Glyndyn Ringrose, aka Ringa. He’s back! Photo: WSL
The last time Glyndyn Ringrose competed in a world tour event was nearly two decades ago. It was the Mountain Dew Pipe Masters in 2000. Rob Machado won it, and Ringrose tied for ninth with seven others, including Kelly Slater and Damien Hobgood. Now, after two surfers pulled out of the Bells trials, the goofy-footer is going to try his luck against the new school.
If you haven’t been following surfing for the last 20 years, you might not know him. If you have, though, you definitely do. He’s a memorable man–honest, hard-working, and incredibly good at surfing. After failing to requalify in 2000, he retired to a life dedicated to family, shaping, and God. Known as “Ringa” to his friends, Ringrose’s surfing career started off bright. Born in Vanuatu to missionary parents, he spent his early years mainly in Fiji, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands. Surfing wasn’t exactly top-of-mind at the time, but that would soon change.
“I had my first initial experience of catching waves in dugout canoes catching wind chop,” he said to Sea Stoke Magazine. “All the locals had canoes, we were in a lagoon and when the wind blew really hard, you would get a fair bit of wind chop created. You would catch the wind chop, shoot down it and then paddle again and catch the next lump.” Soon after, his family moved to Australia and that seed took root. “When I came to Australia and I saw waves and surfboards,” he continued, “I was just like, yeah, this is it. I was addicted and caught by surfing.”
After smashing through local events and the Australian Championship Circuit, Glyndyn worked his way into the big show in the late ’90s. He came out swinging and for many, he had the potential to be the next big thing. The next year, though, was a bit of a disaster. After struggling to requalify, by 2000, his confidence had waned and he found himself off the Tour. That didn’t mean he stopped surfing, though–far from it.
He’s been entering contests here and there just to keep his hand in the game, and now, in his mid-40s, he’s back on surfing’s main stage. “I am getting close to 44-years-old now and there is not a lot of time left in my surfing career,” he said to the WSL. “I still have the competitive drive and mental desire, but for me, it is about willing my body to do the things you want it to do.”
In wind-swept, difficult conditions, Ringrose won the Visit Victoria Trials at Bells Beach after beating Cody Robinson, securing his spot as a wildcard into the upcoming Bells Beach event. It won’t be easy, though. In his first heat, he’ll run into Jeremy Flores and an extraordinarily in-form John John Florence.
Ringa, though, isn’t too worried. He’s just looking forward to the experience. “I’ve been close so many times to win the trials,” he said. “This last two days I’ve just been thinking heat after heat and I’m just blessed to get into the main event. The last time I was in a World Tour event was 2000 at the Pipe Masters, it’s so awesome to be able to surf again against the best in the world.”
