After 11 years on the ASP World Tour, Fred Patacchia has officially retired from competitive surfing. And the Hawaiian went out with an absolute BANG. With just over 10 minutes left in his round one heat, Freddy lit up Lower Trestles, securing the first perfect 10 of the competition. Once the scores dropped, the 33-year-old caught a wave to shore where he was greeted by his wife Melissa, his daughter and his friends on Tour.
When the fanfare settled, Todd Kline got a few words out of Freddy:
“This has been six months in the making for me,” he said. “It feels great. I’m happy with my decision. I hope that everyone appreciates what I did in my career. I’m actually in a great place right now; I’m so excited to explore other things outside of surfing.”
With his daughter in his arms and his son at home, Freddy mentioned that his family was a big part of his decision. In his final heat as a Tour surfer, Freddy took on Gabriel Medina and Bede Durbridge. All surfers were in fine form but Freddy was on fire as he attacked the rights with unmatched speed and precision. One reeling right-hander in particular gave the 33-year-old Hawaiian the first perfect 10 of the competition.
“I knew this day would come,” Freddy said. “But I never thought it would end like this.”
The wave was Freddy’s way of ending his career on his own terms – as a viable contender, instead of an over-the-hill has-been. With just over 10 minutes left in heat 10 of round one, Freddy dropped in on a bomb. After a late takeoff, he bobbed around a foam ball, put his head down and drove into some classic Freddy P. man hacks. The power he exerted in those turns was that of a man with confidence – it showed poise in his decision to leave all of it behind, but not without a final display of skill.
Despite a few rocky years in terms of results, Freddy isn’t bitter. “I don’t want to say that I’m giving up on my dream,” Freddy continued, “because I’ve lived my dream.”
