RIP! Professional Surfers Who Died During A Competition

The only sure thing in life is death. There are people out there who laugh in its face daily. And sometimes death laughs last. Surfing is an exhilarating but dangerous sport. It’s not considered lethal, but it has demanded many lives already. Several surfers died while doing what they loved because anything could happen out on the open water. The ocean can show its brutal force, and that’s when we realize how much we depend on its mercy. We brought you the list of professional surfers who died during a competition.

Marco Foo – The Showman Among The Professional Surfers Who Died During A Competition

The crowd loved Foo, and Foo loved the crowd. He was a showman and a talented surfer. Who wouldn’t dig that? However, ego has no power over the ocean. He is among the unlucky professional surfers who died during a competition. It’s still unknown what caused his death. He died at the age of 36 in 1994 while surfing Mavericks.

The wave that was responsible for his death was only 15-foot. He had ridden bigger ones before, so something else had to happen. There are different opinions about his last moments. Some say his leash got caught on a piece of rock, and he drowned. Others are sure he suffered a chest injury and died in agonizing pain, but some medicals rule out the second theory. According to photos, if he had been in pain, his fists would have been clenched, which was not the case. No matter how it happened, let’s hope his passage was peaceful, and now he watches out for the other surfers.

Sion Milosky – “I Want To Catch The Biggest Wave Ever”

Sion Milosky, a professional Hawaiian surfer’s death shook the surfing world in 2011. Milosky rose to fame later in his life, a few years before his tragic death. He started his career as a long-boarder then joined the big-wave scene by riding the highest waves. His life turned upside down quickly after that as he started making a name for himself among the professionals. He appeared on several surfer magazines and got the Surfer’s Magazine North Shore Underground award in 2009. He passed away during Mavericks, as well. When two consecutive waves kept him underwater for too long, he drowned. His body was found a mile away from where it happened. He left behind a wife and two daughters. According to online sportsbook sites in the US, he was a promising young pro surfer and a potential future champion to many titles.

Donnie Solomon – One of the Professional Surfers Who Died During a Competition

Donnie was a California-based surfer who turned professional at the age of 22. In 1995, at Waimea Bay, he went for a big wave but missed. Donnie found himself in the impact zone when he was hit by the highest part of a giant water wall before it broke, and the force buried him underwater.

Then another wave broke and sucked him under the surface again. He had no chance to come up for air. As our list shows, surfing can turn into a fatal sport in a second, but thankfully, there are examples of lucky surfers who survived a near-death experience, too. Ironically, Donnie actively encouraged surfers to take CPR and lifeguard training before competing. He supported the work of the Red Cross and was a genuinely good guy, according to fellow surfers. 

Malik Joyeux – The Petit Prince

Malik started his career as a pro surfer in Tahiti. His most notable achievement was winning the Billabong XXL Heaviest Tube award by riding one of the largest waves in history. When he got sponsorships, he moved to Hawaii to pursue his career. In 2005 he dived under a wave too slow, and by losing his speed, he had no chance to break the surface anymore. The top of an 8-foot water wall pushed him underwater, and he wasn’t able to come up for air. The impact broke his board, separating it from him. Without it, the search took longer, but eventually, another surfer found his body 15 minutes away.

Later it was affirmed, that the force of the wave knocked him unconscious. He was steadily climbing the career ladder, so much so, that he was on the cover of the 2004 Surfer Magazine issue. The petit prince was one of the youngest professional surfers who died during a competition with his 25 years. If he still lived, he would be a big surfer star, and most likely, he would compete in the upcoming WSL tournament. Check out the nominees of the 2022 WSL (World Surf League) and guess the winner at 22Bet.

Peter Davi – One of the Legendary Professional Surfers Who Died During a Competition 

Davi was 45 when the ocean claimed his life at Ghost Tree. That day the water was rougher than ever. The waves rolled into over 70-feet monstrous water walls. The other surfers lost track of Davi in the water, so the exact circumstances of his death remained unknown. His friends found him floating face down, without his board attached to his leg. The cause of death was drowning, but he suffered head and chest injuries, as well. The violent waves most likely hurled his body to sharp rocks. He was a well-experienced and accomplished surfer, and that’s why the news of his death shook the surfer community. Although, his autopsy revealed that he had methamphetamine in his system. However, there was no proof whether it played a part in his death or not. 

Alec Cooke, Aka Ace Cool – The Exception

Ace Cool is not among the professional surfers who died during a competition precisely, but he was a legendary surfer. He deserves to be mentioned, based on his professional surfing career. In 2015, the 59 years old Cooke went on a surfing trip but never returned. His truck was found, with his dog in it, but he was missing. The police department sent out a search party and covered an enormous area, but Cooke disappeared. An interesting fact is that Captain James Cook, who documented and described surfing in the 18th Century, was among his ancestors. With a background like that, he was, practically, destined to become a surfer. Other than his titles, a bold action made him famous. He jumped from a helicopter at Pipeline and rode a massive wave. If that’s not extraordinary enough, the moment was photographed and became one of the top-selling Hawaiian postcards. 

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