Rob Machado

Rob Machado
Professional Surfer Rob Machado provides live commentary during the Boost Mobile Pro at Lower Trestles, September 2009
Born	Rob Machado October 16, 1973 (1973-10-16) (age 43) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation	Surfing
Style	Goofy
Home town	San Diego, California
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	140 lb (64 kg)

Robert Edward Machado (better known simply as Rob Machado) (born October 16, 1973, Sydney, Australia) is an Australian American professional surfer from Cardiff-by-the-Sea, a community in Encinitas (San Diego County), California.

Machado attended San Dieguito High School, and is known for his casual, "laid-back" style both in and out of the water taught. Though he rides a modern tri-fin shortboard, he is still considered a "soul-surfer" largely because of his soft-spoken, humble personality and his disinterest in the spotlight, along with his fluid surfing style, which has earned him the nickname "Mr. Smoothy." He is one of the best-known goofy-foot surfers in the world today. His style influences include Gerry Lopez, California's masters of style duo Oliver Lobdell and Taylor Lobdell, who he saw surfing on soft tops at River Jetties in 1990 and has tried to emulate their styles ever since.

Rob has won many of pro surfing's most prestigious contests, including Hawaii's Pipeline Masters (Triple Crown of Surfing), and the U.S. Open of Surfing, the largest surfing event held on the U.S. mainland. His 2006 win in that competition was only his latest at Huntington Beach, and it came on the heels of his victory at the 2006 Monster Energy Pro (also held at Pipeline) on Oahu's North Shore. Also, Rob was on the "West" team that won the 2006 Summer X Games surfing competition, called "The Game," held each year in Mexico.

He is now retired from the WCT (World Championship Tour), but was among the top contenders until injuries began plaguing him in the past few years. Nevertheless, he's finished in the top three of the world in the year-end rankings twice. Since retiring, he has concentrated on a select few surfing competitions that are close to his heart. The surfing magazines and his videos and films keep him in the public eye.

Rob hosts and participates in an annual event held at his home reef called the Rob Machado Surf Classic and Beach Fair, which is an amateur competition for the locals of all ages, and it includes demo sessions with Rob and other pros, as well as a lunchtime break when he talks with kids and gives them pointers. The competition crowns a King and Queen of the Reef for the best overall performances in a combination of surf-related events over the weekend.