Thursday 26 May 2011

the magnificent mr marlow



Like many of the regulars here, i'm a blow-in, trading city life up-country for the delights of the coast years ago. When i first moved down and started to get to know people, Shaun Marlow was one of the first people i met. A  few days later, newly purchased first longboard under arm, i watched in awe as he cross stepped around the 2 foot contest slop at the local surf club meet. Marvelling at his noseriding and footwork, dreaming of learning to do the same.

He's a quiet presence in the line up, a constant through the year's ebb and flow, always ready with a smile, always quietly slipping into the slot to bag a set wave which he'll dissect all the way to the beach. His is a smooth yet powerful style, five over then sweetly into a sweeping drop knee before racing the section to clout the closeout. Although he's dallied with shorter boards and heavier single fins, it's the Mctavish stylist (ray gleave) model that i think of him on. The first board i saw him with, he's owned several different versions over the years. It sits in the middle of the spectrum from traditional to progressive - a modern allrounder if you will, just like Shaun himself.

He's still someone i look forward to bumping into, someone i respect hugely.

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