Top 20 Best Surfers of All Time

Top 20 Best Surfers of All Time by Men and Women based on their achievements, impact on the sport, and cultural significance:

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Top 20 Male Surfers

1. Kelly Slater (USA)
   • 11-time World Champion, the most dominant surfer in history.
2. Tom Curren (USA)
   • 3-time World Champion, known for his smooth and stylish surfing.
3. Andy Irons (Hawaii, USA)
   • 3-time World Champion and Slater’s fiercest rival.
4. Mick Fanning (Australia)
   • 3-time World Champion with explosive speed and power.
5. Mark Richards (Australia)
   • 4-time World Champion in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
6. Gabriel Medina (Brazil)
   • 2-time World Champion and Brazil’s first world title winner.
7. Shaun Tomson (South Africa)
   • 1977 World Champion and tube-riding innovator.
8. John John Florence (Hawaii, USA)
   • 2-time World Champion and aerial surfing master.
9. Laird Hamilton (Hawaii, USA)
   • Big wave pioneer and tow-in surfing legend.
10. Duke Kahanamoku (Hawaii, USA)

• Olympic swimmer and the “Father of Modern Surfing.”

11. Italo Ferreira (Brazil)
    • 2019 World Champion and an aerial surfing phenomenon.
12. Michael Peterson (Australia)
    • Icon of the 1970s Australian surfing revolution.
13. Simon Anderson (Australia)
    • Inventor of the thruster (three-fin) surfboard design.
14. Gerry Lopez (Hawaii, USA)
    • Legendary Pipeline master and style icon.
15. Sunny Garcia (Hawaii, USA)
    • 2000 World Champion and Hawaiian surfing ambassador.
16. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
    • 2001 World Champion and known for his consistency.
17. Buzzy Trent (Hawaii, USA)
    • Big wave surfing pioneer.
18. Peter Townend (Australia)
    • The first World Champion (1976) under IPS.
19. Joel Parkinson (Australia)
    • 2012 World Champion with a smooth, stylish approach.
20. Adriano de Souza (Brazil)
    • 2015 World Champion and influential in the Brazilian Storm.

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Top 20 Female Surfers

1. Stephanie Gilmore (Australia)
   • 8-time World Champion, tying the women’s record.
2. Carissa Moore (Hawaii, USA)
   • 5-time World Champion and Olympic gold medalist.
3. Layne Beachley (Australia)
   • 7-time World Champion, the most dominant of her era.
4. Lisa Andersen (USA)
   • 4-time World Champion, known for progressing women’s surfing.
5. Frieda Zamba (USA)
   • 4-time World Champion and trailblazer for women in the sport.
6. Margo Oberg (Hawaii, USA)
   • The first-ever female professional surfer.
7. Rell Sunn (Hawaii, USA)
   • The “Queen of Makaha,” pioneer, and role model for women’s surfing.
8. Tyler Wright (Australia)
   • 2-time World Champion and an inspirational athlete.
9. Pam Burridge (Australia)
   • 1990 World Champion and key to legitimizing women’s pro surfing.
10. Sally Fitzgibbons (Australia)
    • Consistently ranked among the top surfers of her era.
11. Keala Kennelly (Hawaii, USA)
    • Big wave surfing icon and 2018 Big Wave World Champion.
12. Alana Blanchard (Hawaii, USA)
    • Free surfing icon and influential for her impact on surf culture.
13. Courtney Conlogue (USA)
    • A powerhouse surfer with several World Tour wins.
14. Tatiana Weston-Webb (Brazil/Hawaii)
    • A key contender in modern surfing.
15. Pauline Menczer (Australia)
    • 1993 World Champion and unsung hero of the sport.
16. Isabella Nichols (Australia)
    • Rising star with strong performances in the World Tour.
17. Brisa Hennessy (Costa Rica)
    • The first Costa Rican to qualify for the World Tour.
18. Coco Ho (Hawaii, USA)
    • Surfing royalty and an electrifying competitor.
19. Andrea Moller (Brazil)
    • Big wave surfer and multiple Guinness World Record holder.
20. Maya Gabeira (Brazil)
    • Big wave legend, holding records for riding the largest waves.

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These surfers are ranked based on their competition records, impact on the sport, and influence on surf culture.