- Shane Herring was a surfing cult hero
- Beat Kelly Slater at his peak in early 1990s
- Sadly struggled with addictions in life
Aussie surfing icon Layne Beachley has paid tribute to fellow charger Shane Herring, who died following a bizarre accident at his apartment on Sunday.
It is understood Herring had a fall at home, complained about having a sore head and went to have a rest.
Tragically, he never woke up.
Herring, 53, grew up on Sydney‘s northern beaches and famously won the Coke Surf Classic in 1992 at Narrabeen.
He beat then surfing prodigy Kelly Slater in the final – and the laid-back Herring suddenly found himself ranked the number one surfer in the world.
Sadly, addiction struggles with drugs and alcohol saw Herring never realise his potential on the professional tour, and Beachley said he will be missed by the surfing fraternity.
‘He was super dynamic….an aggressive surfer,’ Beachley, a seven-time world champion, told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I spent a lot of time with him, he was always supportive of me. ‘Surfing was Shane’s safe place, it was his family and gave him a sense of belonging.’
Aussie surfing icon Layne Beachley has paid tribute to fellow charger Shane Herring, (pictured) who died following a bizarre accident at his apartment on Sunday
Beachley labelled Herring a ‘super dynamic and aggressive surfer’ whose found his identity in the ocean
Former Bra Boy and big wave surfer Koby Abberton said Herring was his favourite surfer
Shane Herring is pictured right with Kelly Slater (middle) in 1992 ahead of the Coke Surf Classic at Narrabeen
Much like Beachley, fellow surfing icon Kelly Slater was devastated to hear of Herring’s passing.
‘He best blended the old school power and pure lines with the new school mentality and speed in the 90’s,’ 11-time world champion Slater posted on Instagram.
‘In the years we spent traveling and surfing together, I always found Shane to be a kind-hearted guy and an extremely talented surfer, but he had his demons that limited his time of greatness.
‘He loved the purity in surfing and was uncomfortable with the limelight and notoriety and scrutiny it brought him.
‘It hurts to know we won’t get to catch up again. I was really looking forward to seeing and maybe even surfing again in the coming months with Shane, whom I haven’t seen in probably 20+ years.
‘Ride on, Shane. We’re thinking of ya.’
When once asked why he didn’t become a surfing world champion, Herring’s response to Tracks magazine summed him up.
‘Maybe a lack of self-confidence….but then there was the drinking, partying and money,’ he said.
Even at the peak of his powers, Herring – who retired from the world tour in 1994 aged just 23 – liked to enjoy himself.
After beating Slater at Narrabeen, he bought 55 jugs of beer for family and friends to celebrate – with chaser shots of Sambuca in almost all of them.
