Rob Machado on a thruster?!?! Wearing a jersey?
These aren’t statements about the bizarro world of surfing, just a quick flashback to the 1990s. And while it’s no big secret that Rob Machado was a serious World Title threat back in those days — that he was at one time Kelly Slater’s toughest competition — it’s surreal in 2021 to turn back the mental clock and draw up that image. But after he was essentially voted off the tour just after the turn of the century (those words are weird to type), Machado went on to forge a path professional surfing hadn’t really seen yet and his success post-World Tour laid the foundation for the modern professional free surfer.
Well, the internet has uncovered some footage of the days that preceded his trailblazing. This short compilation video of Machado’s ASP World Tour years is actually a breath of fresh air — all of it filmed on film…not even HD, either. Most importantly, Machado’s timeless style and grace are all there. Some things never get old.
