Taj Burrow announces his retirement
MARGARET RIVER, Western Australia/AUS (Saturday, April 9, 2016) - Taj Burrow (AUS), 37, perennial WSL Title contender, today announced that 2016 will be his final season as a full-time competitor on the elite Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour, stating the June’s Fiji Pro will be his last event.
"The sport has given me so much,” Burrow said. “Years of incredible waves, experiences and friendships that I’ll never forget. The WSL officials and competitors have not only pushed me to be a better surfer but have also become family to me."
A nationally-celebrated amateur career in the 1980s and 1990s laid the foundation for a preternatural rise to the international stage. At 17 years of age, Burrow successfully navigated the WSL Qualifying Series (QS) in 1996, but respectfully declined qualification to the elite level in favor of preparing another year. The postponement yielded significant dividends with the Western Australian going on to post one of the sport’s longest and most celebrated careers.
“Taj Burrow has made a huge contribution to the sport of surfing,” Kieren Perrow, WSL Commissioner, said. “He is a surfer who inspired generations and sparked an approach that has raised the level of performance surfing in competition to unprecedented levels. The WSL is extremely fortunate to have had Taj on tour for nearly two decades and we wish him all the best in the next chapter of his life.”
After 18 years amongst the world’s elite, Burrow has been a Top 10 finisher 15 years, posting WSL Runner-Up positions in 1999 and 2007.
In addition to his competitive success, Burrow lead the evolution of high-performance surfboard design (working with world-renowned shapers like Maurice Cole, Greg Webber, Nev Hyman and Matt Biolos) as well as starred as one of the planet’s preeminent free surfers in films such as Sabotaj, Montaj, Fair Bits, Hit and Run, Stranger Than Fiction, Trilogy, Still Filthy, Snapt I and II as well as a host of others.
A full interview with Burrow is available now at WorldSurfLeague.com
Comments
In the future when people talk about the best surfers never to win a title, Taj will be there somewhere in the mix.
I agree, Taj was so good when made the tour, too good, the judges did not know how to score his progressive above the lip surfing, Taj would have won the world title if the judging criteria was set as it is today.
Thanks for taking surfing to this level and still able to do it as good 20 years later Taj.
D Bowie
Spot on Dave.
Legend.
19 years fuk where did they go,Taj rips and should have been let loose on the tour earlier instead of being held back by his mentors,he was way in front of his competition then and imo would have won a world title very easily,no one could touch him earlier on but waiting a couple years to let his surfing mature gave the competition time to catch up to him .
RIP!
Bloody great surfer, legend.
There's a list of aussie surfers who must be starting the think about doing something else with their time? Just speculating, but does Parko really want to keep doing this? Otton? Ace and Bede for maybe a few more years? Stedman? Dayyan Neve? How much longer for them?
Not saying they can't stay on tour, just wondering how much longer they are going to stay motivated.
With Mick and Taj out, Slater probably only a couple of years behind (along with the guys above), that's a lot of free space for coming open on the tour.
Stedman and Neve!
What the fuck, were you reading the asp competitors guide from 2001?
haha come on mate, surely you're taking the piss
Eh? Stedman and Dayyan Neve..? They've been out of pro surfing for years; Luke Stedman has a fashion label and Dayan Neve is selling real estate on Sydney's Northern Beaches.
You are right though, when Parko, Slater, Mick, and Bede go there'll be a whole lotta space available.
Also, from the vaults: 13-year-old Taj riding a Bonzer.
Once Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku steps aside there will be another spot for the new guard.
Hahaha. Joke guys!
John john will it....
Tab won't let you pick the John
There's that many kids of surfers going by the name of taj for a number of reasons. he's probably also been everyone's favourite surfer at some stage. Thank you for your service t.b. You will be missed you eternal grom.
This is not A eulogy
Either that Mibs or he's smashed about 7,000,000 groupies in the last twenty years.
I'd suggest a little from Column A, a little from Column B...
hahaha