Portrait: Divine/A-Frame

MR. PIPELINE
40 years after he illuminated the world on how to properly park it in the pit at Pipe, Gerry Lopez continues to embody the soul and grace of the surfing life. Wise and sagely in his older years, he’s well versed in the Buddhist teachings and a devote practitioner of yoga. off the island and into the mountains, today he resides in Bend, oregon, which affords him quick access to the snow. But a consummate traveller, he still keeps his feet in the sand as much as possible, mostly riding his stand-up board, but proving you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, he’s still a sucker for a good barrel. A sought after shaper, he continues to build surfboards and moonlights as an ambassador for Patagonia, where he’s made a career out of blending lifestyle, passion and talent. Beside his antics
at Pipe, which he received the ‘72 Pipe Masters title for, in the ‘70s Gerry was one of the key figures that unlocked the secrets of Indonesia and was a pioneering force at G-Land. In 1980 he stared in “Conan The Barbarian” as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s right-hand man, which he oddly points to as a highlight of his career. “It’s been an interesting ride,” he muses.
– JH

Pipeline: Servais/A-Frame