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.
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]
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]
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.
Robert Kelly Slater is an American professional surfer, best known for being crowned World Surf League champion a record 11 times. Slater is widely regarded as the greatest professional surfer of all time, and holds 56 Championship Tour victories. He won the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year four-times. Slater is also the oldest surfer still active on the World Surf League, winning his 8th Billabong Pipeline Masters title at age 49.
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.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Uluwatu is a village on the south-western tip of the Bukit Peninsula of Bali, Indonesia. It is home to the Uluwatu temple.
Felicity Tamasyn "Flick" Palmateer is an Australian professional surfer who competes at the World Surf League.
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.
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