Noll, who had lived in the picturesque, seaside town of Crescent City, California, died Monday of natural causes, according to an Instagram post from his son's company, Noll Surfboards. One of the first and arguably one of the greatest big-wave riders, Noll was much more than a surfer. He was also an entrepreneur who helped transform the sport with his Greg Noll surfboards, which were among the first to be built from balsa wood, a substance that made them more maneuverable and light enough for most people to use. In 1964, Noll was credited with being the first person to ride a wave at Oahu’s Third Reef Pipeline. “Da Bull” was born Greg Lawhead in San Diego on Feb. 11, 1937, later taking the last name of his stepfather, Ash Noll.

Source: ABC News June 29, 2021 00:56 UTC