THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 23, 1995 TAG: 9507200209
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 58 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
``Catch a wave, you'll be sittin' on top of the world.''
- The Beach Boys
The immortal words of the Beach Boys have rung true for 21-year-old Noah Snyder. The Kill Devil Hills resident has caught many a wave, and they have taken him to the top of the surfing world.
Snyder, who has been catching waves since he was 13, has recently turned pro in the sport. This includes not only surfing in professional competitions, but also signing contracts for endorsements. Snyder already has contracts from X-Trak, a surfboard padding company, and Dragon sunglasses. He said Billabong, a clothing line for surfers, and Wave Riding Vehicles, a company that makes boards, are also possibilities.
``You start out small then hopefully get your contracts renewed,'' Snyder said. ``The sponsors pick people that show potential.''
Snyder said that photos in surfing magazines also pay off for the professional.
``A good shot in a magazine with all your sponsors (decals) visible on your board could bring in hundreds of dollars,'' Snyder said.
Surfin' USA
Snyder has surfed all over the United States. He has made a name for himself in competitions up and down the East Coast. He has been to Hawaii, California, and Puerto Rico. One of his favorite spots to surf, though, is Rodanthe.
``The waves are more powerful when they are swelled because it's deeper water going into shallow water,'' Snyder said. ``The Outer Banks is a good test. We get good surf here.''
Surfin' Safari
Snyder left this week for a two-week trip to Costa Rica for a photo shoot with other professionals. ``Some of the photos will probably be submitted to `Surfing' or `Surfer' magazine,'' he said.
In September it will be off to professional contests in California. ``Some pros go around the world and travel,'' he said.
Good Vibrations
Maybe one of the best things about surfing for Snyder is the relationship he has with his father, Robbie. The elder Snyder is also a surfer, having purchased Noah's first surfboard for his birthday.
``I didn't take up on it right away,'' Noah said. ``He gave me some pointers and I tried it out. But once you get into it, you get hooked. It's like a natural high.''
Noah and Robbie work together side by side in a home-owned business. Robbie is an airbrush artist and Noah is a screen printer. The two sometimes take time off the job to surf together, like this week when the surf was up from tropical storm Chantal.
``We have a good relationship. If the surf comes up I'll take off. He surfs, too. He knows the feeling when you're stuck at work and the surf is up.''
Fun, Fun, Fun
Despite all the hoopla of turning pro, there's nothing Snyder loves better than to ride a big swell.
``Every wave is different. It's pretty wild. It's a feeling that only a surfer knows,'' he said. ``When the wave gets big and you stand up, in a sense you are on top of the world.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MICKEY McCARTHY
Pro surfer Noah Snyder, who is on a two-week trip to Costa Rica for
a photo shoot with other professionals, caught a few waves near
Rodanthe before leaving the Outer Banks.
by CNB