Watch: Greg Noll talks life with Tracey Holmes

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Ben Matson (thermalben)
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Tim Bonython says: "Big wave surfing legend Greg Noll came to my home town Sydney in Australia back in November 2016 and I was lucky enough to interview him for my up and coming movie The Big Wave Project. I asked Australia's premier sport journalist Tracey Holmes if she would be happy to interview this amazing man about his life at the beach. This is what he talked about."

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mrkook's picture
mrkook's picture
mrkook Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 12:08pm

Some absolutely classic quotes in there “and you have sponsors come along and it just turns to diarrhoea” haha
The way he describes the catharsis of surfing his biggest ever wave is great as well.

RIP legend.

Ash's picture
Ash's picture
Ash Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 12:59pm

"It's not a sport, it's a way of life"
Perfectly summed up.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 1:22pm

Epic yarn. Sounds like he lived a good life. RIP mate.

Island Bay's picture
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Island Bay Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 1:35pm

"Wasn't a bad life..." big smile

You can fit a lot of life and (mis)adventure into 84 years. Farewell, Big Greg!

Agitator's picture
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Agitator Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 2:34pm

Love it!....."money"..."sponsors"..."the whole thing kind of turns into diarrhoea".......excellent evaluation of pro surfing.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 2:59pm

Great interview........one of surfings bigger than life characters.........RIP mate

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GuySmiley Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 3:24pm

I could listen to Greg all day, what a graceful legend.

nextswell's picture
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nextswell Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 5:47pm

Legend and you could listen all day. Love how the interview finished too.

AlfredWallace's picture
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AlfredWallace Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 5:57pm

Greg Noll Story. That is surfing, right there.

bluediamond's picture
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bluediamond Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 6:36pm

Great orator. His passing puts into perspective that we are/have lived through an era of gargantuan proportions in the advancement of wave riding. Greg Noll was one of our great living monuments to the sport. Will be interesting to see how characters like him are reflected upon in 100, or 1000 years time, when they look back at surfings pioneers, especially in the big wave realm. A sad loss for the surfing world, but no doubt a huge loss for those who knew him and were close to him. Thanks for the share and thanks DA BULL for showing us how it's done. Legend.

ringmaster's picture
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ringmaster Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 6:48pm

They don't make em' like that anymore.

DBEARINDARE's picture
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DBEARINDARE Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 11:04pm

The man is a classic. Ive heard those stories a thousand times and they never get old.
He lived the life most surfers dream about, and cannot do it because of generational change just wont allow.
Not to mention you cant be the first to surf Waimea. He did that.
You cant have a strong hold on shaping and surfboard sales. He did that.
So many things he did first, just cant be done today. He beat us all, and good for him too.
R.I.P Greg.

SI's picture
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SI Thursday, 1 Jul 2021 at 3:49pm

Wow he was so switched on!! Great interview and, oh wow, Tim including the bit where he wasn’t recognised- geez , to me it was awesome and real good human quality!! Hats off to you Tim, i enjoyed that so much more than watching guys surf! A beautiful interview with a beautiful man. Well done and thanks very much for your efforts.

Richard Sargeson's picture
Richard Sargeson's picture
Richard Sargeson Thursday, 1 Jul 2021 at 6:45pm

Great surfing interview for the ages. Salted veins through and through, nice to see all the true honesty of a true surfer from its roots of surfing. Glad I watched it twice.
Richard Sargeson.

zenagain's picture
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zenagain Friday, 2 Jul 2021 at 11:06am

I can't really add anything that hasn't been said above. Watched this and enjoyed it so much. Could listen to this wise old bull talk all day. I guess there's no substitute for experience.

RIP.

Rubicon's picture
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Rubicon Friday, 2 Jul 2021 at 11:46am

Fantastic interview. He must have told those stories a thousand times, but still related them with such vivid honesty and a lack of pretension. A life well lived and well enjoyed.
Thanks for posting the vid, awesome

brett68's picture
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brett68 Friday, 2 Jul 2021 at 2:38pm

yes, legend - spoken with a lack of pretension and humility - if you had Koa or one of his ilk telling the same story using the exact same words, they'd manage to turn into a wankfest

D-Rex's picture
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D-Rex Friday, 2 Jul 2021 at 5:40pm

A very enjoyable yarn. Not many 26 min clips without surf footage hold your complete attention. RIP Greg Noll.

Island Bay's picture
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Island Bay Friday, 2 Jul 2021 at 5:52pm

Truly seems like a good human. And totally happy being himself.

groundswell's picture
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groundswell Friday, 2 Jul 2021 at 6:17pm

RIP Greg Noll, my older brothers pick of worlds best ever surfer

I focus's picture
I focus's picture
I focus Saturday, 3 Jul 2021 at 2:43pm

Inspired me as a young boy growing up the hills behind Perth to take up surfing, what a life he gave me.

RIP Greg

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Remigogo Sunday, 4 Jul 2021 at 7:50pm

I used to wag school and hit the surf at Scarborough. My parents would drag me out to go waterskiing on the Swan River on weekends. Greg Noll inspires me to think more often about how my youth would have been much more.... if I had wagged school completely.

Remigogo's picture
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Remigogo Sunday, 4 Jul 2021 at 8:06pm

...and I grew up in Dog swamp. Anyone remember the 3 little pigs houses?

I focus's picture
I focus's picture
I focus Sunday, 4 Jul 2021 at 9:15pm

Once found a cockroach in my KFC at Dog swamp.

Remigogo's picture
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Remigogo Sunday, 4 Jul 2021 at 9:41pm

Yes I had heard that too once or twice. Tis why I held off for end of day meat and 3 veg and ended up a skinny prick.

Scottsurf01's picture
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Scottsurf01 Sunday, 11 Jul 2021 at 8:09am

Great interview, loved the stories.