Bobby Martinez

American surfer from Santa Barbara known for his technically flawless backhand surfing, who abruptly ended his own World Tour career with a televised outburst at officials in 2011.

Bobby Martinez won four WSL World Tour events — including two at Teahupo'o — and his backhand attack at Rincon's point break was regarded as technically among the finest in the sport before he walked away in 2011 with a memorable public rebuke of what professional surfing had become. He joined the Association of Surfing Professionals in 2005 and reached the World Championship Tour in 2006, an electrifying rookie season that finished with him ranked fifth in the world after winning at Mundaka and Teahupoo. Martinez's backhand attack, honed at Santa Barbara's Rincon point break, was widely regarded as among the most technically perfect in the sport. He won four World Tour events across his career: Teahupoo (twice), Mundaka (twice), reaching the top 5 in both 2006 and 2007. An outspoken critic of the ASP's administration, Martinez became increasingly disillusioned with the tour's new tennis-style international ranking system. In 2011, ranked 22nd and facing relegation, he announced the Quiksilver Pro New York would be his last event; after defeating Bede Durbidge, he delivered an expletive-laden post-heat interview blasting the ASP, memorably declaring he didn't want to be 'part of this dumb f---ing wannabe tennis tour.' He was suspended and never returned to the tour. Martinez has continued surfing and boxing in Santa Barbara since retiring, remaining a cult figure celebrated for his talent and his uncompromising refusal to conform to the sport's corporate direction.

Technically precise, powerful backhand surfing honed at Rincon

Remembered as one of the most naturally gifted surfers of his generation and a fiercely independent voice in the sport

• Won Mundaka and Teahupoo, finished fifth in the world in his rookie season (2006)