The Story Behind One Of The Greatest Tom Curren Cutbacks Ever Photographed | SURFER Magazine

Tom Servais talks about his photo of Tom Curren from 1991.

[@williammartin2842]

Legend has it that he still makes cut-back turns like this in 2021

[@mozdickson]

Reasons to love it: Tom Curren, a no bullshit surfer; shot on film; NO logo; riding a SEVEN NINE; and finally, Backdoor sure ain't a cutback type of wave. Aloha!

[@WhiteNacho]

One of my favorite shots of the man!

[@jaydubya3698]

I remember seeing Tom Curran surf in a tournament at Pipe Littles off Sandy Beach once in the 80s. He was SOOOOO much better than everyone else at the time...bottom turn, vertical to the lip, cracks it like a whip, back down, repeat over and over again. Flow, acceleration, quickness, positioning, everything...the guy dominated.

[@MrIsomer]

He always dodged me pretty efficiently back then while I was shooting. But I did have 3 surfing sessions just he & I. One of them was in the Ranch while I was helping Scott Dittrich shoot an episode for American Sportsman. They were doing profiles on all the top athletes at the time (Gretzky, Jordan, etc.). Dittrich had good connections and wrangled an afternoon at Governments for a modest location fee. At sunset, when the light got marginal, Dittrich let me surf, and Tommy kept telling me to go since he'd already had his fill. That was a unique session there...

[@reydeguerra2807]

Speed, power and flow. Absolutely a 10.00 in my book.

[@brickpig]

SURFER the name says it all! If your going to pander to sponsors regarding cover shots, you really need to ask yourselves why your producing mags. Without average joes subscribing you've got nothing. Don't forget the surfing.

[@Hermes1548]

Curren's cutback was legendary when I started: first half of the 1990s.

[@johnhamilton7495]

Speed power and flow (style) One of a kind...Thanks Tom both of you

[@ErgoCogita]

So heavy. I remember that cutback like it was yesterday. I started surfing that year.

[@6nosis]

I remember as well... graduating high school... hurricanes were flowing in Florida... sooo many tubes , parties, crushes...best year of my life...go Top Cat!!!

[@kennethsalter9998]

Greatest Surfer Ever in my opinion! I would surf and tell my homies about 2 do a Tom C on em'! The Cut backs were so smooth! Made it look so ez! Really he brought the boards inn!

[@southernstingray2743]

Reminds me of the great MP cutback shot!Tom Curren ,Occy,at Bells Easter Classic,way way back,it was an epic encounter Cranking Bells Beach,Vic!

[@insolentstickleback3266]

Sitting under a vintage Tom Curren poster watching this. Al Merrick board with OP logo, screaming through a cutback, huge spray, I have always loved this mans style in the water.

[@Seeeeyaaaa]

The Greatest Soul Surfer

[@justtowatch111]

Right up there with Gerry Lopez.

[@catinthehat8412]

that photo is timeless

[@bonsummers2657]

Let's see the entire ride, especially the full beginning to end completion of the cutback

[@jontakaki503]

it's in the video "momentum", at the start. He doesn't go into a roundhouse cutback but turns under the lip in the tube basically... and makes it look easy.

[@waltjisneychannel74]

@@jontakaki503 had to go check for myself, you are 100% correct it is literally the very first wave surfed in the movie. Yew!!

[@GIF_CANCEL]

Thanks

[@MarcHalikas_surfercook]

Cool story, cool cutback, cool surfer.

[@mateolopez4611]

the all ride is a blast from the take off

[@jonathanrath3036]

Only one turn better....his bottom turn. Thing of beauty.

[@philipstallwood9813]

I just got to see the actual board in a surfshop in hossegor it had been snapped and salvaged from a bin and stuck back together. I can confirm its 7 9 with a super tight tail a reverse vee with no logos. It has the silhouette of the old ripcurl search logo but no logo. I should have taken a pic of it.

[@christiaanphleger1609]

Shot on Kodachrome 200 btw....

[@RealSurfStories]

He lost a huge sponsorship with OP who immediately dropped him for breach of contract.

[@rayvelasco2059]

Most Excellent ¿

[@headspace3296]

#LEGEND

[@joedirt8625]

Rad, Best Style .

[@onefodderunit]

Thought it was a painting of a photograph.

[@deanmaddison6742]

That is not a 7 foot nine inch board. His feet positioning will tell you that.

[@jlm3336]

Like his approach, just wants to catch waves and not look to Glorify himself. True Soul surfer He has been blessed with amazing abilities on a surfboard. TC would probably want to Glory to go to God Look at the wave HE made for TC to enjoy ! Not for money, for the Soul ... He has no logos for a reason

[@ibodhidogma]

Strangely enough, he looks colorized.

[@hunterdavis3003]

A 7'9"?!?!? Seriously?!?

[@petebowling1668]

Hi requires more board .

[@liveonyourknees]

I ride a 7'9", that is def not a 7'9".

[@juliamilani5564]

First

[@juliamilani5564]

MoustacheCloud way ahead of you