Andy Irons, Professional Surf Champion, Found Dead at 32
Andy Irons, a three-time world champion surfer, has died.
Phil Irons, the father of the 32-year-old surfer, confirmed his son's death to The Associated Press Tuesday.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Irons passed Tuesday morning from dengue fever in Dallas where he was on a layover en route to flying home to Kauai. He was returning from Puerto Rico, where he was to have competed in the 2010 Rip Curl Pro Search.
He was expected to compete against two Australian surfers in his first heat Saturday, but didn't show up, much to the confusion of commentators. Irons again was absent for his second heat Sunday.
Family members from Hawaii were headed to Dallas.
Irons was scheduled to compete in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing in Hawaii, which is scheduled to begin next week.
Irons is a member of the Surfing Walk of Fame on Huntington Beach, Calif., and won 19 elite tour events. He won the ASP world title three times (2002, '03, '04) and was sponsored by Billabong, Nixon Watches and Dakine. He's widely considered the second best surfer of all-time to longtime rival Kelly Slater (who won nine world titles and 32 tour events). During a dominant stretch in the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, he became so popular that Billabong designed a line of Andy Irons surfboards.
Irons is survived by his wife of nearly three years, Lyndie. According to the Chronicle, Lyndie is expecting the couple's first child within a month.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. |
