Very well written article by Chris Dixon on a brewing feud between big wave surfers and Laird.
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Laird Hamilton has never been one to cloak himself in subtlety or nuance. He’s big and brash, with an ego as mammoth as the waves that have carried him to fame. Whether by design or accident, those whose familiarity with big-wave surfing revolves around mainstream media coverage generally believe him to be the sport’s Zeus. In short, there’s Laird, and there’s everyone else.
To most of the other big wave surfers in the world, this perspective would be just fine were it not for the fact that many interviews with Hamilton through the years have carried an annoyingly familiar theme. Hamilton refuses to compete in surf events and only seeks the raw purity of the experience; other surfers seek money from events like the annual Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards or hunt down and ride big waves for sponsors who demand huge risks be caught on film.
(more vía link)
