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Rob Machado

Posted by Annie Shay on Jul 3, 2013 in Celebrity Surfers | 0 comments

Rob Machado

Robert Edward Machado, usually known as Rob Machado, is an American professional surfer from California. He was born in Sydney, Australia on October 16, 1973. Known for his relaxed, mellow attitude, a quiet personality and a modest approach, his fans have given him a nickname ‘soul-surfer’. He has a fluid surfing style and rides a modern tr-fin shortboard. His fluid like wave riding has earned him another nickname ‘Mr. Smoothy’. Today he is one of the best goofy-foot (indicating right foot leading) surfers in the world.

Early Life and Surfing Career

The Australian born American surfer is from a beach community, Cardiff, in Encinitas which is in San Diego County, California. He

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attended San Dieguito High School. Like every other kid, he spent a large part of his childhood playing basketball and soccer and unlike many other kids, he also enjoyed surfing. His dad, uncles and cousins were hardcore surfers and supported Machado in following his dreams. Machado won many pro surfing contests and even the largest surfing event held on the U.S. ‘U.S. Open of Surfing’. Other prestigious contests he won include Hawaii’s Pipeline Masters (Triple Crown of Surfing), 2006 Summer X Games surfing competition called The Game and 2006 Monster Energy Pro. At the height of success, he got badly injured and broke a wrist. Also, his daughter was just born so he decided to miss the ASP meeting and stay at home. He thought it would be okay because he had one remaining injury wildcard. His companions thought he was not committed enough and gave his wildcard to another surfer. It came as a shock to Machado. In 2009 he said, ‘I felt like I was just getting into a groove and then, all of a sudden, it was taken [from me]. But it could have been a total disaster. I could have fallen off the face of the earth.’ Today, he has retired himself from the World Championship Tour and takes only part in few of the surfing contests he prefers. Surfing magazines, videos and films never fail to keep tabs on him and his fans often see him in the pages.

Currently, Machado hosts and participates in ‘Rob Machado Surf Classic and Beach Fair’, an annual contest held in San Diego. The competition is for the locals of any age. The event includes Machado and other pro surfers demonstrating, giving pointers to the kids, and on the basis of the overall performances, prizing crowns of King and Queen of the Reef to the winners. Even today he is voted as one of the best surfers in magazine polls by the readers. He has various sponsors Hurley, Reef, and Nixon. He is also a good friend with a quadriplegic surfer Jesse Billauer. A 2003 documentary ‘Step Into Liquid’ featured their friendship. He appeared in an animated picture “Surf’s Up.” as himself and wrote and acted in the movie The Drifter. In 2011, he was given a spot into the Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach, California in the surf champion category.