Jamie O'Brien
Name: Jamie O’BrienProfession: Pro surfer
Birth Date: 6.9.83
Current Residence: Haleiwa, HI
Jamie O’Brien will get you one way or another. If it isn’t his elastic aerial attack or his domination at the world’s most dangerous piece of coral––the Banzai Pipeline, it’ll be his high-octane surf films or outspoken opinion on competitive surfing that will. He’s got all ends of the surfing spectrum handled. Jamie is a free surfing acrobat as well as a big wave hell man. And with his childhood sandbox located directly in front of the most recognized wave in the world, his domination in the surf world’s ultimate proving ground is just the beginning.
Tube Guru and Pipeline Master
Jamie’s as comfortable at Pipeline as most surfers are at their local beachbreak and it has led him to one of the most prestigious titles in all of surfing: a Pipeline Masters title –– which he won in 2004 and has continued to excel in year after year as a wildcard. “That was such a great day,” he recalls. “I had a wildcard, but I still had to challenge all the top dogs. It was so fulfilling and such an honor to win in front of everybody.” Then, in 2005 Jamie lead his team to the gold medal in the X-games and was named X-Games MVP at the Mexican Pipeline––proving his Pipe skills were bilingual.
Free Spirit
In 2005, Jamie won the Boost Breakthrough Performance Award at Surfer Magazine’s Surfer Poll Awards show, establishing himself at the top of the surf world, without having to use the competitive arena at all. That’s because the World Tour doesn’t interest Jamie quite yet. But he hasn’t been wasting his time; instead he’s turned his focus to free surfing. “I’ve always been more interested in showing people how you can make a living without contests,” he says. And through his adrenaline filled surf films –– which he stars in, edits and produces –– he’s done just that, showing the world just how high the level of performance has come in surfing.
Freak on Film
His first two films Freakshow and Freakside are already major staples in the surf world and demonstrate just how incredible Jamie’s two-sided attack on surfing are. By pairing together his aerial antics across the globe with a barrage of dangerous reef stunts in his backyard on the North Shore, Jamie is bound to keep people coming back. He’s currently working on his third film and has been featured in dozens of other films including Taylor Steele’s 2006 blockbuster Campaign 2.
2007 and Beyond
While the rest of his peers are struggling across the globe, scratching for points and practically running away from swells on the World Qualifying Series, Jamie-O is content to keep doing what he’s doing. “I think I have it really good,” he said. “I get to surf good waves, make films and follow swells. It’s a dream really.” He’s able to push the limits of what can be done on a surfboard, charge the North Shore all winter and spend a lot of time in Bali in the off season. Sure sounds like a dream to me. And as long as he keeps putting out incredible surf film we don’t mind.
Jamie O'Brien : Recent Entries
If America falls it will be because the men are buying leather flip flops at Gucci on Rodeo Drive. I bet before Rome fell, the men were buying their gladiator sandals in expensive boutiques. Where you buy
your clothes doesn't make you cool. What you buy doesn't make you cool.
It is how you wear it. It is panache. It is toughness. Masculinity is lost in the Prada flagship store, New York city.
Red Bull happy hour! Today, pour yourself a tall glass of rum, add mint and a half can of Red Bull. It's called The Papa.
I snapped the last of 6'2" Rusty RedLine RoundPins, luckily the next shipment comes in tonight. Rusty's stoked, they love sending boards to their inevitable death at Pipe. But now it's dinner time. Lei Lei's. Cubed ahi marinated in soy sauce, sesame and chili followed by crab stuffed salmon and baby back ribs. I also want crunchy coconut shrimp and a lightly chilled pinot. After dinner it will be video editing and loud rap.
North Shore's been fun lately, a few quality sessions at Pipe. Kind of a hit and miss winter, but definitely some good days. Entered a bodyboard contest for the heck of it. Should be interesting. Finally away from Hawaii for a few days and on a surf trip, all's good. So far survived another winter.
I've just been cruising at home, surfing Pipe and Backdoor lately. I was pretty stoked to win the Backdoor Shoot-Out. The waves were good and all the boys were going off, a lot different than the Pipe Master's this year. When it's flat I've been doing a lot of diving lately, it's been fun. I've found some pretty good shells down there. It's been a tough winter, but it's definitely getting better. It's all about late season.
