"He was the people's champ! He's been fucked! Andy Irons was one of the few real things left in surfing!" says legend surfer-shaper.
A few hours ago, on the dreariest winter’s day imaginable, my mood only barely elevated by a Foxtel connection to Tahiti, I received a phone call from the swinging surfer-shaper Maurice Cole.
In quick order, he told me of his recent health and emotional travails, why Dirk Ziff has the will and the capacity to happily lose, indefinitely, twenty mill a year on pro surfing (Maurice explained that sports are a billionaires’ plaything and while some are spending hundreds of mill each year to own a team, Ziff drops pocket-change and owns a sport), that he was splitting Torquay to live in a van near Bells and…
…what the fuck happened to the Andy Irons award at Teahupoo?
The AI award has been given to the hardest charger at Teahupoo every year since 2011.
Winners include Jeremy Flores, John John Florence, Ricardo dos Santos, Owen Wright, CJ Hobgood and Kelly Slater, who won it in 2016, the last time he won a WCT event.
“Secretly I’ve really wanted this award for five years now,” Kelly Slater said at the time. “I was channeling Andy this week. I was thinking about him a lot. He was a monster out here, he would just man-handle barrels. The last heat I had with him out here was that last year he won. I felt like I was part of that in some way. That award is going to be front and center in my home. There is a lot of emotions right now.”
Andy, of course, won the 2010 Teahupoo contest two months before he was found dead in his hotel room at Dallas/Forth Worth International airport.
In 2018?
No award.
Maurice is furious.
“Look at the comments,” he ordered, “They’re going fucking wild. He was the people’s champ! He’s just been fucked! This is the biggest fucking scandal I’ve seen today. Andy Irons was one of the few real things left in surfing!”
What happened?
The WSL was contacted for a comment with no response although Maurice assures me the great Nick Carroll, who has a sturdier connection to the WSL than me, is on the case.
More tomoz.
Did it when was 21/22 breaking concrete off piles in a tight space. Leaning and pushing on the Kango more than my skinny rig could handle and it tore… ignoring it for 4 months made it rupture into the sciatic (sp?) Nerve causing me to trip over heaps when my ankle stopped moving. Healed up and avoided the op but the resultant random stiffness can fuck me over on a critical take off which can be very, very embarrassing in a busy lineup. Once going I’m sweet but 1/15 takeoffs can be debilitating to the ego ha haaa
You get an op?
I had same thing. Did it at same age, ended up having artificial disc replacement and spinal fusion at 43. It fucked my surfing for probably 10 years. I’ve got control of it since the op. Just gotta stretch a lot, yoga, not drive too much.
You ended up relapsing around 43 or the symptoms got worse from the initial injury gradually? Good on you for looking after it post op
It got better quite quickly originally, then as I got older had more and more issues. From about 35 to 43 was gradually downhill. Things like chiro or core exercises would sort of work for a while but in the end I was just in heaps of pain all the time and couldn’t do much, so had the op.
Oh damn so that’s what I’m in for? Could you have had the OP sooner? What was the recovery time? I was lined up for it until I healed quickly so avoided it. Thanks for the info btw
No stress mate. I had the floppy foot thing you mentioned too. That was no good. I played a fair bit of contact sport too, aussie rules, basketball and soccer which I’m pretty sure made the discs degrade further. If its not messing with you at the moment just try to look after yourself – stretch, get a massage every now and then, get a decent bed, try some low impact fitness stuff as well as surfing. Unless you’re really screwed they don’t tend to operate, which is good I think. The discs do heal often on their own, though it can take a long time and you gotta try not to aggravate them.
Derek, my third and last night at Mama Shelter Paris East on the back of your Concierge recommendation. Chic as shit, my girl and i slipped right into Paris noir and will return to Aus much cooler for it. Hope Beachgrit can make some cash doing more of these – told reception how we found Mama. First time commenting on BG thanks for staying independent.
Death by Scorpion …. Ouch
As Jesus was over heard to say ( incorrectly ) in the Life of Brian
BLESSED ARE THE CHESSE MAKERS .
Guessing one of the following are at play:
1) WSL is intent in burying the history of the sport
2) They just don’t care
3) Bong’s new ownership were not keen on forking out for the privilege
3) WSL were not willing to contribute to Irons Trust for the privilege
Perhaps naming rights to the Beachgrit SSD Live Commentary Feed, or the SSD award for biggest couch potato during an event?
It’s a licensing thing. Billabong probably owns the naming rights to the award.
Yeah it’s not really rocket surgery is it lol.
The cartoon at the top is all Billabong riders in billabong shorts. The trophy above features a billabong boardshort rising sun pattern they put Andy’s signature on. Not to mention the Billabong logo. Lolz
But Andy is positioned out front of the tube where Phil stands.
Woops.
Is Kelly dead?
You got the foxtel?
Now you need a nice sofa.
Andy’s death could have been a learning moment for the entire culture, instead it was shrouded in lies, “brand management” and dubious intention on so many levels. I could mention concrete things LGR, but we’ve been cease and desisted before over the same thing. I was banned from Stab for asking simple questions of Billafuck.
But you, LGR, bring up a point to be made loud and clear. Andy’s behavior was not a mystery. To call it an open secret is not candor. His sponsors enabled that behavior directly. Anyone who claims to have been a friend let their dear friend down in massive ways. It was immediately apparent in Portugal. Puerto Rico was telling. How is it that no one intervened to the point of just escorting him home? Instead, the corporation fed the problem. I would not have allowed any of my bros to succumb to that. Cheap praise after the fact is hollow as fuck.
I interviewed with the Kardashians…. the impression leaving that home was I wanted to take Bruce with me. Like leaving a vulnerable soldier on the battle field. The home is toxic. Those hags may make money because they contrived celebrity, but they fail all basic human decency. I learned that day that money did not control me. Just like teh little girl whose actress mom paid bribes to get her into a school she did not want to attend. LA is filled with phonies. Social media (IG) allow people to create monsters of themselves and social “influencers” are just modern day Snake Oil Carnie Salesmen of the latest variety.
did you actually watch the movie where they talk about the addictions etc…..to try and show people mental health issues…..???
the movie was just released this year – before that it was years of lies and spin, as the hippy describes. the morning he was found deceased, billabong was putting out “inspirational” clips and telling the public he had “dengue fever”
also worth remembering – the reaction to the brad melekian article in outside years ago that tried to get at the truth.
The movie was one more cash grab
Sadly that is part of the issue – addictionS – keeps us focusing on symptoms
Re: Friends- Did anyone ever go ‘marlin’ or ‘Borg’ fishing for their story ?
Although I’m not much older than your marriage, we have this injury in common… mental when it flares up. Great feeling in the back of your mind taking off on an intimidating wave
Since the WSL is no longer interested in handing out the award, we at BeachGrit thought we should take over responsibilities and give the award, along with a few others for this year’s Chopes connest!:
-Andy Irons Most Committed Performance Award – Jadson Andre
-Filipe Toled0.0 Soiled Pants Award – Willian “Panda” Cardoso
-Federal Highway Administration “Use of Shoulders for Travel” Award – Filipe Toledo
-Tom Carroll Midget Wearing a Helmet at a Reef Award – Jeremy Flores
-The Dunning-Kruger Award – Kaipo “Kaips” Guerrero
-Surfy Discourse Mark Abuse Award – Damo “Like” Hobgoblin
-Jabba the Hutt on a Jetski Award – Raimana Van Bastolear
not missed from a dog within earshot of the broadcast perspective award. Ricky Toledo
Ricky toledo replacement award. Raimana “traffic cop” Van Bastolear
perfect. especially jadson.
Yeh agree – how much does he want it…. I think the fact some of his sponsors are like food vendors making $100 per week in the Brazillian slums adds fuel to the fire of his motivation
I like the Jabba the Hut Award, although Raimana might be too histerical for it
the labrador retriever enthusiasm award – barton lynch
Glad to see you Manned up and opened up about the debilitating lower back pain suffered ,from the step up from Apple to HP ,to your better half only to be called Pussy . As boys we were supposed to be men ( ? ) , as men we told to open up , communicate and find our feminine side and now you did and wonderful wife castigates you for it …..?
We , the BG brotherhood would like to bestow on you the AI award but we don’t own the intellectual property laws of his inter subjective entity …. but We can give you a gift voucher for CHEEZ IT purveyors of fine wine and crackers in a box ..
Enjoy the recovery and get them girls to spoil you …
This is always an unpopular moment with you Fan Boys, BUT….
Andy Irons “won” Teahupoo on the smallest day ever contested at the break. 5 waves broke in the semi finals and final, Andy “rode” 3 and took home the glorious achievement. That is the fucking real story.
How he gets multiple contests named after him, awards and such is beyond belief. The Billabong interferences in his life, death and marketing campaign post life are crass at best, illegal at worst. I can go into all this again and again, but celebrity worship will not allow closed ears to open.
Billabong knew how Andy got the drugs, they knew he was on a bender, they enabled the bender, they left him alone to die on his way home. Billabong crafted lies to cover up the story, managed the release of his autopsy, and solicited the general public for donations to their deceased athlete’s surviving family AND managed the “brand” beyond the grave.
Truth be told, Ke11y owns more Pipe Masters titles too…. should be the Ke11y Slater Pipe Masters.
Andy was a great surfer and struggled being a human on land. Peoples champ? Enough of the celebrity idol culture. What Andy was most was a cautionary tale and a tangled web of corporate malfeasance.
CUe the angry fan boys….
You are a cunt.
The award is not for what he did there in a contest jersey.
There you go…. predictable as all fuck
No, the response was not because I’m a naive AI fanboy. In fact, it would be accurate to say that I agree with some of what you wrote.
Rather, I called you a cunt because you got a simple fact wrong at the outset, that being that the AI award for Teahupoo was based on his contest win there, as opposed to what he did in freesurfs, both there and around the world.
My beef is with Billafuck. The story through their actions is disgusting. I met the athlete for 5 days and he was on a bender, ugly in moments, pathetic in others.
What he did in serious surf is something I respect, but the Ad campaign must end.
And as a few said yesterday, there are guys digging ditches in NSW that can out surf the CT pro’s in serious waves. Those men exist anywhere the coast has some grunt. Andy is one of many, past present and future.
And in reality, his benders had been going on for quite some time. He took a trip to Mainland before he died and from all reports barely found his way out of bed to surf. I’m not blaming Billabong – Andy was a big boy – but the hero worship should definitely stop already.
blame Billafuck. Maybe Andy did what he wanted, but he had help. Won’t say anymore to protect some friends. Why would the corp float a bogus cause of death? Dengue in Portugal? The ministry of Tourism disagrees. The IV hospital story? Would Nike’s CEO lie about Tigers demise? No. They did so to protect themselves.
I didn’t read Chas’ book and won’t see the revisionist history movie, but I bet neither told that part of the story. And why did the corp negotiate a delayed toxicology report from Dallas Coroner???? Who even knew you could do that? They have a dog shit commercial real estate strategy, but somehow convince public record to hide evidence until they had time to stabilize the dead legends brand?
The Courage Award? Like you said, it died of Dengue.
at a certain point it’s up to the man to save himself. Shit, even Bruce has outlasted him.
and if he has serious mental issues as shown in the movie , you can’t save your self , you need help , and thats whats going on with in Memory of AI , its not just about his surfing , but the mental issues /sickness , we have learnt a lot and certainly not from the brands or the WSL…but the movie did work!
I am no expert … lost 2 friends and had an ex girlfriend who suffered from a similar condition .
One can recover from a busted leg or a torn knee ligament , and it’s definitely easier for those supporting the person to deal with , but the Bi Polar human must live , if possible , with a condition that will never go away , like a never ending roller coaster , of intense creative highs and insidious dark lows . This can be helped by Psychiatrists , the use of medication , avoiding recreational drugs and alcohol and living a stable and ordered life . Sadly the stable and ordered life does not gel well with the Pro Tour ….
When I saw the light at the end of the tunnel it was a train coming …… no easy solutions to a difficult problem
Surfing NSW is working with Boardriders Clubs in Sydney and Man Anchor , skilling up mentors within clubs to better deal with issues of youth mental health… it’s a start for surfing
The truth in what you say is as undeniable as the end of the award and naming rights as soon as billabong pulls event sponsorship.
that’s pure truth
The ‘award’ was a Billabong ad campaign and had close to fuck all to do with either Andy Irons or Teahupoo. Would we even be taking the time over this if it was called the Cheez-it award?
Wow! Is there a Cheez-it award!!!
Awesome!!!
How do I qualify???
Your the odds on favorite
Just in front of bicko
Say Cheez .
Queijo
Fromage ….. blessed are the cheese makers ?
You just like calling people ‘cunts’.
Let’s be honest here.
We’re all friends here, you can come clean.
We should start of chapter of People Who Use The Word Cunt Quite Often In Any Context.
‘PWUTWCQOIAC’
Kinda rolls off the tongue, don’t it?
kook
I agree with you about the Billabong marketing machine and worship culture, but still think you’re overlooking his skills and influence there based on comp results.
He was one of the first WCT pro’s to charge there because he WANTED to, not just because he had to. He’d be out there paddling in on tow days, and he changed the way pro surfers approach big backhand barrels with his stand-tall no-grabs way back when it was still a WQS event. He’s also one of a very small handful of WCT pro’s who’ve grabbed the rope when it’s gone XXL (Julian is the only other I can think of but I’m sure there’s a few more).
He also won there in 2002, when it went deathly during the WCT event (and the only time it did while he was on tour, otherwise he’d probably have a few more trophies)
I have a video from 1985 showing Vetea David and Arsene Hareoe surfing there. It’s called Tahitian Dreams. Well before Laird made it famous. Poto charged it well before it was even a comp.
I wanted to write something like that but it probably would have come across way more disrespectful. I am sick of assholes being eulogised because they happened to be good at something. Whether they are a footballer or a surfer or a muso or a fucking TV celebrity.
The only good journalism in this entire charade was by Melekian and he got a permaban in the industry.
If Andy was such a people’s champion he wouldn’t have killed himself on the way home to his wife and unborn child.
Melekian’s article was some proper journalism: https://www.outsideonline.c…
“Trivializing his problems, as contributing writer Chas
Smith did when he wrote in an online essay that people who want to know
the truth “can continue to go to hell,” is an attempt both to fabricate
his legacy and to absolve the people around him of any responsibility.”
“Smith, in his essay, also made what is perhaps the most telling point about the saga, writing himself into the Irons clan as he went: “The family kept, and keeps, his failures behind a closed door precisely because we are a family.” “
Very interesting sentences to put it mildly.
What ever happened to the book he was going to write?
if my english was good and i actually knew how to structure my writing in ingles i would write the same thing. Also we are in a era of information and 20 years from now nobody is gonna know who was AI
Thank fuck someone (other than Melekian) has grabbed this topic by the nuts and stood up and spoken truth! Eulogizing a mentally ill, drug addicted mess-that could surf-that was effectively set free to take his own life by sponsors that wanted to squeeze him and his ‘image’ for every shekel they could is plain fucking wrong!
You are a legend.
the award died of dengue fever.
Awardopsy might say something else
Hurley should flip it to the Toled0.0 award and give it to that fat brazzo bloke who shoulder hopped
This is the consequence of brand ownership. Oaktree/Quikbong own the intellectual property that is Andy Irons memory, no chance they would let Nike/Hurley borrow it for the weekend.
We the people need to take back our memories.
We’ll just change it the Yellow Bellied Jersey award to stop him rolling in his grave the poor soul. I reckon he’d get a kick out of that.
Wiggs!!!
Where are you?!?
We’re about to to get inundated with a Code Red Teahupo’o’s worth of wrinkly shirts and creased slacks!!!
Let’s fucking go!!!