July 4, 1988 // San Clemente, California
Synopsis:
Born on the Fourth of July, Tanner Gudauskas may be America’s brightest hope in the coming years. With back-to-back third-place finishes at the Billabong World Junior Championships, as well as a victory over Julian Wilson last year in the final of the pro junior at the U.S. Open, the competitive act is sound. And when it comes to power, Tanner has a young Luke Egan thing going on, which speaks volumes about his maturity as a surfer.
Variables:
Tanner’s already done his knee in once, and when you surf with the authority and commitment that he does, tearing and breaking is always a very real possibility.
Forecast:
Tanner will eventually make the ASP World Tour, and while it’s hard to see him ever putting in a bid for a world title, he’ll definitely have an impact. Plus, with a golden personality you’re sure to see his mug grinning back at you for years to come.