20 Under 20

A surfer’s surfer, it was a phrase I came across when doing research for an interview a few months back. Evan Slater used the term to describe Taylor Knox in a 2000 Surfing interview. It stuck with me. So much so, that when it came time to select the 20 under 20 and, perhaps more importantly, define the criteria behind the selection process, I returned to this idea of a surfer’s surfer as the measuring stick this magazine would use to determine the list.
Just what does a “surfer’s surfer” mean? This -- give someone a perfect wave. The “surfer’s surfer” has the power and form to balance the integration of progressive maneuvers and classic fundamental style into his surfing. And that’s the breed of surfer who populates this list, the ones scoring nines and tens on that same perfect wave instead of racing the thing down the line, sneaking in little flicks only when the section allows. The surfers on this list commit to their line and attack.
So that was the scope of our mission, and we began the process of compiling all the names that fit the bill. Consulting everyone from contest judges to team managers to professional surfers, we approached any and everyone we thought could help us in our effort and aim.
In the end, we pulled together 47 names of surfers 20 years old and younger who we felt gave us an accurate assessment of who the best surfers currently are in San Diego in the given age bracket. The names were entered into a survey that was sent to over 100 professional surfers, photographers, team managers, shapers, and industry players. Our response rate on the survey was just under 70 percent, which wasn’t enough to be the definitive determinant, but certainly enough to register as a guidepost for the selection.
Inevitably, this list will stir debate; such is the nature of lists like these. 47 cut to 20; that’s a big jump. There are bound to be surfers on this list who some may think don’t belong. Further still, there are others on the list whose names you may not know. That stands as one of the strong points of this list, and indicative of the criteria we used to pick it. Sponsors and sticker hits didn’t factor into this list, this is not advertorial, and as much as some would like to claim they were, the selections were not bureaucratic. Like it or not, these are the 20 best surfers 20 and under in San Diego. Get acquainted.