Greg Long (surfer)

Born and raised in San Clemente, Greg and his brother Rusty Long were introduced to the ocean at an early age by their father, who was a lifeguard. At the age of 16, Greg moved to San Diego where he lived with his older cousin David Long who surfed with Greg and helped progress his skills. Greg surfed the waves at Trestles, California at an early age and was highly regarded throughout the community as an up-and-coming star.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}} At 17, Greg won the NSSA National Men's Open Title in 2001, and looked to have a promising career in competitive surfing. But, Greg's passion for big surf forced{{citation needed|date=May 2016}} him to leave the professional circuit and focus entirely on traveling the world in search of biggest waves.

At age 15, Long first paddled out to what eventually would be his home big wave break, an island off the coast of Baja California called Todos Santos. There, he honed his big wave skills throughout his teen years and had many sessions with big wave rider Mike Parsons. After surfing Todos for a couple years, Long took his big wave act to spots such as Mavericks, in Northern California, and Dungeon's, in Cape Town, South Africa. He won the Red Bull Big Wave Africa at Dungeon's in 2003 at age 19. The win officially put him on the big wave map, and he has since been a standout on every huge swell all over the world.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}

On January 5, 2008, Long and fellow riders Brad Gerlach, Mike Parsons, and Grant "Twiggy" Baker towed into waves at the Cortes Bank off the coast of San Diego, on the swell of the decade, that were estimated to be around 60–80 feet on the face. Greg was credited by the other surfers and photographers as riding the "wave of the day" on something approaching 90 feet tall, but it was not photographed and thus not recognized. This is according to the book "Ghost Wave" by Chris Dixon. That same year, Long won the Mavericks surf contest in {{convert|20|ft|m|adj=on}} surf. In June 2008, he signed a sponsorship deal with Billabong.{{cite web|url=http://www.surfingmagazine.com/news/greg-long-signs-with-billabong-061008/|title=Greg Long Signs With Billabong|date=June 10, 2008|work=SURFING Magazine|access-date=May 28, 2016}}

Long's biggest career achievement{{According to whom|date=May 2016}} came in December 2009, when he won the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational in {{convert|40|ft|m|adj=on}} surf at the North Shore's Waimea Bay. There, he took down ten-time world champion Kelly Slater and a host of the world's best big wave riders. Long also won the 2009 Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau big-wave contest on Waimea Bay, Oahu.{{cite web|url=http://www.surfermag.com/features/greg-long-wins-quiksilver-in-memory-of-eddie-aikau/|title=Greg Long Wins Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau|work=SURFER Magazine|access-date=May 28, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/action/surfing/news/story?id=4726754|title=Greg Long upsets Kelly Slater to win the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational in Memory of Eddie Aikau|work=ESPN.com|date=December 9, 2009 |access-date=May 28, 2016}}

On January 4, 2012, Greg Long, along with his fellow big wave surfers Ian Walsh, Kohl Christensen, Jeff Rowley, Dave Wassel, Shane Dorian, Mark Healey, Carlos Burle, Nate Fletcher, Garrett McNamara, Kai Barger, North Shore locals and others visited the Hawaiian Islands for a day of surfing.{{cite web|url=http://www.garrettmcnamara.com/blog/?p%3D381 |title=Jaws sees paddle-in surf madness | Garrett McNamara |access-date=January 8, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118062617/http://www.garrettmcnamara.com/blog/?p=381 |archive-date=January 18, 2012 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/npac-goes-xxl-take-two_64595|title=NPAC GOES XXL: TAKE TWO|work=Surfline.com|access-date=May 28, 2016}} Later that year, the Hollywood film he provided stunt surfing for, Chasing Mavericks, premiered.{{cite web|url=http://www.theinertia.com/business-media/greg-long-discusses-chasing-mavericks/|title=Greg Long Discusses Chasing Mavericks|author=Zach Weisberg|work=The Inertia|date=October 19, 2012 |access-date=May 28, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1629757/?ref_=nv_sr_1|title=Chasing Mavericks (2012)|date=October 26, 2012|work=IMDb|access-date=May 28, 2016}}

Long has been known for caring more for the spirit of big wave surfing than the sponsorship deals, media attention, and contest wins.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}} At the Mavericks Contest in 2008, for example, Long agreed to split the prize money among himself and the five other finalists. He is also known for pressing the limits of paddle-in surfing, paddling into many waves which were once deemed unrideable without the help of a jet ski. Long was included as an actor and adviser in the Hollywood film Chasing Mavericks,{{cite web|url=http://www.theinertia.com/business-media/greg-long-discusses-chasing-mavericks/|title=Greg Long Discusses Chasing Mavericks|author=Zach Weisberg|work=The Inertia|date=October 19, 2012 |access-date=May 28, 2016}} and was featured as the star of a documentary about the psychology of big wave surfing.{{cite web|url=http://www.theinertia.com/surf/sine-qua-non-psychology-of-big-wave-surfing-with-greg-long/|title=Sine Qua Non: The Psychology of Big Wave Surfing with Greg Long - The Inertia|author=The Inertia|work=The Inertia|date=October 10, 2012 |access-date=May 28, 2016}}

Long uses his celebrity to donate to charity organizations, and is involved in the Surfrider Foundation, Wildcoast, Parley For The Oceans and Save the Waves. Also, Long focused his efforts on Baja, Mexico, when a natural gas facility ruined a classic big wave surf spot in the area.{{cite web|url=http://surfing.about.com/od/surferprofiles/a/Greg-Long-Professional-Big-Wave-Surfer.htm|title=Greg Long - Professional big Wave Surfer - Biography|work=About.com Sports|access-date=May 28, 2016|archive-date=June 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630213930/http://surfing.about.com/od/surferprofiles/a/Greg-Long-Professional-Big-Wave-Surfer.htm|url-status=dead}}

Long was in a relationship with a Canadian-born snowboarder. Some time between late 2023 and early 2024, the two are no longer together.

• 2016 – WSL Big Wave World Tour Champion
• 2014 – Billabong XXL Ride of the Year - May 2, 2014 for his big wave ride at Puerto Escondido, Mexico
• 2013 – Billabong XXL Surfline Men's Performance Award
• 2013 – Billabong XXL Ride of the Year - third place at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on October 10, 2012
• 2011 – Surf Industry Manufacturer's Association (SIMA) Waterman of the Year
• 2008 – Billabong XXL Performer of the Year Award
• 2007 – Billabong XXL Best Tow-In Wave of the Year
• 2007 – Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards Biggest Paddle In Wave

• Chasing Mavericks (2012), stunts
• Sine Qua Non: The Psychology of Big Wave Surfing with Greg Long (2013){{cite web |title=Film: Psychology of Big Wave Surfing with Greg Long |url=http://www.thesurfchannel.com/news/20131115/film-psychology-of-big-wave-surfing-with-greg-long-on-itunes/ |website=The Surf Channel |access-date=June 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921220955/http://www.thesurfchannel.com/news/20131115/film-psychology-of-big-wave-surfing-with-greg-long-on-itunes/ |archive-date=September 21, 2015}}
• Big Wave Hellmen (2014){{cite news |last1=Dittman |first1=Earl |title=Surfer Greg Long heads back to the swells for 'Big Wave Hellmen' |url=http://www.digitaljournal.com/a-and-e/entertainment/surfer-greg-long-heads-back-to-the-swells-for-big-wave-hellmen/article/410524 |access-date=June 28, 2020 |agency=Digital Journal |date=October 24, 2014}}

{{reflist}}

• Official website {{Facebook|Greg.long.5667}}
• [http://www.billabong.com/us/team-rider/surf/269/greg-long|Greg Long - Billabong Rider Profile]
• {{WSL profile}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Long, Greg}}

Category:1984 births

Category:Living people

Category:American surfers

Category:Sportspeople from San Clemente, California

Category:Surfers from California

Category:World Surf League surfers

Category:Big wave surfers