Gerry Lopez

Lopez was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, grew up in East Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, and attended Punahou School. He frequented the semi-secret reefs in and around Aina Haina as well as better known surf spots in Metro-Honolulu.{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-06/gerry-lopez-autobiography-to-launch/3813034|title='Mr Pipeline' Gerry Lopez is no one-trick pony|last=Bannerman|first=Mark|date=2012-02-06|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=2018-12-15}} An early reference point for his sleek and precise style was the graceful Paul Strauch, whom Lopez still credits as "the most stylish surfer ever." Lopez became the Hawaii State Champ at age 14,{{Cite web|url=https://www.ktvz.com/news/bend/surfing-legend-gerry-lopez-hits-the-bend-waves/69099914|title=Surfing legend Gerry Lopez hits the Bend waves|last=Fried|first=Dani|date=2016-04-20|website=KTVZ|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-15}} and he and friend Reno Abellira{{Cite web|url=https://surfingworld.com.au/amazing-stories-hawaiian-icon-reno-abellira/|title=The Amazing Stories Of Hawaiian Icon Reno Abellira|last=Doherty|first=Sean|date=2017-12-01|website=Surfing World|language=en-AU|access-date=2018-12-15}} began surfing Ala Moana Bowls frequently. It is here that Lopez began honing his casual style and masterful tube riding skills.

Lopez and friends began to migrate out to Oahu's North Shore, where they watched surfers like Butch Van Artsdalen and Jock Sutherland ride the hollow waves of the Banzai Pipeline.{{Cite web|url=https://snowbrains.com/video-which-mountain-is-the-surfiest-mr-pipeline-gerry-lopez-votes-for-mt-bachelor-or/|title=Which Ski Resort is the Surfiest? {{!}} "Mr. Pipeline", Gerry Lopez, Votes for Mt. Bachelor, OR|last=Sponsored|date=2016-02-26|website=SnowBrains|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-15}} As surfboard designs began to integrate "downrailer" edges, curve, foil, and rocker, the vertical drops and thick tubes of Pipeline became survivable. Not long after, performance levels at big Pipeline exploded, led by Lopez.

He was widely recognized as the best tuberider in the world,{{cite web | title = Gerry Lopez Interview In LA Times Today | url = http://www.lat34.org/quick_hits/2008/12/22/gerry-lopez-interview-in-la-times-today/ | accessdate = 2010-07-13 | quote = In the 70’s, Gerry was widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best, tuberider in the world by winning the Pipeline Masters two years in a row.}} and won the Pipeline Masters competition in 1972 and 1973, which was pseudo-named the Gerry Lopez Pipeline Masters until the death of Andy Irons in 2010. In 1999, Lopez was selected as "Waterman of the Year" by the Surf Industries Manufacturing Association (SIMA).{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0520068/bio |title = Gerry Lopez - Biography - IMDb| website=IMDb }}

Lopez played an important role in the industry of commercial surfboard manufacturing. While in Hawaii, and together with other shapers, Lopez started the Lightning Bolt Surfboards brand of high performance shortboards. Lopez created the simple but eye catching Lightning Bolt jag, which became extremely popular in the 1970s. This brand was the first one to sponsor team riders with free boards, partially because many of the riders didn't have the money to buy them.

Lopez has also worked as an actor, appearing mostly in films by fellow ex-surfer John Milius. In 1982, he played the character Subotai in the film Conan the Barbarian with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Other film appearances include Big Wednesday (1978), North Shore (1987), and Farewell to the King (1989). Lopez has also appeared in numerous surfing documentaries, including Five Summer Stories (1973), Tales From The Tube, Step Into Liquid (2003), and Riding Giants (2004). He is an ambassador for Patagonia clothing company and has written at least one essay for their catalogs. Lopez also appears frequently in ads and catalogs for Rainbow Sandals, and is a friend of the founder of the company and fellow surfer, Jay Longley.

In 2008, Lopez authored a book called Surf Is Where You Find It. He and good friend Jock Sutherland also appear on YouTube in the Patagonia sponsored "Talkin' Pipe" series, where they describe their harrowing and sometimes humorous early experiences at the Pipeline.

Since about the early 1990s,{{cite news|last1=Baker|first1=Jeff|title=A life of sand and snow: Surfing legend Gerry Lopez is from the beach, but whether he's on surfboard or snowboard (in Bend), he's living the good life |newspaper=The Sunday Oregonian|date=June 28, 2015|at=A&E section, p. 4|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/books/index.ssf/2015/06/gerry_lopez_hawaiian_surfing_l.html|accessdate=2015-07-03}} Lopez has lived in Bend, Oregon, with his wife Toni and their son, Alex.

{{Cite news|last=Crowe|first=Jerry|title=Surfing still shapes life of landlocked Gerry Lopez|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=December 22, 2008|url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/extreme/la-sp-crowe22-2008dec22,0,265630.column}} Snowboarding has become a passion for both father and son, and Gerry applied his talents as a craftsman to making snowboards. His surfboards also remain in high demand.{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.gerrylopezsurfboards.com/ Gerry Lopez Surfboards]
• [http://www.surfline.com/surfaz/surfaz.cfm?id=852 Gerry Lopez biography] on surfline.com
• [http://www.liquidsaltmag.com/volume1/#/gerry-lopez/ Gerry Lopez interview] in Liquid Salt Surfing Magazine
• {{YouTube|_bfmdjwing8|Video interview with Gerry Lopez}} by the Transcendent Nation Foundation on the question of "how to save the world"

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Category:1948 births

Category:Male actors from Hawaii

Category:American male film actors

Category:American surfers

Category:Living people

Category:Sportspeople from Bend, Oregon

Category:Punahou School alumni

Category:Sportspeople from Hawaii

Category:Surfboard shapers

Category:American sportspeople of Mexican descent

Category:American male actors of Mexican descent