Lifelong surfer and former Manly (Sydney Northern Beaches) resident, Greg Mossop, is possibly the only surfer in the world who has dropped-in on two world champions on the one wave! He freely admits that many surfers can boast that they have dropped in on more than one world champion in their surfing lives, but it is the fact that he managed the feat on the one wave that makes his achievement unique. Mossop managed to burn Wayne “Rabbit” Batholomew (World Professional Champion, 1978) and Stuart “Twizzel” Entwistle (World Longboard Champion, 1987) while surfing at his North Steyne (Manly) home break some years ago.
Record-breaking effort
Mossop, who is no stranger to outstanding sporting achievements, (his father represented Australia in multiple sports), was thrilled with his record-breaking drop-in but thinks that with a bit of luck he might have been able to nail a hat-trick or even better. He thinks it highly likely that Barton Lynch and Layne Beachley (two other former world surfing champions who surf regularly at North Steyne) were in the water at the time and with a bit of luck he might have been able to drop-in on them too!
“Mr Pipeline” in his sights
Mossop, who now lives and surfs in Bali, hopes that his dropping-in on famous surfer days are not over. Former legendary surfing pro, Jim Banks, and Banks’ mate, former world champion, Gerry “Mr Pipeline” Lopez, are both regulars at Mossop’s favourite Balinese surfing spots and Greg thinks that, with a bit of luck, he might be able to burn them on an Ulus bomb set sometime soon!
Note: For sporting fans who are unfamiliar with surfing terminology, a “drop-in” is the dastardly act of cutting off another surfer who has right-of-way on a wave (the surfer who takes off closer to the curl has right-of-way) thereby stealing that wave from the surfer, and, most likely, really pissing them off!
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