November 8, 1988 // Sunshine Coast, Australia
Synopsis: Had Julian Wilson not spent the latter half of 2008 nursing an injured ankle, he’d probably be at No. 1 on this year’s Hot 100 list. Julian is the golden boy of the surf world at the moment, and not without good reason. There is simply nothing not to like. His ridiculous ability in all surfing situations, his gregarious persona, and his boyish good looks are all backed by a well-oiled PR machine. Despite having spent very little time in the water last year, Julian is still among the most popular surfers on the planet¬–a fact that only further hints at his imminent superstardom.
Variables: The ankle. If Julian can stay injury-free, then there will be no ceiling to his career.
Forecast: With a video release slated for the end of 2009, Julian is going to be all over the map this year. He didn’t do too much in 2008, but trust us, he’s going to be huge in 2009 and beyond.