Tom Curren

By the time Curren hit the ASP World Tour in 1983 he was taking out pros such as Rabbit Bartholomew Shaun Tomson and Cheyne Horan He was world champion three times 1985 1986 1990 and won 33 championship events in his professional career the latter being a total only bettered by Kelly Slater He achieved status both for his competitive drive and for his surfing style He made a decision to retire from competitive surfing in the mid1990s In 1990 at Margaret River Curren rode a wave all the way from the takeoff zone to the Rivermouth roughly a 1200foot ride He then had to walk back to Mainbreak from the Rivermouth to reenter the surf Those who saw it say it has never been repeated in or out of competition1 Curren still surfs in contests on the ASP World Qualifying Series WQS He is also often invited to surf in World Championship Tour WCT trials or contests as a wildcard He has competed in the Annual Switchfoot BroAm Surf Contest2 for 3 years in a row surfing on the Switchfoot team In his fiveyear rise to World Surfing Champion Curren appeared under a contract with surfboard company Channel Islands He coproduced and rode pro surfboard models such as the Black Beauty and the Red Beauty 3 Early in his professional career he signed with OP swimwear then later changed sponsorships deals to Rip Curl Wetsuits and Clothing