subscribe: Posts | Comments

Laird Hamilton – The Big Wave Surfer

0 comments

Laird Hamilton – The Big Wave Surfer

Laird Hamilton - The Big Wave Surfer

Laird Hamilton is an American big wave surfer who is famous for his excellent surfing skills and daring moves. He is also a co-inventor of tow-in surfing. He frequently appears as a fashion and action-sports model. Hamilton always amazes his fans by mastering the most difficult waves with ease. He is married to Gabrielle Reece, a professional volleyball player, and has three daughters.

Early Life

Laird Hamilton was born in San Francisco on 2nd March 1964. He was still a baby when his mother, Joann, moved to Hawaii with him. When he was a young boy, he met a surfer, Bill Hamilton, and the two of them instantly became friends. The young Laird invited Hamilton over his place to meet his mom. Bill Hamilton soon married Joanne and adopted Laird as his son. They had another son, Lyon, who also went on to become a surfer. Laird is known to have a tough and strong demeanor. He grew up in an area which features the most amazing surfing spots, Oahu. With its plethora of massive waves, Oahu is a heaven for surfers. Laird used to surf with his step-dad who taught him to conquer the waves.

Modeling and Fashion Line

When Laird was 16, he left school in order to pursue his career as a model. At the same time, he was also working in a construction company. After a year of struggle, he got lucky and came across an Italian photographer from Men’s Vogue Magazine. He received a modeling contract and even a photo shoot with an American actress, Brooke Shields. In 2008, he started his own fashion line called Wonderwall.

Surfing Career

By the age of 17, Laird had gained enough experience to go on a Surfing World Championship Tour but competitive surfing contests Laird Hamilton - The Big Wave Surfer1weren’t his thing. In 1987, he appeared in a movie, North Shore, where he played a role of Lance Burkhart, an aggressive villain. He was also in Moving Target, a windsurfing movie. The movies boosted his modeling career but his heart always remained in surfing. However, his constant rejection to competitions meant he had to take a different route to gain recognition as a surfer. In 1990, he became the very first surfer to successfully complete a 360 loop while strapped to the surfboard. Hamilton also gain recognition when he along with his surfer friends used motorized power to tow each other into waves that were too big to catch under paddle power alone. This technique is now known as tow-in surfing. Laird finally got his break in August 17 2000 when he rode a wave in a potentially hazardous shallow-water reef break southeast of the Pacific Island of Tahiti. It was the heaviest wave ever ridden. He made it to the cover of Surfer magazine with the caption that read “oh my god…”. Hamilton is now considered as the ‘greatest big wave surfer’ of all time. Along with surfing, Laird is also a skilled windsurfer, water-skier and kite surfer.

Laird Hamilton Takes On Teahupoo!

For more information on Laird Hamilton, visit:

 

Comments are closed.