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TY
CUKR
Ty is one of the best surfers to come out of the
South Bay . His act in the water is as good as it
gets. From vertical surfing in big waves at the
Redondo Break wall, to going beyond vertical in
smaller waves that most would still consider big.
When he paddles out people take notice and it's
not hard to see why. Ty has been and will always
be one of my favorite surfers. It's not just because
he surfs so good (although he does), it"s the
air of pure stoke that he brings with him, both
in and out of the water .If you ever see him in
the line-up, take notes, be kind, and get stoked.
When and where were you born? I was born in 1966
in Ohio.
Ohio? Yeah, Me and Joey Buran....it was South of
Sepulveda so....
When did you first start surfing? I was about ten,
I think it was when I was in 5th grade.
Who were you with and where was it? It was at 26th
Street in Hermosa with a guy by the name of Chris
Pickering. It started out as a contest between us
to see who could stand up first, it took me about
a week, I lost.
When did you start competing? I can't remember...though
I do remember I went to a contest up at C Street
and backed out, that would have been my first. I
surfed good that day, real solid, I've regreted
not doing it ever since. It was another year before
I finally did a contest.
What was your first contest? I think it was an NSSA
Did you win? I really can't remember how I did so
I'll just say I lost.
Who were your biggest influences growing up? Deffinately
Tom Curren, and Shaun Thompsons' bowl riding at
Pipe was amazing. I think the Aussie surfers really
influenced me, they kind of represented a more core
kind of surfing attitude. Oh, and Chris Barella,
a local guy from 16th Street, I really admired him
seeing him in the magazines as a kid.
Who did you fear the most to draw in a heat? Slater,
it didn't matter what I did he would always win,
I always thought every one was beatable but with
Kelly.......He's amazing.
Who were your sponsors through out time? My first
contract was with Quick Silver
Career highlights? I got 1st in the CSA and 3rd
in the NSSA open in the same year. I was the top
am. in the Katin Challenge.But beating Shaun Thompson
as an amature was the best....
What was your favorite surf board of all time? I've
ridden alot of boards(names off about two dozen
of the best shapers around)Matt Calvani's boards
are the best I've ever had.
What's your favorite wave? Redondo Breakwall, or
the rip tides at El Porto when they're stair stepping
and bowling with the channels and every thing.
What's your favorite move to do? Catching air.
What do you enjoy surfing more, big waves? or small
waves? Define big? Define small? My favorite is
between six and ten feet.
Do you ever still compete? I haven't for a while,
I did a Jim Miller Contest not to long ago. The
day before the contest the waves were really fun
but the next morning it was like one foot. I don't
like surfing in a contest and losing to some ten
year old grom because the waves are too smal to
surf.
What's the hairiest experience you've ever had while
surfing? Getting caught inside at Sunset. There
are three times that I can remember the most, where
I'd been under so long I'd just given up, let out
all my air and just quit. I'd come up blacking out,
you know with that black cloud coming over your
vision.
How do you get out to the line-up at El Porto on
really big days? I don't, I won't go out at Porto
over 8 feet, I'll go to Breakwall.(He means backs,
that's like 16 feet on the face)
What do you attribute the most to being such a hot
surfer? Desire-pure desire, the love of the sport..
Really I think it's just my competetive nature.
Where do you see the future of surfing going? It's
almost going more towards an elite crowd, look at
all the contests they're holding in A+ waves, at
places like Fiji and Hawaii. When I was growing
up all the contests were held in one foot slop at
places like Huntington, I can't see the moves going
much farther.
When and where was the biggest wave you've ever
surfed? Wiamea, that day was 12-15 feet but those
weren't the sets, it wasn't closing out yet.
What's the biggest wave you've ever surfed in the
South Bay? I was one of two guys out at The Wall
(Redondo),10-12 feet, maybe.
How many surf boards do you own right now? 12 or
14, I'm trying to think of how many I have in Hawaii.
Actually I think it's 13, unlucky number,
Do you see your surfing getting better or worse
these days? It's getting better to the sense that
I'm enjoying it more.
What are your feelings on the reinvasion or growing
popularity of long board surfing today? I think
it's cool when people apply the old school style,
like Tyler. I don't like people who abuse the extra
foam by taking a set wave and then paddling back
out to the front of the pecking order and taking
the next set wave too.
Any special ladies in your life? My wife Dana.
So you're married? Yeah, in 1991 were on our tenth
year in April.
Do you have any kids? I have three. Megan, Mitchell,
and Micheal.
How old are they? Megan will be nine in a few days,
Mitchell's seven, and Micheal is six.
Do they surf yet? Yeah (runs off to get a stack
of recent photos showing his kids surfing)
What do you do to make money? I work for a company,
Cable and Wireless. I'm in sales and sell internet
connections.
Where do you live now? El Segundo
How much do you surf these days? It depends, when
there's surf I try to surf every day.
Been on any trips lately? I just got back from Hawaii
yesterday, it was pretty flat.
What kind of car do you drive? Ford Explorer
I've noticed an eerie similarity in the way people
surf and the way they drive. Do you drive as fast
and aggresive as you surf? (Laughs) I'd never really
noticed that before. But no, pretty conservative.
If you could live any where in the world where would
it be? On the Strand some where in El Porto or Manhattan.
I would buy the city and kick every one out. Of
course I would own multiple homes.
Why there? Home sweet home. I know every body here
and the waves are fairly consistant year round.
Who do you love? My wife and kids. Good friends,
you know who you are...XVIst. Hermosa.
Who do you hate? No one
Interview by Daniel Cobbley
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