Andy Irons’ boards (and shorts) were a lot longer in 2004 than those you see on tour these days. But his surfing was still so progressive for the time. Rail-to-rail never goes out of style but how about that iconic straight air? And was anybody better in the tube? Straight from the World Surf League Vault, this piece looks at the Rip Curl Pro Search somewhere in Mexico (it’s okay to say it was Barra de La Cruz this many years later) – a nostalgic peak back in time at some incredible conditions and some incredible surfers that are still heroes of the power game today, like Taylor Knox, Taj Burrow, Joel Parkinson, Kelly, and of course, Andy. The elder Irons brother would sadly pass four years later but this is certainly a testament to his unparalleled skill in the water.
