Laird Hamilton

There are few men or women that deserve a full page but Laird Hamilton is definitely one. No one has had a bigger impact on the sport of big wave surfing and tow-in surfing than the California native Hamilton.

While Laird was born in San Francisco, he was raised on Oahu. Talk about priming for big wave surfing, Laird also always had the energy and daring needed to ride monsters. At the age of 7, Laird was already jumping off 60 foot cliffs into the ocean.

Surprisingly, Laird graduated and landed modeling gigs. Obviously he had a surfer’s build and Hawaiian features but not what you’d expect from a guy about to change the surf world forever.

At the age of 17 Laird went into competitive surfing in the World Championship Tour but decided competitive surfing wasn’t really his gig. He was in it for the surf, not the competition. True Soul Surfer to the core.

In 1992 Laird and friends started towing each other into waves to big to paddle into with inflatable boats. This later turned into jet skis and would kick off the sport of Tow-in Surfing. The ability to Tow-In quickly pushed the limits of what was possible on a surfboard.

A true ocean man Hamilton also participates in kite surfing, windsurfing, stand up paddle boarding, and water skiing. He also married a gorgeous pro volleyball player and New York model Gabrielle Reese. Talk about a tough life huh.

Laird is also a huge humanitarian outside of the water. He is often spotted cleaning up the beaches at his favorite spots and actively participates and appears for many nonprofits like Save Our Seas. Truly a world class guy.

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