These days, Donavon Frankenreiter may be best known as the professional surfer turned recording artist with a penchant for retro surfboards and mustache-growing.
But before his music career, the mustache, and even before he was a character in Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer, Donavon was a standout in one of Taylor Steele’s early films, Hit & Run. At that time, Donny was transfixed by the long, narrow, white thruster with little room for experimentation (as were the majority of surfers then). We’re relieved those days are well behind us.
In the clip above, there are notable style hints of Donavon that, looking back now, seem to foreshadow how his surfing might better suit alternative shapes. Namely, the knock-kneed approach on his backhand and soul arch bottom turns.
