Bede Durbidge

Bede Durbidge's funny name became a bit of a household word in September of 2006, when he took down Andy Irons, Taj Burrow, Chris Ward and Kelly Slater en route to a victory at the Boost Mobile Pro Presented by Hurley at Lower Trestles. He always had it in him, but he let it out of him in San Clemente, within full view of most of the American surf media, and now they are pronouncing and spelling his name right.

The first name is pronounced "bead" and the last name for some reason makes you think he is South African. But Durbidge is true-blue Australian, originally from South Stradbroke Island, which in America is kind of the equivalent of being from Catalina – if the west side of Catalina was lined with perfect, crystal-clear, white-sand beachbreaks. At six foot plus and close to 180 pounds, Durbidge is several weight classes bigger than the average touring pro. As a youth, he used that size to play solid Rugby for Stradbroke, a real surprise packet to teams who came across from Brisbane to mop up the islanders. Into surfing as a teen, Durbidge was photographed surfing to school behind The Quandamooka, a car barge that took him to school in Brisbane every morning. He didn't surf to school every morning, but only because they wouldn't let him.

As an amateur, people began tripping over his name as he made a name for himself on the Australasian Junior Series. Coming up through the ranks, in 2004 Durbidge was part of a historic heat when he was one of three blokes - Andy Irons and Bernardo Pigmeau the two others - surfing against Lane Beachley in a pro heat at Newcastle. Durbidge paddled out and beat two World Champions in the same heat.

Making the WCT Top 44 in 2005, Durbidge struggled with the man on man system. He had won WQS events in England and France, but then he caught fire at Lowers and did what is almost impossible: defeating Irons, then Lowers local Ward, then Taj Burrow and then Kelly Bloody Slater to take home his first WCT Victory. While Durbidge aided and abetted Slater's path to his eighth World Title, Durbidge was as proud of himself as all the AUS20S were, as Durbidge's victory avenged a close call between Slater and Phil MacDonald the year before.

Durbidge continued his winning ways in the 2007 Foster's ASP World Tour season as he finished fifth overall after a strong end, winning the Billabong Pipeline Masters and being named the Vans 2007 Triple Crown of Surf Champion.