Andy Irons Professional surfer Date of Birth: 24.07.1978 Country: USA

Biography of Andy Irons

Andy Irons was born in 1978 in Oahu, Hawaii. From a young age, he mastered the art of catching waves, training in the challenging and dangerous waters near the island of Kauai, one of the most beautiful islands in the Hawaiian archipelago.

At the age of 18, Irons won the HIC Pipeline Pro and by 1998, he had become a professional surfer. One of his main competitors was his younger brother Bruce Irons. Although Bruce regularly defeated Andy in their childhood and teenage years, the situation changed after Andy's participation in the World Championship.

Irons' riding style, fast, sharp, and daring, commanded respect and even envy. He could ride in any conditions and win in any situation. According to one of his main rivals, Kelly Slater, known as the "eternal surfer," if Andy lacked a skill, he quickly adapted and mastered it.

In 2003, Irons achieved a dramatic victory in the Championship, stunning his opponent so much that he simply left the competition. However, in 2005, victory was in favor of Kelly Slater. Nevertheless, from 2002 to 2005, Irons became the world champion three times, the Quiksilver Pro France champion three times, and won the Rip Curl Pro twice. On the Hawaiian Islands, Irons was an undisputed leader and multiple champion of the Vans Triple Crown. His list of records includes 19 wins on the Elite Tour.

After a hiatus, Irons returned to the World Championship in 2010. Although his initial performances did not impress his fans, he soon celebrated victory in the Billabong Pro Tahiti stage, where he once again faced off against Kelly Slater. On September 3, 2010, Irons became the champion of Billabong Pro in Tahiti.

Irons and Slater both appeared in the documentary film about surfing called "Blue Horizon," directed by Jack McCoy and released in 2004. It is known that in November 2007, the legendary surfer married Lyndie Dupuis in Princeville, Kauai.

In 2008, Irons was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach, California. The Governor of Hawaii proclaimed February 13 as Andy Irons Day. It was on November 2, 2010, that Irons' death was announced. His body was found in a hotel in Dallas. The official cause of death was not immediately revealed, but it was known that Irons had been suffering from symptoms resembling Dengue fever, a viral infection. Irons fell ill during the Rip Curl Search Puerto Rico Championship, which he had to interrupt due to his illness.

At the time of his death in 2010, Irons' wife Lyndie was pregnant with their first child. The surfing world mourned the premature loss of this legendary athlete. Andy Irons was rightfully considered one of the greatest surfers in the history of the sport.