Clay Marzo and his Mad Cat
A quick look at Clay Marzo: the free-surfing savant, his Asperger's diagnosis, and the Superbrand Mad Cat he rides.
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In this article, you'll learn
- Why Clay Marzo became known as one of surfing's mysteries
- How his Asperger's diagnosis reshaped his public story
- What the Superbrand Mad Cat surfboard is designed for
- How Clay supports the Surfers Healing autism foundation
Clay Marzo is one of surfing's great mysteries: an impossibly gifted free surfer who most of us first met through a run of jaw-dropping web clips. This is a quick look at the man, his Asperger's diagnosis, and the Superbrand Mad Cat he rides.
Before he turned 20, Clay was a Quiksilver Young Gun. He blew up the scene with a forehand attack that had everyone reeling. For a time, he simply owned the world of surfing web clips.
Those first scenes stuck with us. Clay dropping lazily into round Western Australian caverns. Launching air reverses like they were forehand cutbacks. Extracting every ounce of juice from a wave, purely for his own pleasure.
In the beginning, a lot of people read Clay as aloof: detached, even unapproachable. Was pro surfing getting to his head? Was he an angry young man? As it turns out, no. At the age of 18, his mother had him assessed for Asperger's Syndrome, and the diagnosis was confirmed.
Since then, Clay has become an icon of a different kind, an elite surfer who has excelled on his own terms. He works with Surfers Healing, a foundation that helps people with autism experience the joy of surfing. He also published a book, "Just Add Water", about his journey.
Beyond all of that, Clay still charges, especially in heaving conditions at left-hand point breaks. He rides for Superbrand surfboards, which means he gets his own signature sled, shaped to suit his particular flavour of wave-riding.
The Superbrand Mad Cat surfboard
We like the look of the Mad Cat. It's got boxy rails, a wide nose and plenty of rocker for critical waves. It's exactly the kind of board you'd want under your feet in Western Australia or Indo.
You probably won't be doing layback snaps under the lip, metres from a dry reef. Clay does, and we love him for it. If you're weighing up your own quiver, our roundup of high-performance shortboards is a good place to start.
Our favourite savant surfer looks as sharp as ever in this video, so enjoy. Find out more about the Mad Cat model over at Superbrand.
More about Clay Marzo
Find out more about Clay at his website, claymarzo.com, where he keeps the focus on autism and Asperger's Syndrome through his work in the surfing world and beyond. For more surfers worth knowing, browse our surfer profiles.