PodAloha: Surf Legends Talk Story

Paul talks to Randy Rarick about being enthralled by his first wave in Waikiki, making money as a kid by being the master of ding repair, and how traveling the world for waves in the 1970s inspired his vision to help create a global professional surfing association. Not to mention a thoughtful meditation on Aloha.

Paul Strauch talks to Gerry Lopez about growing up surfing in Hawaii, the special scene at Ala Moana, board innovation for Pipeline, yoga and find memories of surf legend, George Downing.

The three legends discuss major changes to wave riding they lived through during their long and still going surfing lives. The rise of localism as lineups got more crowded and aggressive. The first concave nose. The key evolutions that led to the rise of the short board and modern tube-riding. And of course why the spirit of Aloha is the soul of surfing.

Perhaps the most dominant competitive surfer of the 1960s, Joey joins Paul to share memories of growing up surfing in Waikiki, their time together on the Duke Kahanamoku Surf Team and that time he swam the Na Pali Coast.

Mike chats with Paul about who is gonna get the wave; who influenced his surfing and shaping; his experience starring in the Endless Summer and how it inspired his smuggling career. Paul and Mike discuss Phil Edwards’s impact on them.