5| Laurie Towner
Birthday: June 24, 1987
Hometown: Angourie, Australia

Growing up in the waters around Angourie, the site of one of Australia's most pristine surf reserves, there's little question that Laurie Towner would someday develop into a recognizable name. For right now the world knows one thing about Towner: He flat out charges. After claiming the wave of the winter at Backdoor in 2005, then following up with a benchmark session at Shipstern's Bluff-where, similar to the late Jay Moriarty at Maverick's-he paddled into the wave that put him squarely on the international map-and finally, taking a doughnut on a death mutant at Off The Wall that forced his shoulder out its socket, Towner has proven time and time again, given the opportunity, he'll push over the ledge. “Those waves he's caught at Shipsterms, I don't think he understands just what kind of impact they've had,” told Joel Parkinson several days after he returned from the session in Tasmania. “It's changed everything for him.” But what's still relatively unknown about Towner is his competitive savvy. He desires more than just a big-wave glory, and while he's experienced mixed contests results, he seeks success down multiple avenues. “He's got a long free-surfing career ahead of him,” says Ben Dunn, “and will probably do very well in the comps if he's motivated.” Considering he's got a good head on his shoulders, and given his reputation already, he's well on his way.