Greg Noll facts for kids

Greg Noll (born Lawhead; February 11, 1937 – June 28, 2021) was a famous American surfer. He was known for riding very big waves. He also made surfboards. His friends called him "Da Bull." This was because he was strong and brave when surfing big waves.

Greg was part of a U.S. lifeguard team. They helped bring a new type of surfboard, called Malibu boards, to Australia in 1956. Greg also made five popular surfing movies called Search for Surf.

Greg Noll: Early Life

Greg Noll was born in San Diego, California, on February 11, 1937. He later took his stepfather's last name, Noll. When he was three, his family moved to Manhattan Beach, California.

Greg started surfing at age 11 in the South Bay. He joined the Manhattan Beach Surf Club. There, he learned how to shape surfboards from Dale Velzy. Greg was also a lifeguard and competed in paddleboarding. He practiced riding big waves near Palos Verdes. In 1954, Greg moved to Hawaii. He finished high school there and surfed at Makaha.

Riding Giant Waves

Greg Noll became famous for surfing huge waves in Hawaii. These waves were on the North Shore of Oahu. In November 1957, he surfed Waimea Bay in 25–30 foot waves. At that time, people thought this was impossible.

In November 1964, he was the first surfer to ride a wave at the outside reef of Banzai Pipeline. This wave was incredibly big.

The wave I caught at Outside Pipeline that day walled up twenty-five-feet high about half a mile in front of me. It broke to the left, so I was riding with my back to the wave, goofyfoot, and it was a god-awful uneasy feeling. Instead of getting smaller as I rode it, the sonofabitch grew on me. It got bigger and bigger, and I started going faster and faster, until I was absolutely locked into it. I felt like I was on a spaceship racing into a void. At first, I could hear my board chattering across the face of the wave in a constant rhythm. As my speed increased, the chattering noise became less frequent. Suddenly there was no noise. For about fifteen or twenty feet, I was airborne. Then I literally was blown off my board.

People easily recognized Greg in surfing videos. He always wore his black and white striped "jailhouse" boardshorts. In December 1969, at Makaha, he rode what many believed was the biggest wave ever surfed. After this amazing ride, his surfing slowed down. He closed his surf shop in Hermosa Beach in the early 1970s.

Later, Greg moved to Northern California. He worked as a commercial fisherman. Then, he became a guide for sport fishing.

The surfing adventures of Greg Noll and other big wave surfers were shown in the 2004 movie Riding Giants. Greg also shared his thoughts on Hawaiian big wave surfing in the DVD commentary.

Shaping Surfboards

Greg Noll had been shaping surfboards since he was young. He started his own surfboard business in the 1950s. It became very successful. After working as a fisherman for twenty years, he returned to shaping boards. This happened because longboards became popular again. He also helped organize surfing events.

Greg lived in Hiouchi, California with his wife. He started a business called "Noll Surfboards." There, he made new versions of famous old surfboards.

Personal Life

Greg Noll was married to Laura Archuletta. They had four children: Ashlyne, Jed, Tate, and Rhyn.

In his later years, Greg lived in Crescent City, California. He passed away on June 28, 2021, at the age of 84.

Works

• Kampion, Drew & Noll, Greg. Greg Noll: The Art of the Surfboard, 2007.
• Noll, Greg & Gabbard, Andrea. Da Bull: Life Over the Edge, 1989.

See also

In Spanish: Greg Noll para niños