Greg Long (surfer)
Greg Long | |
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Trestles | |
Favorite maneuvers | Barrels, Big Waves, Tubes |
Greg Long (born May 25, 1983) is an American surfer from
Surfing career
Born and raised in San Clemente, Greg and his brother
At age 15, Long first paddled out to what eventually would be his home big wave break, an island off the coast of Baja California called
On January 5, 2008, Long and fellow riders Brad Gerlach, Mike Parsons, and Grant "Twiggy" Baker towed into waves at the Cortes Bank off the coast of San Diego, on the swell of the decade, that were estimated to be around 60–80 feet on the face. Greg was credited by the other surfers and photographers as riding the "wave of the day" on something approaching 90 feet tall, but it was not photographed and thus not recognized. This is according to the book "Ghost Wave" by Chris Dixon. That same year, Long won the Mavericks surf contest in 20-foot (6.1 m) surf. In June 2008, he signed a sponsorship deal with Billabong.[1]
Long's biggest career achievement[
On January 4, 2012, Greg Long, along with his fellow big wave surfers Ian Walsh, Kohl Christensen, Jeff Rowley, Dave Wassel, Shane Dorian, Mark Healey, Carlos Burle, Nate Fletcher, Garrett McNamara, Kai Barger, North Shore locals and others visited the Hawaiian Islands for a day of surfing.[4][5] Later that year, the Hollywood film he provided stunt surfing for, Chasing Mavericks, premiered.[6][7]
Long has been known for caring more for the spirit of big wave surfing than the sponsorship deals, media attention, and contest wins.[citation needed] At the Mavericks Contest in 2008, for example, Long agreed to split the prize money among himself and the five other finalists. He is also known for pressing the limits of paddle-in surfing, paddling into many waves which were once deemed unrideable without the help of a jet ski. Long was included as an actor and adviser in the Hollywood film Chasing Mavericks,[8] and was featured as the star of a documentary about the psychology of big wave surfing.[9]
Other projects
Long uses his celebrity to donate to charity organizations, and is involved in the
As of 2018, Long has been in a relationship with Canadian-born snowboarder, Taylor Godber.
Awards
- 2016 – WSL Big Wave World Tour Champion
- 2014 – Billabong XXL Ride of the Year - May 2, 2014 for his big wave ride at Puerto Escondido, Mexico
- 2013 – Billabong XXL Surfline Men's Performance Award
- 2013 – Billabong XXL Ride of the Year - third place at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on October 10, 2012
- 2011 – Surf Industry Manufacturer's Association (SIMA) Waterman of the Year
- 2008 – Billabong XXL Performer of the Year Award
- 2007 – Billabong XXL Best Tow-In Wave of the Year
- 2007 – Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards Biggest Paddle In Wave
Filmography
- Chasing Mavericks (2012), stunts
- Sine Qua Non: The Psychology of Big Wave Surfing with Greg Long (2013)[11]
- Big Wave Hellmen (2014)[12]
References
- ^ "Greg Long Signs With Billabong". SURFING Magazine. June 10, 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
- ^ "Greg Long Wins Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau". SURFER Magazine. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
- ^ "Greg Long upsets Kelly Slater to win the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational in Memory of Eddie Aikau". ESPN.com. December 9, 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
- ^ "Jaws sees paddle-in surf madness | Garrett McNamara". Archived from the original on January 18, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
- ^ "NPAC GOES XXL: TAKE TWO". Surfline.com. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
- ^ Zach Weisberg (October 19, 2012). "Greg Long Discusses Chasing Mavericks". The Inertia. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
- ^ "Chasing Mavericks (2012)". IMDb. October 26, 2012. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
- ^ Zach Weisberg (October 19, 2012). "Greg Long Discusses Chasing Mavericks". The Inertia. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
- ^ The Inertia (October 10, 2012). "Sine Qua Non: The Psychology of Big Wave Surfing with Greg Long - The Inertia". The Inertia. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
- ^ "Greg Long - Professional big Wave Surfer - Biography". About.com Sports. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
- ^ "Film: Psychology of Big Wave Surfing with Greg Long". The Surf Channel. Archived from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
- ^ Dittman, Earl (October 24, 2014). "Surfer Greg Long heads back to the swells for 'Big Wave Hellmen'". Digital Journal. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
External links
- Official website Greg Long on Facebook
- Long - Billabong Rider Profile
- Greg Long at the World Surf League