Cory Lopez (March 21, 1977-) |
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He paddled into Teahupoo for the first heat of the morning with only two years of world tour experience. A few minutes later, he paddled as the entire ocean seemingly surged toward him, stood up and swallowed him whole. He wouldn't make the wave or win the heat, but Cory Lopez ascended the ladder from trickster to legend in a matter of seconds.
The fact that he was even surfing in the Gotcha Tahiti Pro, a WCT event, was a leap in itself. Hailing from Indian Rocks, on the Gulf Coast of Florida, Cory was born into an unlikely setting for a pro surfer. While the East Coast is nothing to brag about, the Gulf is positively dreadful -- hot and flat with the occasional half-day dribble swell to stave off insanity. Fortunately, his father Pete was a lifelong waterman and older brother Shea was already leading the way. Pete loaded the boys up nearly every weekend for a cross-Florida trek to either Sebastian Inlet or some ESA contest. Frequent doses of the Caribbean, California and the North Shore prepared them for the next level. Sibling rivalry didn't become a motivator until well into the game. In the beginning it was, "If Shea's doing it, then I'm not." Five amateur titles later, he had decided to follow his brother's path. A daredevil from day one, Lopez was always a speed freak. Known for his extreme surfing, he toned things down just enough to qualify for the 1997 WCT a year after Shea by surfing in a record 29 World Qualifying Series events. Already making a name for himself via Lost videos, Lopez was touted as a freesurfing genius and a future great. Riding tiny, disc-like boards by Matt Biolos/Mayhem in everything from 2-foot junk to triple-overhead mackers, he helped take the fish beyond its logical extremes. By not holding back in heats, he forced the judges to take notice and contributed to changes rewarding innovation. After a decent rookie season, he narrowly lost out to Danny Wills in his first final in Japan during 1998 and rose to 10th in the world. His act at G-Land and Pipe only hinted at his potential in the heavy stuff. Then came Tahiti. Lopez's balls-to-the-wall attack on the heaviest wave ever ridden in competition was the highlight of the year. The rest of his season was a wash, save for one quarterfinals berth, but he was lauded by peers and fans voted him into the Surfer Poll. As the added emphasis on innovation becomes entrenched in the judging criteria, Lopez is gaining in both scores and confidence. The next few years will see him peak, and his timing couldn't be better. As for life after the tour, Lopez has made it clear that he plans on being on the Gulf. He purchased a house not far from his father's and likes nothing better than going fishing with his childhood friends -- with the possible exception of gaping barrels. -- Jason Borte, October 2000 Click here to find all the Cory Lopez photos and editorial on Surfline.
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