Our 10 Favourite Freesurfers: Longboard Edition
As you probably know, it takes a lot to make surfing look easy.
Most of us mere mortals can only dream of gliding gracefully across a glassy wave, hanging ten and carving smooth turns with ease. But there are some surfers who’ve mastered the art of free surfing… and they make it look almost too easy.
We love stalking their Instagram accounts for style inspiration and daydreaming of catching waves like they do.
Most of all though, we just love watching them surf!
Here’s a list of our 10 favourite longboard freesurfers in no particular order.
Kassia Meador
Surprise, surprise… Kassia is probably our number one girl crush when it comes to longboarding. It’s not only because we’ve hosted her retreats at Rise Up Surf either.
We also admire her graceful style, love of creativity and passion for environmental awareness. Kassia is truly a unique and inspiring freesurfer.
California born and bred, she’s done it all. From competing on the world stage to starting her own surf brand, Kassia continues to push boundaries and inspire others to do the same.
Big shout out to the “Queen of noseriding”.
We love you, Kass!
Justin Quintal
While Justin is no stranger to the competitive and often intimidating world of pro surfing, he’s also one of our favourite longboard freesurfers.
The 10 x Vans Duct Tape Invitational winner is the perfect embodiment of that rare phenomenon – a surfer who can gracefully transition between shortboard and longboard at the drop of a hat.
A savvy entrepreneur and versatile athlete, Justin isn’t afraid to risk it in order to carve a unique path for himself. He’s started his own board company and even won the WSL world title in 2019, all while staying true to his love for longboarding.
Surprisingly, even with so many balls in the air, the proud Floridian still manages to snag some of the best waves around the world, like this one at Pipeline.
Josie Prendergast
You only need to watch one small clip of the half-Filipino/Australian ripping to realize she’s one of the most stylish freesurfers around.
Never rushed. Never hurried. Josie’s surfing is effortless. And like most freesurfers she has a quiver of boards in her arsenal – from shortboards to logs to twin fins. Personally, we love seeing her on longer equipment, but honestly she can make a barn door look surfable.
She’s free-spirited. Benevolent. One of longboarding’s true sweethearts.
We hope for the sake of surfing that Josie continues cross-stepping across the globe for a long time to come.
Joel Tudor
Is there a bigger name in modern men’s longboarding? It’s difficult to find one.
Joel Tudor has been at the forefront of the longboarding scene for over two decades, and his influence on the sport is undeniable.
Born in 1976 in Southern California, Tudor was destined for a life in the water. His father was an avid surfer and introduced him to the sport at a young age. By the time he was 11, Tudor had won his first longboarding contest and was well on his way to becoming a prodigy in the world of surfing.
Tudor quickly made a name for himself in the competitive longboarding circuit, winning numerous titles and establishing himself as one of the best surfers in the world. Somehow, someway, Joel has stayed relevant while also remaining true to his roots.
Stylish, fluid, even mesmerising. There is no shortage of silky adjectives that have been used to describe Joel Tudor’s surfing over the years.
No matter how you sum up his surfing, one thing rings true: the longboarding and surfing world would be a much less interesting place without him.
Alex Knost
A style icon and what many would call the antithesis to pro surfing, Alex Knost is a true freesurfer in every sense of the word.
Known for his eccentricity, creativity and unconventional style on both shortboards and longboards, Alex has become one of the most iconic figures in modern surfing.
He’s also an accomplished musician, writer and filmmaker. Is there anything he can’t do? We think not.
He may not have a world title under his belt, but that doesn’t matter to Alex. He surfs for himself and no one else… which is exactly what makes him so cool.
Bryce Young
Son of Nat “The Animal” Young, Bryce Young has well and truly cross-stepped out of his father’s shadow and cemented himself as one of the most influential surfers in the longboard community.
He shapes his own boards. Rides finless alaias (traditional wooden surfboards). Makes surf films and travels the world.
To many he lives the carefree surfing life that we all dream of, but beneath the surface lies a driven and talented athlete who is constantly pushing himself to improve and inspire others.
Bryce’s smooth, laidback style on the board has made him a fan favourite among longboard enthusiasts. He’s also (somewhat unfairly) super talented on a shortboard.
In fact, we’d wager that there’s not much Bryce can’t ride.
Did we mention he’s a 2 x World Longboard Champion too?
Harrison Roach
There aren’t many pro surfers born in Darwin. Even fewer that are as stylish on a longboard as Harrison Roach.
Despite hailing from the tropical north of Australia, Harrison’s stomping grounds are the perfectly tapered lines of Noosa. He’s a regular fixture in the lineup there and one of the town’s most beloved characters.
With a wry sense of humour, effortless style and quintessential Aussie charm, Harrison is the epitome of a true freesurfer.
Throw in a passion for motorbikes, literature and filmmaking and you’ve got one multi-talented dude.
Honolua Blomfield
The youngest 3 x World Longboard Champion, Honolua Blomfield is a force to be reckoned with in the world of surfing.
Hailing from Haleiwa, Hawaii, this young woman has been making waves in both longboarding and shortboarding since she was just five years old.
She has a classic style with a progressive edge, seamlessly blending powerful turns with graceful noseriding.
Her achievements include numerous contest wins and titles, but it’s her love and passion for surfing that truly sets her apart.
We’ve always admired her drive and determination, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for this talented surfer.
Side note, if you’re reading this Honolua and you ever want to surf Central America or the Caribbean, hit us up.
We’ve got some sweet spots to show you.
Laure Mayer
Perhaps the smiliest surfer god ever breathed air into and one of the most stylish ladies to hit the longboard scene in years, Laure Mayer is a true gem.
Born and raised surrounded by European surf culture, the Basque-bred surfer has been surfing since she was a child. Her love for the ocean and her natural talent on the waves quickly propelled her into becoming one of the top female surfers in Europe.
Despite her fame and success in the surfing world, Laure remains humble and down to earth.
She now calls the coastal enclave of Byron Bay home, where she can often be found surfing the perfect waves and living a simple, sustainable lifestyle.
Chloé Calmon
Brazilian Chloé Calmon is one of the most successful longboarders on the women’s circuit, but she’s also a freesurfing enthusiast who loves to explore new breaks and push her limits.
At 14 she was the youngest ever to compete on the Women’s Longboard Tour, and she continues to inspire young girls and women around the world with her passion, talent and drive.
Since these early years, she’s been competing on the world stage against the best longboarders in the business and making a name for herself as one of the top female content creators in the surfing world.
With a relaxed style, powerful turns and incredible noseriding abilities, Chloé is a true master of her craft.
We’re stoked she loves the competitive arena so much, but if we’re being honest, we prefer seeing her having fun and freesurfing!
Wrapping up
Who is your favorite longboarder? Do you see their names on our list?
We’re always scoping out new talent and are fascinated by the unique styles and personalities of surfers from all around the world. So if you have someone in mind that we should check out, let us know.
We might even organise a surf retreat with some of these amazing surfers in the future.
Stay tuned!
