world champion. Kicks off the "Brazilian Storm" era — Medina, Filipe Toledo, Italo Ferreira.
- — Pipeline Masters founded. The Pipeline Masters launches on Oahu's North Shore — surfing's most prestigious wave-by-wave contest. Won repeatedly by Gerry Lopez, Kelly Slater, John John Florence.
- — Rodrigo Koxa — 80ft Nazaré record. Rodrigo Koxa rides an 80-foot wave at Nazaré, set as the Guinness world record for the largest wave ever surfed.
- — Shortboard revolution. Bob McTavish and Nat Young pioneer the shortboard, replacing 10-foot longboards with manoeuvrable sub-7-foot boards. The performance ceiling jumps overnight.
- — Laird Hamilton tow-in at Jaws. Laird Hamilton, Buzzy Kerbox, Darrick Doerner pioneer tow-in surfing at Pe'ahi (Jaws), Maui — using jet-skis to catch waves too big to paddle. Opens the modern big-wave era.
- — Surfing in the Olympics — Tokyo 2020. Surfing debuts at the Tokyo Olympics at Tsurigasaki Beach. Italo Ferreira (BRA) and Carissa Moore (USA) take the first gold medals.
- — Olympic surf at Teahupo'o. The 2024 Paris Olympics holds its surfing at Teahupo'o, Tahiti — 15,000 km from the host city. The decision puts the world's heaviest wave at the centre of the games.
