George Greenough is, without a doubt, one of the most influential wave riders ever. His designs paved the road to many of the modern shapes we have today. He’s responsible for the first images from inside the tube. He kicked off the shortboard revolution, but part of his allure isn’t that he strictly rode shortboards–it’s that he rode anything and everything.
Take the mat, for instance. It is one of the simplest wave riding vehicles there is. Experienced riders change the rails of the mat by squeezing the opposing side. They’re not made for performance, they’re made for fun, which is exactly what Greenough was after. In the footage above, shot on Maui back in 1967, Greenough shows that his skill goes far deeper than the board. His innate knowledge of the wave is incredible to watch.
Thanks to Korduroy.tv for unearthing this old footage from the vaults of the internet!
