Rider Profile – Tyler Fox
March 3, 2009 by Poonjab
Filed under Features, Rider Profiles
Born and raised in the Santa Cruz area Tyler has had the ocean as his playground for 17 years. The years of dedication have paid off with recognition at heavy waves like Mavericks, his XXL nominated rides at Ghost Trees, and recently being invited to Mormaii Pe’ahi World Cup Tow-In Surfing Championships.
NCS: Lets start with your stats?
TF: Tyler Fox, 27 yrs old, and reside in Capitola, CA
NCS: How long have you been surfing and how did you get started?
TF: I have been surfing since I was 10 and was actually on a boogie board in Hawaii at age 5.
NCS: Where do you usually surf when your home?
TF: When I’m home in Santa Cruz I like to surf anywhere that is good… The beach breaks are killer because usually the crowds aren’t as bad.
NCS: Who do you surf with?TF: I like to surf with some of local groms because they keep me psyched and are always pumped to go rip. Brandon Barnes, Ashton Medley, Nat Young. Also underground guys like Chris Curtis and Taylor Paul because they rip in any size waves…
NCS: After a surf session what is your favorite place to get a hearty meal?
TF: After a surf session on the south I love to get a big freshly made sandwich at El Patio… Delicious. On the east Hanks at the Hook is good. On the west the Bagelery is pretty tasty.
NCS: What would you say motivates you every day?
TF: I’d say watching how stoked some of these young up and comers are and trying new and different equipment motivates me.
NCS: Do you have a most memorable wave?
TF: I have a couple most memorable waves… Both my XXL nominated rides at Ghost Trees will be ingrained in the mind for quite a while and one particular drop at Mavericks where there were just 3 of us out and I pulled a weightless air drop in the pit and made it.
NCS: Who are you sponsored by?
TF: Imperial Motion clothing, pacific wave surfshop, Linden surfboards, creatures of leisure, and rainbow fins.
NCS: What’s your quiver looking like these days?
TF: I have about 12 boards in my current quiver… my favorite shortboard is a small 5″10 linden that just flys….
NCS: What you got playing on your ipod?
TF: I listen to all sorts of music on my i-pod. Tool gets my psyched, St. Germain to calm, and Bob Marley to party
TF: My take on the ban on PWC’s “jet ski’s” is that it is pretty unfair… I am totally an environmentalist and they are really missing the point…. why not put regulations on all the fishing boats that pollute way, way, more than our crafts and plus we are only out there on a handful of days. Have rules like the Hawaiians have…
NCS: You recently were invited to Mormaii Pe’ahi World Cup Tow-In Surfing Championships. Pretty stoked?
TF: Getting invited to compete at Jaws or “Peahi” will be great. It’s like the Mt. Everest of the sport. That is if we get a swell…
NCS: Being a big wave surfer you must have some pretty scary sessions… which one has been the scariest?
TF: I’ve had so many scary sessions towing… from being too deep towing Shane in out at Mavs and having to ride straight down the face of a bomb in the bowl at Mavs and having to out run the monster in thick foam. Loosing our ski down in Monterey and being stuck in the lineup with just my tow board. Being lost in Fog. The list goes on and on.
NCS: Who did you want to surf like when you were a grom?
TF: When I was a grom and wanted to surf like Occy. His power and style amazed me and still does…
NCS: Any surfers that influence you now?
TF: So many surfers influence me. Any surfer that is fired up influences me, watching my buddy Taylor Paul get bombs at Mavs influences me….
NCS: What do you do when your not surfing?
TF: When I’m not surfing I train in my garage, take photos, swim, chill with buddies.
NCS: Is there anyone that you would like to thank?
TF: I’d like to thank the Santa Cruz surfing community, my parents, my sponsors, and friends. To view more photos and video of Tyler view his website at
