Jay Moriarity

Jay Moriarity was an American surfer from Santa Cruz, California, born in Augusta, Georgia, on 16 June 1978. He moved to Santa Cruz as a baby, began surfing at the age of nine and rode his first waves at Sewer Peak. He became known as a versatile surfer, equally at home on a shortboard or a longboard, and as an all-round waterman who also swam, paddled, dived and fished. After intense physical and mental training with his friend and Mavericks regular Frosty Hesson, he began surfing the big wave break at Mavericks near Half Moon Bay at only 15, and at 16 a wipeout there made the cover of Surfer magazine and brought him international fame. He won many sportsmanship awards and was remembered as a soul surfer. In 2001 he co-authored The Ultimate Guide to Surfing with Chris Gallagher. He died on 15 June 2001, the day before his 23rd birthday, in a freediving accident off Lohifushi in the Maldives. The 2012 film Chasing Mavericks, directed by Curtis Hanson, tells his story, and an annual paddleboard race in Capitola honours him.