Clay Marzo

Clay Marzo (born July 17, 1989)[3] is an American professional surfer known for his unique "double-jointed" style of turns and spins.[4] He was raised in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii where he currently resides.[5] Marzo has been acclaimed for his creativity and innovation as a young surfer, and featured in several films.[6]

Clay Marzo
Personal information
Born (1989-07-17) July 17, 1989
San Diego, California, U.S.
ResidenceLahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S.
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight175 lb (79 kg)[1]
Surfing career
Years active2003–present
SponsorsSkullcandy, DC Shoes, Rockstar, Futures Fins, Vestal, Super Brand Surfboards, Carve Sunglasses, Komunity Project[2]
Surfing specifications
StanceGoofy
Favorite maneuversAirs and barrels
Websiteclaymarzo.com

Career

Clay Marzo began competitively surfing and swimming at an early age. When he was 10 years old, he won the 200-meter freestyle event at the annual Hawaii State Swimming Championships.[7] At age 11, he placed third at the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) Nationals competition, and signed a pro contract with the Quiksilver team.[8] When Marzo was 15, he became the first surfer to receive two perfect 10's in NSSA history and won the NSSA National title. In 2005, Marzo became the NSSA Open Men’s National Champion.[9] His other accomplishments include being nominated for Maneuver of the Year at the 2007 Surfer Poll Awards and Water Man of the Year in 2006.

Marzo has appeared with other notable surfers like Kelly Slater, Julian Wilson, and Dane Reynolds as a member of Quiksilver's Young Guns crew in the second and third films in the series.[10] Other films include "Stranger than Fiction" and "Today Tomorrow," an episode of ESPN's E:60. In 2008, he was featured in a documentary film titled "Clay Marzo: Just Add Water," directed by Jamie Tlerney and Strider Wasilewski, which explores Marzo's surfing and his experience as a person with Asperger syndrome.[11]

Marzo's sponsors include JSLV, Carve, Skullcandy, SPY Optic, Future, Creatures of Leisure, Vestal, Rockstar Energy, and Komunity Project.[12][13]

Personal life

Marzo was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, a form of autism, in December 2007.[14] Until then, his unconventional behavior at home and on the professional circuit was often misunderstood by those around him. Marzo didn't connect well with peers at school or with fans or sponsors, he didn't play by the expected rules at surf competitions, and he was known for being painfully honest. Marzo is intensely focused on his sport and has been described as both intuitive and expressive in the water.[15] He is constantly seen rubbing his hands together at a rapid pace.[16] Marzo volunteers with Surfers Healing, a non-profit organization from Malibu, California, which exposes children with autism to surfing at camps in the United States and Canada.

References
  1. Clay Marzo (2012). World According to Clay: Season 2 - Episode 3. Australia.
  2. Clay Marzo Official Page
  3. 2009 Surfer Profiles – Clay Marzo | Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge Archived 2010-10-11 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Surfer Marzo rides the waves of the ocean and autism
  5. "About Clay Marzo". Archived from the original on 2012-08-20. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  6. Surfer Marzo rides the waves of the ocean and autism
  7. Clay Marzo: Just Add Water. Dir. Jamie Tlerney and Strider Wasilewski. Prod. Strider Wasilewski. Perf. Clay Marzo. Quiksilver, 2008. DVD.
  8. Surfer Marzo rides the waves of the ocean and autism
  9. "Surfer Clay Marzo has always been a prodigy in the water, but the very thing that makes him focused -- Asberger's syndrome -- may also be the thing making him struggle on land -- ESPN The Magazine". ESPN.com. 2009-09-01. Retrieved 2020-10-22.
  10. |Quicksilver Young Guns Surf Movies: Kelly Slater and the Most Progressive Young Surfers
  11. |Just Add Water: Quiksilver Premiers Clay Marzo Movie in Style
  12. Clay Marzo - Headphones by Skullcandy
  13. "Clay Marzo - Joins - Komunity Project. Team". Archived from the original on 2012-08-06. Retrieved 2012-12-06.
  14. "Feat of Clay". Retrieved 2009-01-11.
  15. Surfer Marzo rides the waves of the ocean and autism
  16. Clay Marzo: Just Add Water. Dir. Jamie Tlerney and Strider Wasilewski. Prod. Strider Wasilewski. Perf. Clay Marzo. Quiksilver, 2008. DVD.
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