Gerry Lopez
Gerry Lopez | |
---|---|
Personal information | |
Born | Honolulu, Hawaii,U.S. | November 7, 1948
Residence | Bend, Oregon |
Surfing career | |
Years active | 1970–present |
Surfing specifications | |
Stance | Goofy |
Quiver | Long boards, guns |
Favorite waves | Pipeline |
Favorite maneuvers | Barrels |
Gerry Lopez(born November 7, 1948),[1]akaMr. Pipeline,is an Americansurfer,shaper,journalist and film actor.[2][3]
Early life
[edit]Lopez was born inHonolulu, Hawaii,grew up inEast Honolulu,Oahu,Hawaii, and attendedPunahou School.[2]He frequented the semi-secret reefs in and aroundAina Hainaas well as better known surf spots in Metro-Honolulu.[4]An early reference point for his sleek and precise style was the graceful Paul Strauch, whom Lopez still credits as "the most stylish surfer ever." Lopez became the Hawaii State Champ at age 14,[5]and he and friend Reno Abellira[6]began surfingAla Moana Bowlsfrequently. It is here that Lopez began honing his casual style and masterful tube riding skills.
Career
[edit]Lopez and friends began to migrate out to Oahu'sNorth Shore,where they watched surfers likeButch Van Artsdalenand Jock Sutherland ride the hollow waves of theBanzai Pipeline.[7]As surfboard designs began to integrate "downrailer" edges, curve, foil, and rocker, the vertical drops and thick tubes of Pipeline became survivable. Not long after, performance levels at big Pipeline exploded, led by Lopez.
He was widely recognized as the best tuberider in the world,[8]and won thePipeline Masterscompetition in 1972 and 1973, which was pseudo-named the Gerry Lopez Pipeline Masters until the death ofAndy Ironsin 2010. In 1999, Lopez was selected as "Waterman of the Year" by the Surf Industries Manufacturing Association (SIMA).[9]
Lopez played an important role in the industry of commercial surfboard manufacturing. While in Hawaii, and together with othershapers,Lopez started the Lightning Bolt Surfboards brand of high performance shortboards. Lopez created the simple but eye catching Lightning Bolt jag, which became extremely popular in the 1970s. This brand was the first one to sponsor team riders with free boards, partially because many of the riders didn't have the money to buy them.
Lopez has also worked as an actor, appearing mostly in films by fellow ex-surferJohn Milius.In 1982, he played the character Subotai in the filmConan the BarbarianwithArnold Schwarzenegger.Other film appearances includeBig Wednesday(1978),North Shore(1987), andFarewell to the King(1989). Lopez has also appeared in numeroussurfingdocumentaries, includingFive Summer Stories(1973),Tales From The Tube,Step Into Liquid(2003), andRiding Giants(2004). He is an ambassador forPatagoniaclothing company and has written at least one essay for their catalogs. Lopez also appears frequently in ads and catalogs forRainbow Sandals,and is a friend of the founder of the company and fellow surfer, Jay Longley.
In 2008, Lopez authored a book calledSurf Is Where You Find It.[10]He and good friend Jock Sutherland also appear on YouTube in the Patagonia sponsored "Talkin' Pipe" series, where they describe their harrowing and sometimes humorous early experiences at the Pipeline.
Personal life
[edit]Since about the early 1990s,[10]Lopez has lived inBend, Oregon,with his wife Toni and their son, Alex.[11]Snowboarding has become a passion for both father and son, and Gerry applied his talents as a craftsman to makingsnowboards.Hissurfboardsalso remain in high demand.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^"Gerry Lopez, The Seemingly Ageless One Turns 70".SURFER Magazine.2018-11-07.Retrieved2018-12-15.
- ^ab"Gerry Lopez Biography and Photos | SURFLINE.COM".www.surfline.com.Retrieved2018-12-15.
- ^"Legendary surfer Gerry Lopez talks Oregon, river surfing and Duke".Adventure Sports Network.2016-09-15.Retrieved2018-12-15.
- ^Bannerman, Mark (2012-02-06)."'Mr Pipeline' Gerry Lopez is no one-trick pony ".ABC News.Retrieved2018-12-15.
- ^Fried, Dani (2016-04-20)."Surfing legend Gerry Lopez hits the Bend waves".KTVZ.Retrieved2018-12-15.
- ^Doherty, Sean (2017-12-01)."The Amazing Stories Of Hawaiian Icon Reno Abellira".Surfing World.Retrieved2018-12-15.
- ^Sponsored (2016-02-26)."Which Ski Resort is the Surfiest? |" Mr. Pipeline ", Gerry Lopez, Votes for Mt. Bachelor, OR".SnowBrains.Retrieved2018-12-15.
- ^"Gerry Lopez Interview In LA Times Today".Retrieved2010-07-13.
In the 70's, Gerry was widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best, tuberider in the world by winning the Pipeline Masters two years in a row.
- ^"Gerry Lopez - Biography - IMDb".IMDb.
- ^abBaker, Jeff (June 28, 2015)."A life of sand and snow: Surfing legend Gerry Lopez is from the beach, but whether he's on surfboard or snowboard (in Bend), he's living the good life".The Sunday Oregonian.A&E section, p. 4.Retrieved2015-07-03.
- ^ Crowe, Jerry (December 22, 2008)."Surfing still shapes life of landlocked Gerry Lopez".Los Angeles Times.
External links
[edit]- Gerry Lopez Surfboards
- Gerry Lopez biographyon surfline.com
- Gerry Lopez interviewin Liquid Salt Surfing Magazine
- Video interview with Gerry LopezonYouTubeby the Transcendent Nation Foundation on the question of "how to save the world"