There isn’t anyone in the world who can surf like Clay Marzo except Clay Marzo. Photo: YouTube/Leilani Zerkle
I have said it many times before, but for my money, Clay Marzo is the best surfer in the world. But Clay Marzo does not care if anything thinks he’s best surfer in the world. Clay Marzo would surf exactly the way he surfs if no one were watching him.
But because he’s so good at riding waves, people want to watch. That makes Clay a bit uncomfortable, I think. A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to hang around Portugal with Clay. We showed up to Supertubos to a day far, FAR too big for my liking. With us were Mikey February, Ace Buchan, Jeje Vidal, Nic von Rupp, and a few others. Clay sat back, partially hidden behind the partially completed scaffolding for the upcoming WSL event, and watched as the others sprinted towards some of the biggest barrels I’ve seen in real life.
I thought, for a few minutes, that Clay was nervous about the size of the waves. That was a dumb thought, because I don’t even think that registered in his head. What did register was the fact that there were cameras on the beach. Lots and lots of cameras. He was uncomfortable with all the eyes that would inevitably be on him.
Eventually, after a bit of encouragement from his partner Leilani Zerkle, he paddled out. And when he did, he surfed those waves with that casual grace, immense power, and a kind of wave-knowledge that only Clay exhibits. He, more so than just about any other surfer, uses what the wave gives him. He doesn’t force anything — and somehow, despite Clay’s best efforts, he’d always end up with his surfboard back under his feet.
He’s not a one-board kind of guy, either. In the video above, Clay rides a twin fin on some fun little waves like only Clay Marzo can surf a twin fin on fun little waves.
