Author(s): Richie Lovett

Surfing

A wonderful mix of classic surf biography from and about an Aussie great and an inspiring story of beating the odds. Richie Lovett grew up on Sydney's Northern Beaches where he was introduced to surfing by his grandfather, a major influence in his life. At a very young age he showed a keen interest and flair for the sport. The seed was planted and Richie knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. After completing school his parents gave him 12 months to establish himself as a professional surfer or 'get a real job'. His first professional contest after finishing school was The Clear Water Classic at Manly Beach; it was a turning point for him and after making the main event he made the decision to turn pro and start living his dream. It took Richie two years to qualify for the World Championship Tour and in 2003 he took out the Quiksilver/Boost Mobile Pro at the high-performance wave of Trestles in the USA. Richie came up against the likes of Danny Wills, Dean Morrison, Joel Parkinson, Taylor Knox and Taj Burrow on his way to claim victory. This was everything Richie had always dreamed of, and more. He'd had some wild adventures on the way, including surviving a tsunami, and many believed that he was finally knocking at the door of big things when in 2006 he heard the words 'It is malignant, and we need to take out your hip...'