| Taj Burrow | |
| Caption: | Burrow at the 2013 Quiksilver Pro France in Hossegor |
| Birth Date: | 2 June 1978 |
| Birth Place: | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia |
| Residence: | Yallingup, Western Australia, Australia Bali, Indonesia |
| Height: | 1.750NaN0 |
| Weight: | 72kg (159lb) |
| Stance: | Natural (regular foot) |
| Best Year: | 1999 & 2007 – 2nd in ASP World Tour Ranking |
| Career Earnings: | $10,925,033 AUD prize money |
| Sponsors: | Billabong, Lost Surfboards, Von Zipper, Globe, Futures Fins |
| Major Achievements: | ASP World Tour Runner Up 1999, 2007 ASP Rookie of the Year 1998 Australian Male Surfer of the Year 1997 |
| Website: | tajburrow.com |
Taj Burrow (born 2 June 1978) is an Australian retired professional surfer. Taj retired from the WSL World Tour in June 2016 where he left a legacy of power and impressive surfing.
Burrow was born in Yallingup, Western Australia, Australia to American parents and began surfing at age 7.[1]
In 1998 he qualified for the ASP World Tour at the age of 18 years, becoming the youngest surfer to ever win a national title.[2] Burrow had already earned a place on the world tour a year earlier, but he turned it down stating that, as a 17-year-old, he was "too young to do the tour full-on".[3] After his first year on tour in 1998, Burrow claimed the ASP World Tour Rookie of the Year award after finishing 12th place in the rankings.[4]
In 2007 Burrow won the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia.[5] He backed this up with a victory at the 2007 Billabong Pro in Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa, where he claimed the title over the then 8-time world champion, Kelly Slater. This win helped to secure his 2nd-place ranking on the ASP Men's Tour, his second runner-up season placing.
In 2009, Burrow defeated Slater in the final of the Billabong Pipeline Masters at the Banzai Pipeline.[6] In the same year he finished fourth place on the World Tour.
Burrow won the 2013 Hurley Pro event in September 2013 for the first time, beating fellow Australian Julian Wilson.[7]
As of September 2013, Burrow is sponsored by Globe, Billabong, Modom Surf, Von Zipper and Nanotune.[8]
| Year | Event | Venue | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Coke Surf Classic Manly | |||
| 1999 | Rio Marathon Surf INTERNATIONAL | |||
| Mundial Coca-Cola de Surf | ||||
| Nova Schin Festival | ||||
| O'Neill Cold Water Classic Santa Cruz | ||||
| Hurley Pro Trestles |
In 2003 Burrow released a book entitled Taj Burrow's Book of Hot Surfing,[9] and has also produced a series of his own surf videos: Sabotaj (2000),[10] Montaj (2002)[11] and Taj Burrow's Fair Bits (2005).
In 2008–09 Globe released a shoe line named after Burrow.[12]
Since 2005 Burrow has hosted the 'Taj Small Fries' junior surfing competition at Yallingup, Western Australia.[13]
Burrow married Rebecca Jobson in November 2018.[14] The couple had an intimate ceremony so Jobson's sick mother was able to attend. They had a second wedding in February 2019.[15] The couple have two daughters.[16] Jobson was a contestant (and placed 6th) on cycle 4 of Australia's Next Top Model in 2008.