Along the North Shore’s outer reefs, he began using a Jet Ski to tow in to waves that were too big to catch by paddling. Soon he took his mission to a place on Maui called Peahi. Now known as Jaws, the once unsurfable reef has been the setting for the most progressive big-wave experimentation in history. Hamilton and his “Strapped” crew, including Darrick Doerner, Dave Kalama, Pete Cabrinha and Rush Randle, have caused the biggest buzz surfing can remember. They redefined big-wave boards, trounced all over the Unridden Realm and ignited a debate between surfing’s purists — those who think Jet Skis should be banned and those who think PWCs are the link to a whole new level of big-wave surfing. One thing that cannot be debated, however, is Hamilton’s place among surfing’s elite. He is our most accomplished living waterman, equally adept at windsurfing, paddling the English Channel, longboarding or carving laybacks on the world’s biggest waves. His relentless pursuit to design and alternative methods of waveriding is unmatched.

On August 17, 2000, he again raised the bar by towing in to what was indisputably the heaviest wave ridden to date — a Teahupoo ledge that defies description. Living on Kauai with his wife, volleyball superstar Gabrielle Reece, Hamilton continues to redefine what is possible in the water. Considering the sort of waves it takes to rouse his interest, he remains active between sessions by riding motocross, mountain biking, hitting the occasional golf ball and performing any necessary tasks around his house. He has no doubts that he will ride even bigger waves in the future. “We haven’t seen what we’re capable of yet,” he insists. “It’s only a question God and Mother Nature can answer. As our equipment evolves, we’re just waiting to meet the winter of ’69. We’re ready.” — Jason Borte, November 2000

    Lisa Andersen surfs like a man. And she isn’t the only female surfer to be compared to a man, but she’s the first case where the likeness is not only a compliment, it’s a crown. While the mainstream populace still clings to adorable visions of Gidget flirting with the fellas, the image of female surfers steadily declined from the mid ’60s as grace was replaced with power as the benchmark of good surfing. Interest in women’s surfing waned as girls were ridiculed for being too male, except where it counted — on a wave.

Lisa Andersen changed all that — and more. Combining natural sex appeal with supernatural talent, Andersen commanded attention both in and out of the water. Add four straight professional world titles, the respect of the entire surfing world and industry, plus the concentrated femininity of a single mom and you have an estrogen-powered Pied Piper. Soon, Andersen was leading young girls over the surfing precipice in lemming-like droves.

But instead of plunging to their deaths, these women soared toward a complete rebirth of women’s surfing.

Born in Ormond Beach, Florida, Andersen first hit the water at 13 — the only girl surfing in her entire hometown. Instead of being intimidated by the local guys, she emulated them, picking up an aggressive, polished style. Unfortunately, while Andersen’s peers were supportive, her parents were strongly opposed to her newfound passion, blaming the sport for her late nights, truancy, bad grades and other teen troubles. The conflict culminated when her father stepped on her board and broke the fins out. Rather than give up surfing, the stubborn 16-year-old abandoned her home for Huntington Beach, California, in hopes of being a world champion — at least, that’s what the note to her mom said.

“That was just a bullshit line I fed my mom,” Andersen later recalled. “I didn’t even know a world champion existed in the sport. But I wanted to make leaving home sound good — that I was doing it for a good reason. And then there was a small part of me that wanted to be the best.”

Clearly that part was larger than she expected. Roaming couches while surfing every day and supporting herself by waiting tables, she made a name for herself in the amateur ranks, taking home 35 National Scholastic Surfing Association trophies in eight months and winning the US Championships at Sebastian Inlet in 1987. She then turned pro, finishing 12th her first season and earning Rookie of the Year. Andersen also was involved in a tumultuous four-year relationship with respected shaping wizard and pro surfer, Dave Parmenter, who she admits taught her plenty about both freesurfing and competing. Despite her obvious raw talent and Parmenter’s direction, Andersen still lacked the concentration required to win contests. However, she moved steadily up the ranks. Though she began winning events as early as 1990, she was unable to maintain focus for a solid season and her results fluctuated wildly.

Focus would come with the birth of her daughter, Erica, who is credited by Andersen and those who know her as being “a distraction from all the distractions.” Renato Hickel, the ASP’s head judge, is the father, a relationship that would force him to stop judging women’s events entirely. Erica was born on August 1, 1993. A month later, Andersen made a final in Japan — a clear indicator of things to come.

Driven by her responsibility as a new mother, she tackled the tour full bore, earning her first world title in 1994, despite back pains that kept her from surfing two late-season events. A healthier Andersen returned in 1995 as she won another three contests and a second championship. In the course of those years, her relationship with Hickel crumbled, but her professional life only got better. Surfer magazine celebrated her second title by placing her on the cover of the April 1996 issue — only the second cover shot of a woman in the publication’s 40-year history. She would also nab a decisive third world title that year, and in 1997, she capped her dominant position with yet another victory — the first surfer to take four consecutive championships since Australian Mark Richards. Andersen wasn’t just the best female surfer in the world; she was one of the best professional surfers ever.

But Andersen’s influence and acclaim extends well beyond competitive accolades. In the early ’90s, Quiksilver, the surfing industry’s clothing giant, picked her up as a sponsored rider for its women’s division, Roxy. It got more than a surfer in the bargain. A brainstorming session with the designing department resulted in women’s boardshorts — shorter more feminine trunks that were also functional in the water. With the most marketable female surfer ever taking point, the ingenious idea exploded instantly. Other companies quickly followed suit and suddenly surfing had a women’s market that went past mere trunks into a full-speed fashion trend. By 1997, 15 percent of the surf market was generated by females, resulting in a series of other women’s companies and several publications, not to mention more girls in the water.

Andersen pulled out of the 1998 tour mid-season, citing her chronic back problems. The following year, she turned her attention to building a life with her daughter and mom in Ormond Beach, where she purchased a home and surfaced only for the occasional photo shoot. In late 1999, Andersen announced her return to the competitive arena, a promise she kept by winning the Billabong Pro in Anglet, France, and finishing the 2000 season ranked fourth after missing the final two events.

The best surfers in the world, mesmerized and feeling inadequate, studied his every heat. To the point of boredom, he would almost play dead in the early stages before mounting an inconceivable late-heat comeback. Everyone else looked silly.

But Slater could look silly as well. On land, he tested the opportunities afforded him through his hero status and Hollywood looks. A stint as Jimmy Slade on “Baywatch”, the most popular show in the world, satisfied his curiosity for acting. A musical endeavor with friends Rob Machado and Peter King, where the trio adopted the hokey name “The Surfers,” yielded a major record release and a U.S. tour. An off and on relationship with Pamela Anderson Lee kept his name rolling in the mainstream press.

Meanwhile, Slater continued to rack up world titles. After an unprecedented six, he eased into semi-retirement at age 26 with nothing left to prove.

After extremely limited competition in 1999, Slater returned to Hawaii for the season-ending event — the Pipe Masters. In maxing conditions, he greased the field — including new world champ Mark Occhilupo — for his fifth Masters crown, repeating the effort in 2000 at Teahupoo. Two years removed from the tour, his surfing is better than ever. But until a serious challenger emerges from the pack, he has no reason to return to competitive life. For now, he will relax with friends and family in Cocoa Beach, tend to promotional obligations for Quiksilver and occasionally show up at world tour events to see his friends and remind us who is king. — Jason Borte, February 2001

In 1992, Oxbow began holding its World Longboard Championships at a different location each year. Dominant in domestic competition, something always seemed to go wrong in the big one. Whether triple-teamed by Hawaiians or simply coming up a wave short, it seemed a conspiracy was keeping Tudor — by general consensus the best in the world — out of the winner’s circle.

Everyone knew he was toes ahead of his competitors, so the world champion mantle was cheapened with each defeat. One 30-minute span at some far-flung reef can’t possibly establish the world’s best anything. Even Kelly Slater would be hard-pressed with one shot to deliver every year. In 1999, Tudor finally rose above the challengers in the Canary Islands to claim victory. “It was a relief, like I finally won something,” he reflects. “I’m not a loser, and I have something to show for it.

Tudor is reluctant to be pigeonholed as a longboarder. He possesses an extensive quiver of stubs, fishes and single-fin pintails, and chooses his vehicle according to the conditions. A masterful tuberider, he has gained recognition as an all-around world-class surfer, opening eyes to various designs. His act at Pipeline, where he routinely stands apart from the maddening crowd with Lopez flow on ’70s designs, has become legendary. His “Joel Tudor Model” shaped by Donald Takayama was the best-selling signature series in history. The long-time relationship eventually soured, prompting Tudor’s own board label.

To watch Joel surf is to experience true style — no wasted motion as an entire session is a seamless ride, void of any visible effort. “Style’s not dead,” he contends. “It’s still out there. Just put some time into it and you’ll find it. It’s the soul of surfing.” By taking us back into history, Tinkerbell has dictated an important part of our future. — Jason Borte, February 2001

Robert James ‘Wingnut’ Weaver rose to fame for his appearance as the longboard surf star in the feature film “Endless Summer II.” He continued to surf on a longboard during a time when longboarding wasn’t “cool.” But because of his dedication to the sport, Wingnut has since become recognized as the premier longboard surfer in the world.

Since “Endless Summer II” was released in 1994, Wingnut has stayed involved with the surf industry, consulting for companies, competing, traveling, rubbing elbows with movie stars and using his mellifluous speaking voice to promote the sport of longboard surfing.

Wingnut has done voiceovers with Ira Opper on “The Surfer’s Journal’s 50 Years of Surfing” and the “Great Waves” television and video series. He also appeared in Opper’s “Wingnut’s Search for Soul,” “The Art of Longboarding” and other numerous surf videos and productions. He has parlayed his big-screen success to serve as the surf instructor to the stars, showing the likes of Ted Danson and Nicholas Cage how to ride the waves.

Working in Jacobs’ Surf Shop in Hermosa Beach, August began shaping in 1966, not long before the shortboard revolution rendered the boards of the day obsolete. “Overnight, longboards weren’t cool anymore. Dewey Weber, Bing, Noll, Hobie all quit. I had to adjust.” He opened a restaurant in 1971, an ordeal that he says almost killed him, then launched Robert August Surf Shop in Huntington Beach in 1974 (which would later merge with Huntington Surf and Sport to form HSS Longboards). He stocked the shop full of shortboards, all the while feeling that something was missing. “In the ’70s, you couldn’t even find a longboard blank. I knew I wanted one, but I didn’t know if it would sell. Finally, I made five of ’em and everyone came in the shop going, ‘A longboard, wow!'”

The longboard resurgence of the ’90s pleased August as much as anyone. His board sales returned, and when Brown made Endless Summer II in 1994, August returned for a cameo appearance. Still a keen shaper and surfer, he resides in Seal Beach with his wife Pat, whom he married in 1965. Their son, Sam, a former minor league pitcher with the Houston Astros, handles all the sales and marketing for the family business, freeing Robert up for a steady diet of surf time. A Huntington local when weather permits, August travels to his vacation home in Costa Rica up to five times each year, ensuring him a truly endless summer. — Jason Borte, March 2001

Throughout those years, Carroll was at the forefront of developments in surfing equipment. His Hobie Mini Model, introduced in 1967, was the first production shortboard in America, and his Deadly Flying Glove model furthered the evolution. He was one of the first to convert to twin fins in 1971 and was featured in a number of surf films in the ’60s and ’70s, including MacGillivray-Freeman’s Five Summer Stories.When competitive surfing lost some of its luster in the early ’70s, Carroll reached into his grab bag of talent and diversified into an array of livelihoods. He taught himself to play the guitar and was soon in the studio producing spirited albums of original music such as Laid Back (1971), Surfer for President (1979) and Beachtown Rhapsody (1997). He wrote a couple of books, Surf Dog Days and Bitchin’ Nights (1988) and Pier Pressure (1998).

In the ’80s, Carroll spent 10 years as advertising director of Surfer magazine, six years as a tennis pro and a couple of years as a ski instructor. Along the way he had brief stints as a bartender, waiter and/or lounge singer; he managed a car dealership, did three movies, seven videos and some television comedy.

All the while, Carroll never totally relinquished the surf scene. Now an inductee into the Surfing Hall of Fame and Huntington Beach Surfing Walk of Fame, he lives in Huntington with his wife Pamster and daughter Kasey, and he has an older son, Clint, from his first marriage.

Today, he works a record number of part-time gigs, including designing surfboards, retail surfboard sales and writing a column for The Huntington Beach Wave. He runs the Corky Carroll Surf School — headquartered at Bolsa Chica State Park with trips to places like Puerto Vallarta and Costa Rica. He’s a regular invitee to Legends events around the world. He’s continually recording new CDs, has written a third book (Pier Pressure Book 2: Surf Bumps) and has done some heroic television commercials, most recently for Ocean Spray cranberry drinks.

Above all, however, Corky Carroll is most widely remembered for the 13 commercials he did for Miller Lite Beer.

Says Carroll, “Yes, I still surf all the time, and no, I still don’t have a real job. Let’s hope it never comes to that.”

— Drew Kampion, October 2000