Ross Clarke-Jones

Last updated

Ross Clarke-Jones (6 June 1966) is an Australian big wave surfer. [1] He originally came from Terrigal in the Central Coast, of New South Wales, Australia where he enjoyed surfing Terrigal Haven, [2] a point break that produces rare waves lasting for up to 300 metres on a big swell.

Contents

Known also as "Dark Bones" and "RCJ", Clarke-Jones is known for his love of huge waves, and along with tow partner Tony Ray have taken on some of the biggest waves ever attempted. [2] On 28 January 1998, the two were part of a small group of surfers who rode giant Outside Log Cabins on the north shore of Oahu in Hawaii. [2] Wave faces were anything between 50 and 80 feet. Other surfers included Noah Johnson, Aaron Lambert, Cheyne Horan, Dan Moore, Milton Bradley Willis and Michael Willis who were the first to go out. Clarke-Jones and Ray had a memorable moment when both ski and surfer were caught and pummeled by a 60' wave, knocking them both into the water. [2]

Clarke-Jones is perennial invitee to the Quiksilver Eddie Aikau Big Wave contest held at Waimea Bay [3] and in minimum 20'-25' surf. In 2000/2001, he won the Eddie, becoming the first non-Hawaiian to do so. [4] He continues to pursue big wave thrills in Hawaii, Australia, California, Tasmania, South Africa, and Europe.

He is known for surfing Shipsterns Bluff, [5] Cow Bombie, [6] and Pedra Branca. [7]

In 2019, Clarke-Jones competed in the sixth season of Australian Survivor . He was medically evacuated on Day 28 after fracturing an ankle during a challenge, finishing in 13th place. [8]

Storm Surfers 3D

On 14 August 2012, on a six-million dollar budget, the documentary titled Storm Surfers 3D was released, with Clarke-Jones being the main focus alongside fellow surfer Tom Carroll. The movie focused on spectacular tow-in rides in the Great Southern Ocean at Cow Bombie, Ship Stern, The South Coast Bombie, and Turtle Dove. Premieres were at Toronto on 9, 11, 15 and 16 September 2012; San Sebastian on 20–28 September 2012; Santa Barbara on 27 January – 3 February 2013; San Luis Obispo on 7 March 2013; and Honolulu on 10–27 April 2013. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret River, Western Australia</span> Town in Western Australia

Margaret River is a town in the South West of Western Australia, located in the valley of the eponymous Margaret River, 277 kilometres (172 mi) south of Perth, the state capital. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waimea Bay</span> Bay on Oahu in Hawaii, United States

Waimea Bay is located in Haleiwa on the North Shore of O'ahu in the Hawaiian Islands at the mouth of the Waimea River. Waimea Valley extends to the east of Waimea Bay. Waimea means "reddish water" in Hawaiian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big wave surfing</span> Surfing waves at least 20 ft high

Big wave surfing is a discipline within surfing in which experienced surfers paddle into, or are towed into, waves which are at least 20 feet high, on surf boards known as "guns" or towboards. Sizes of the board needed to successfully surf these waves vary by the size of the wave as well as the technique the surfer uses to reach the wave. A larger, longer board allows a rider to paddle fast enough to catch the wave and has the advantage of being more stable, but it also limits maneuverability and surfing speed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Aikau</span> Hawaiian surfer and lifeguard

Edward Ryan Makuahanai Aikau was a Hawaiian lifeguard and surfer. As the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay on the island of Oahu, he saved over 500 people and became famous for surfing the big Hawaiian surf, winning several awards including the 1977 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship. The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational is named in his honor. He was also a crew member on the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa.

Patrick Shane Dorian, or "Shane", is an American surfer from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. He spent 11 years touring on the World Championship Tour as a professional surfer. Dorian quit competition surfing in 2003 to focus on big waves. He is currently a big wave surfer and one of the best in the world at big wave riding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Carroll (surfer)</span> Australian surfer

Thomas Victor Carroll is an Australian former professional surfer from Sydney. He won the Australian Junior Title in 1978, the Pro Juniors in 1977 and 1980, the 1983 and 1984 ASP World Tour, and the 1987 Pipe Masters. He became the first surfing millionaire after signing a contract with Quiksilver in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gracetown, Western Australia</span> Town in Western Australia

Gracetown is a small town in Western Australia. It is located 269 kilometres (167 mi) south of the Perth central business district, and 21.5 kilometres (13.4 mi) north-west of the township of Margaret River in the Augusta-Margaret River Shire Council area on the coast at Cowaramup Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Eddie</span> Surfing tournament held in Hawaii

"The Eddie", also known as The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, is a big wave surfing tournament held at Waimea Bay on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii. The tournament is named for native Hawaiian, champion big wave surfer, and life-saving Waimea Bay lifeguard, Eddie Aikau. Created in 1984 at nearby Sunset Beach, the invitational tournament moved to the notoriously big waved Waimea Bay, where Aikau's family maintains an ancestral tradition as caretakers of the Waimea Valley. It was formerly known as the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau after its sponsor Quiksilver, but the company and the Aikau family could not agree to terms for a new contract after the previous one expired in 2016.

Bombora is an indigenous Australian term for an area of large sea waves breaking over a shallow area such as a submerged rock shelf, reef, or sand bank that is located some distance from the shoreline and beach surf break. In slang, it is also called a bommie.

Cowaramup is a town in the South West of Western Australia, 12 kilometres north of Margaret River in the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John John Florence</span> American professional surfer (born 1992)

John "John John" Alexander Florence is an American professional surfer. He is considered one of the most dominant pipe surfers of his era and won back-to-back world titles on the 2016 World Surf League and 2017 World Surf League Men's Championship Tour. He is the first Hawaii-born surfer to win back-to-back world titles since the late Andy Irons. Florence qualified to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics in surfing's debut, as well as qualified for the Paris Olympic Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Long (surfer)</span> American surfer (born 1983)

Greg Long is an American surfer from San Clemente, California. He has won the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational, in memory of Eddie Aikau at Waimea Bay, the Red Bull Titans of Mavericks event held at Mavericks in Northern California, and the Red Bull Big Wave Africa event held at Dungeons in Hout Bay, South Africa. Additionally, he is the most decorated surfer in the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards. He is widely regarded as one of the best big wave surfers in the world.

Darrick Doerner is a big wave pioneer in the sport of tow-in surfing, in which personal water craft are used to tow surfers into large surf. Also known by the nickname, Double D, Doerner is an accomplished big wave surfer himself.

Shipstern Bluff is a globally renowned big-wave surfing location on the southeastern coast of Tasmania, Australia, on the Tasman Peninsula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Shore (Oahu)</span> Coast of Oʻahu

The North Shore, in the context of geography of the Island of Oʻahu, refers to the north-facing coastal area of Oʻahu between Kaʻena Point and Kahuku. The largest settlement is Haleʻiwa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cowaramup Bombora</span> Surf break near Margaret River, Western Australia

Cowaramup Bombora is a big wave open-ocean surf break found on the south-west coast of Western Australia. It is located 2 km (1.2 mi) offshore west of Gracetown which is near the town of Margaret River, world-renowned for its surf, and is 265 km (165 mi) south of the capital city Perth.

Chris Christenson is an American surfboard shaper, craftsman, and outdoor enthusiast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uluwatu, Bali</span> Village in Bali, Indonesia

Uluwatu is a village on the south-western tip of the Bukit Peninsula of Bali, Indonesia. It is home to the Uluwatu temple.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felicity Palmateer</span> Australian surfer (born 1992)

Felicity Tamasyn "Flick" Palmateer is an Australian professional surfer who competes at the World Surf League.

<i>Storm Surfers 3D</i> 2012 Australian documentary film

Storm Surfers 3D is an Australian documentary film, directed by Justin McMillan and Christopher Nelius and released in 2012. Narrated by Toni Collette, the film centres on Ross Clarke-Jones and Tom Carroll, two Australian surfers who specialize in tow-in surfing.

References

  1. ↑ "Meet the Team Ross Clarke-Jones". 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "The Two of Us: Ross Clarke-Jones and Tony Ray". The Age. 16 April 2006. Archived from the original on 21 August 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  3. ↑ "Ross Clarke-Jones". Archived from the original on 19 January 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  4. ↑ "Eddie Aikau Memorial". Archived from the original on 15 May 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  5. ↑ Peter Wilmoth (13 March 2005). "When the green room is your stage". The Sun Herald. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  6. ↑ "Storm Surfers - big waves mission to Cows in WA". YouTube . Archived from the original on 6 December 2021.
  7. ↑ "The Storm Riders". Archived from the original on 1 October 2015.
  8. ↑ McKnight, Robert (21 May 2019). "Major cast details leaked for AUSTRALIAN SURVIVOR: CHAMPIONS vs CONTENDERS". TV Blackbox. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  9. ↑ "Storm Surfers 3D". Storm Surfers website. Archived from the original on 18 May 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  10. ↑ Media Releases - 2012 (1 August 2012). "Storm Surfers 3D to ride the Toronto wave". Screen Australia. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ Schoettle, Jane. "Storm Surfers 3D". Toronto International Film Festival 2012. Archived from the original on 11 December 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  12. ↑ "Velodrome "Big Friday: Storm Surfers 3D". Donostia Zinemaldia Festival de San Sebastian 2012. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  13. ↑ "Storm Surfers 3D". Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2013. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  14. ↑ "Storm Surfers 3D". San Luis Obispo Film Festival 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  15. ↑ "Storm Surfers 3D". Hawai'i International Film Festival 2013 Spring Showcase. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.