Rob Machado

Australian-born, California-raised Rob Machado is known for many things, but perhaps most of all he's known for making it look easy.

After an accomplished amateur career, Machado, a member of the New School generation, joined the world tour in 1993. He rose to second overall in 1995, the year he famously high-fived Kelly Slater in the semifinals of the Pipe Masters with the title on the line. He finished in the top 16 in following years, including number three in 2000, the same year he won the Pipe Masters.

But a broken wrist caused him to drop to 46th in 2001. He hoped to get the injury wild card into the 2002 season. But he didn't. At the time, after almost a decade on the world tour and numerous event wins, it felt like a slight. Now it looks like divine intervention.

Machado set off on the path that he's been on for the last 20-plus years. Free surfing. Board exploration. Far-flung travel. One of the world's best surfers unshackled from the constraints of competition and let loose.

Machado's been featured in many surf films, including Momentum in 1992, What's Next? in 1996, Thicker Than Water in 1999, Shelter in 2001, and The Drifter in 2009. He founded the Rob Machado Surf Classic in 1997. He's thrown the first pitch at more than one Padres game. He's jammed onstage with Eddie Vedder and Jack Johnson. The list goes on and on.

In this episode of Soundings, Machado talks with Jamie Brisick about stepping away from competition, unlocking states of bliss in the water, the peak moments of his career, desire, creativity in surfing, and his high-five with Kelly Slater in the channel at Pipe.

Presented by Rainbow® Sandals.

Produced by Jonathan Shifflett.

Music by PazKa (Aska Matsumiya & Paz Lenchantin).

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