Surfing Ruined My Life

The man and his larger then life image.

I got out of the water Tuesday night after a Hammonds nightmare session (see Surf Log for more details on that) only to find a text message from my boy JD back in NJ.  It read “Andy Irons Died”.  I did not believe it although considering the source there was no reason for him being a devoted AI fan himself to pull my leg.  Then I got like six more texts about it before I got home.  I ran home and checked surfline.com and sure enough Andy was dead from possibly Dengue Fever.  Read more on that here: http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/andy-irons-rip—three-time-world-champ-passes-away-surfing-world-in-shock_49481/.

I have never really been an Andy fan per say.  I respect his surfing ability and the perseverance it took to win three consecutive world titles.  One thing I have to give him credit for is that he did what he wanted.  While most guys on tour play the good politically correct role he said whatever was on his mind and always spoke the truth.  If the judges made a bullshit call he was the first to claim it.

The last few years he sort of fell into the background in surfing till recently when he accepted the WT wild card for 2010.  His performance on tour was less then stellar but he did manage a victory at this years Tahiti comp.  Personally I had nothing but negativity toward the guy mostly because the surfing media brain washed me to choose either the Slater camp or the Irons camp of which I chose the former.

For what its worth his loss saddened me.  No matter how I felt about his media portrayed persona AI was a surfer who loved to surf as much as possible just as I do.  Now he will never be able to surf upon this earth again.  He truly was a gifted surfer and one of surfing’s favorite sons.  He will be missed and his passing definitely leaves a hole in the surf world.  I think I will dedicate the remainder of my surf sessions in 2010 to Andy.

AI always went big.