Two World Surfing Championships in 1983 and 1984 — Tom Carroll was the first Australian to win back-to-back world titles and the surfer who established power surfing as the dominant competitive style. His radical backside tube-riding at Pipeline and four consecutive Pipe Masters victories cemented his status as a Hawaii surf legend. He later openly discussed his struggles with substance abuse and became an important voice for surfer mental health.
Tom Carroll was born in Newport, New South Wales in 1961. He won two World Championship titles in 1983 and 1984. His powerful, explosive surfing style — the ability to generate maximum speed and force on turns — established the template for modern power surfing. He was the first surfer to receive a million-dollar contract sponsorship. He won the Pipeline Masters multiple times. He came out as gay in 2012 — one of the most prominent figures in action sports to do so — and has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in surf culture.
WSL World Champion 2x (1983,1984)
Career Honours
- WSL World Champion 2x (1983,1984)
- Pipeline Masters winner
- Australian surfing legend