MEET NOAH

Hi, my name is Noah Gerard, and I'm from Newport Beach, California. I'm a lifeguard in Laguna Beach and a student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa on Oahu. When I'm not working or at school, I love to bodysurf. My favorite wave in the world is definitely The Wedge, since I grew up going down there! I still remember going down as a little kid to watch during every big swell, so it's really special getting to be a part of it now. When I'm over at school, I love to ride Point Panic and Pipeline!

Why Bodysurfing?

I got into bodysurfing when I was about nine years old, mainly because of the environment I grew up in. As kids, we did Junior Guards at the Balboa Pier, which is a shorebreak-style wave, and I got really into pulling into closeout barrels out there. Eventually you graduate from bodysurfing there, and the next step is The Wedge! Going down to watch on all the big days as a little kid, I really looked up to the Wedge Crew guys. They were my heroes. Watching guys like Scott Matthews and Sean Starkey made me decide I wanted to be a part of the culture down there. Once I started going down a lot, I met John Karam, who we call "Papa" or "Wedge Dad." He was the glue between me and the generation I grew up looking up to. It's pretty cool that I now consider all of the guys I grew up watching to be close friends! 

Favorite Matuse Suit paired with favorite fins?

My favorite Matuse suit is definitely my Tactical long Sleeve spring back zip! Back zips are key for bodysurfing because they don't catch at all while we're riding. Little bits of drag or catching can make a huge impact when you're bodysurfing, so having a back zip is pretty crucial. My favorite Yucca Fins would have to be my Standard Flex long blades. Those things have incredible push, and if I'm busting out the Standard Flex fins, that means the surf is probably pumping. They're kind of the equivalent of a stand-up surfer's big-wave gun or step-up, so it's always exciting throwing them on!

What is unique about bodysurfing at The Wedge?

A lot of things set Wedge apart as far as bodysurfing goes. For one, it’s one of few places on the planet that have a dedicated bodysurfing only time, the wave itself is peaky and bowls perfectly for bodysurfing and those things alone make it special but the thing that really stands out to me is the culture and the people.

The people really do make the place down there, bodysurfing is kinda nerdy and that’s a big part of why I love it so much along with everyone else that rides down there! It’s a niche community and we are all together and fired up on it. There are tons of characters, young and old and we are all just happy to be a part of the Wedge Bodysurfing tradition. I really can’t wait to pass it down to the generations below me. There’s already a group of young kids down there absolutely crushing it! Will Budge is the youngest kid down there right now and he is absolutely crushing it. The whole tradition is just really special and it’s the people down there that keep it alive and well!

#lovematuse