Tony Caramanico

Hampton Style - June 27, 2008

Legend and retired pro-surfer Tony Caramanico is a legendary force of nature. A title-winning surfer across five decades (his first win was in 1969), Tony resurged as a nose-riding master in the early '90s after longboarding regained popularity, and is now an esteemed surfing teacher, artist and board designer. He serves as an elder statesman for the Montauk surfing veterans, as well as Zen master to a new school of up-and-comers. Caramanico is a cultural rarity-not only did he manage to revive a pro-surfing career in his 40s, he also never had to shelve his passion for traveling and the sport to hold down a day job; he merely shifted focus so that surfing has sustained him his whole life.

"I was sponsored as a kid, rode in teams and competitions, but there was no money in it then. No pro-surfers. You did it for a board, maybe a bit of merchandise they'd throw you; you had to be smart and reinvent if you wanted to keep going. I owned my first surf shop at 20. Now sponsors throw money at kids from the time they're in the water, just in case they're exceptional; most of them are washed up by the time they're 21. I was just a kid who wanted to ride waves. The excitement never wore out and I turn 58 next week," says Caramanico.

Check out Tony Caraminico's website

See Tony Caraminico's surf diary

See Tony Caraminico with Jimmy Buffet