Jerseys on and off, these guys are pushing the limits of what was thought to be humanly possible.
The morning Kelly landed a 540 I remember clear as day. My coffee just about shot through my nostrils as I struggled to comprehend what I had witnessed. This was just one of the many radical displays of high performance surfing that made the hairs on my arm stand up. I get very excited about these things. Like I’m witnessing history in the making.
Faster, higher, inverted, more tweaked, more grab variations, and more rotation; this is the aerial surfing of today. Whether in a free surf or in competition, professional surfers are pushing the limits of what was thought to be humanly possible. Love ’em or hate ’em, airs are here to stay. In no particular order, here are the top 10 aerialists in surfing right now:
John John Florence
No surprise here. JJF has been gaining superhuman status for quite some time now, and to dive into the specifics of why he made the cut would be as necessary as explaining why 2+2=4. Jersey on and off, JJF is a beast. Scary thing is that he’s only getting started.
Filipe Toledo
Some say the uber-consistent Filipe Toledo lost his legs in a car accident a few years ago and became the first recipient of Brazil’s newest medical advancement: bionic, spring-loaded legs. I won’t say that it’s entirely true, but some of the shit this 19-year-old is pulling will send you to the looney bin. All joking aside, there was no other surfer that appeared to be in form quite like Filipe down at Snapper Rocks this year. To Filipe, there isn’t a wave too small or too big for a monstrous full rotation.
Julian Wilson
With unmatched consistency and faultless technique, Julian has pretty much mastered the aerial. He opened up the discussion to the double alley oop rotation and pioneered moves like the “Sushi Roll.” Not sure if anyone is doing these anymore, but it was pretty wicked nonetheless.
Chippa Wilson
Chippa is progressive, spontaneous, and creative with a mean skatey style. From his inverted grab variations to radical big spins, Chippa’s aerials are as polished as the classic trucks he’s always mobbing around in.
Dane Reynolds
Dane has long been regarded as the best surfer in the world by the best surfers in the world. Although he’s been MIA over the past year or so, the guy is fully capable of launching the most radical air you’ve ever seen. Just watch Kai Neville’s Cluster. A list without Dane would certainly be incomplete.
Gabriel Medina
The 2015 world champ and one of the few guys who lands every air he attempts. Like his fellow countryman Filipe, Gabriel has the amazing ability to boost massive airs regardless of wave size or condition.
Jordy Smith
Jordy is a big boy. Despite his mass, he could air on a ripple if he wanted to. And those tree trunk legs allow him to project himself into unimaginable heights.
Albee Layer
Albee is one of the most well-rounded surfers on the planet. He’s got the big wave thing on lock and he’s an animal in the air. Albee has rubber ankles and was the first bloke to land a double rotation alley oop.
Kelly Slater
The Champ. The dude. The Great Bambino of surfing. 43 years old and the man who has landed the gnarliest air in surfing history. Period.
Matt Meola
Like Albee, Matt is another one of those guys with rubber ankles. There isn’t a section too shallow or too far into the flats the he will not commit to. He also has the box for innovation and creativity ticked with a dark black marker.
Honorable mentions:
Kolohe Andino, Josh Kerr, Craig Anderson, Kai Barger, Noa Dean, Nick Rozsa, Flynn Novak, Oliver Kurtz, Ozzie Wright, Mitch Colbourne, Clay Marzo, and many more.
