The Quiet Revolution: Remembering Paul Strauch Jr., Pioneer of the ‘Cheater Five’
The surfing community is mourning the loss of Paul Strauch Jr., a man whose influence on the sport was as profound as it was understated. A titan of 1960s style and the visionary behind the “cheater five,” Strauch has passed away, leaving a void in the heart of surfing’s golden era.
While many athletes seek the roar of the crowd, Strauch operated in a different frequency. His legacy is not built on noise, but on a timeless flow and a level of humility that continues to inspire surfers across generations.
The Architect of Grace: A Legacy of Flow
Born in Honolulu in 1943, Paul Strauch Jr. was destined for the ocean. He began riding waves at the age of four, initially as a goofy-foot before transitioning to regular-foot at 12.
Even as a youth, Strauch’s approach was an anomaly. While his contemporaries often attacked the wave with aggression, Strauch seemed to synchronize with the water, drawing rhythmic, deliberate lines that prioritized balance and trim over raw power.
A Sacred Bond: The Duke’s Protégé
Much of Strauch’s philosophical approach to the sport was shaped by his relationship with the legendary Duke Kahanamoku. The “Father of Modern Surfing” saw in Strauch a natural heir to his vision of surfing as a blend of performance and art.
Kahanamoku didn’t value bravado; he valued the spirit of Aloha and technical precision. Recognizing these traits in Strauch, the Duke selected him for a select group of Hawaiian surfers tasked with acting as cultural ambassadors, exporting the essence of island surfing to the global stage.
Innovating the Impossible: The ‘Cheater Five’
Despite his reputation for effortless grace, Strauch was a relentless innovator. In the late 1950s, he began experimenting with deep bottom turns in heavy surf—a move that would eventually become a fundamental building block of modern performance surfing.
However, his most visible contribution was the “cheater five,” also known as the “Strauch crouch.” By squatting low on his rear haunch and extending his front foot toward the nose, he shifted his center of gravity to maintain stability in critical sections of the wave.
This innovation was more than just a trick; it was a paradigm shift. Barry Kanaiaupuni, a power surfer of the era, described watching Strauch as being “like Star Trek,” claiming his style felt as though it had been imported from the future.
The Competitive Edge
Strauch’s competitive record was as impressive as his style. He navigated the transition from classic longboarding to progressive surfing with ease, securing a string of high-profile victories.
His résumé includes a win at the 1963 Peru International, a third-place finish at the 1965 World Surfing Championships, and the 1969 Makaha International title. His peers and fans recognized his brilliance early on, as evidenced by his third-place rankings in the SURFER Magazine Readers Poll in both 1963 and 1965.
How does the evolution of noseriding today reflect the groundwork laid by pioneers like Strauch?
From the Screen to the Boardroom
While he appeared in seminal films like Barefoot Adventure (1960) and the legendary The Endless Summer (1966), Strauch never chased the limelight. He preferred the silence of the lineup to the noise of fame.
Off the board, Strauch was equally disciplined. He co-owned Alii Surfboards in Honolulu and later earned a business degree from the University of Hawai‘i in 1968. His professional journey took him from real estate and marketing in New York to a final chapter in Southern California.
In 2013, he came full circle, serving as the Executive Director of the Surfing Heritage & Culture Center (SHACC) in San Clemente. There, he dedicated his final years to ensuring the history of the sport—and the lessons of the pioneers—were preserved for those yet to come.
In an era of high-performance athletics and social media highlights, is there still a place for the “quiet grace” Strauch championed?
The legacy of Paul Strauch Jr. is felt every time a surfer carves a composed bottom turn or finds stability on the nose of a longboard in heavy surf. He taught the world that surfing is not about dominating the ocean, but dissolving into it.
His passing marks the end of an era, but his influence remains an indelible part of the sport’s DNA. He is remembered alongside other great artisans of the sea, such as the late Jean-Pierre “The Fly” Van Swae, who also prioritized craftsmanship over notoriety.
Frequently Asked Questions About Paul Strauch Jr.
What was Paul Strauch Jr.’s primary contribution to surfing?
He is most famous for inventing the “cheater five” noseriding technique and pioneering the use of deep bottom turns in large waves during the 1960s.
How did the ‘cheater five’ change longboarding?
By shifting his weight and squatting low, Paul Strauch Jr. enabled surfers to noseride in more critical and larger surf, expanding the boundaries of what was possible on a longboard.
What was the relationship between Paul Strauch Jr. and Duke Kahanamoku?
Duke Kahanamoku served as a mentor to Strauch, viewing him as a spiritual and technical successor who embodied the elegance and sportsmanship of the Aloha spirit.
Which World Championships did Paul Strauch Jr. compete in?
He competed in the 1966 and 1970 World Championships, notably placing third in the 1965 World Surfing Championships.
Where did Paul Strauch Jr. preserve surfing history?
He served as the Executive Director of the Surfing Heritage & Culture Center (SHACC) in San Clemente, California.
Join the Conversation: Did you have the chance to witness the influence of Paul Strauch Jr. in the water or through his work at SHACC? Share your memories and tributes in the comments below and share this article to honor a true legend of the sport.
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