Matt Hoy is 48 years old. Don’t tell him that, though, because Matt Hoy won’t believe you. Born just a year before Kelly Slater, he’s one of just a handful of surfers who’s nearly 50 that still surfs almost as well as he did in his physical prime. Back in the 1990s, when hair was long and music was metal, Hoy was in his heyday. He won the Pro Junior in ’91, and by 1997, he was ranked fifth in the world.
Hoy came from the old-stock of surfer — partying more than any surfer on tour these days ever would, he made sure he had the best time he could. His surfing was unreal, but what drew attention from the surfing public was the image he portrayed.
Now, all these years later, it’s hard to imagine he hasn’t tamed his ways at least a little bit, but his surfing is still pretty dang unreal.
