New Edit Remembers the Life and Legacy of Big Wave Surfer Todd Chesser
Todd Chesser is a North Shore surf legend.
The charismatic big wave surfer drowned surfing the North Shore decades ago and was an integral part of a tight-knit group of friends known as the Momentum Generation.
In a new edit released on YouTube, Chesser's memory is revisited and his story is told. Check it out.
Real Surf Stories released the short film about Chesser above a few days ago, captioning it:
"Todd Chesser. The late Hawaiian great encompassed many of surfing's finest attributes. He was uncensored, aggressive, respectful, stylish, ballsy, opinionated, unique, creative, athletic, confident, poised and gracious. Todd was described by Surfing magazine in 1995 as "the greatest non-rated surfer in the world."
"Todd's mom Jeannie moved to Hawaii with Todd in 1971 when he was just three years old after his father was tragically killed in a car accident in Miami, Florida. Jeannie Chesser was a top-level surfer herself, having finalled in Various US and World championships in the 70s and 80s.
"Coming from a long line of esteemed Hawaiian greats, Todd Chesser emerged at a time when there was no substitute for charging hard.
"His infectious energy attracted people, and that included the group of hard-charging youngsters that included Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Shane Dorian, Ross Williams, Noah Johnson, Akila Aipa, Kalani Robb, The Malloys and many more.
"He became their leader by default and showed them the ropes of surfing Pipe and the various other North Shore breaks and Outer Reefs.
"On the morning Feb. 13, 1997, during a building 20-foot + swell, Todd paddled out to a big water North Shore Outer Reef known as Outside Alligators.
"Waimea was packed and he canceled a gig to stunt-double at Jaws for the filming of "In God’s Hands." Instead, he paddled out with Cody Graham and Aaron Lambert.
"A couple hours into the session and a huge cleanup set pushing 25 feet mowed over the guys, and Chesser failed to surface.
"Graham and Lambert finally got to him, but it was too late. He had left us way too soon, only four days from his 29th birthday."
***
Don't miss another headline from SURFER! Subscribe to our newsletter, follow us on Instagram, and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of surfing. We're always on the lookout for amusing, interesting and engaging surf-related videos to feature on our channels.
Whether you're a professional surfer or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on SURFER and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality surf videos.
