World champion surfer Andy Irons dies

2010-11-03 07:14:36 GMT+7 (ICT)

DALLAS, TEXAS (BNO NEWS) -- World champion surfer Andy Irons was found dead in a hotel room in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday after suffering an illness in Puerto Rico, ESPN reported.

Irons, 32, was forced to retire from a men's surfboard event in Puerto Rico. He missed his Round 1 and 2 heats at the Rip Curl Search Puerto Rico stop on the ASP Men's World Tour on Saturday due to an illness.

He allegedly contracted dengue fever and withdrew from the competition. He spent two days in Miami but he got worse and insisted on flying back to Hawaii to be checked by his regular physician.

Irons could not make a connecting flight in Dallas and had to stay overnight. At around 10:00 a.m. local time a hotel employee found the three-time surf world champion dead.

In addition to his three world championships, Irons had 19 world tour victories and has the distinction of being the only surfer to have won at every location on the tour. He returned to the World Tour this year after not participating in the last edition.

Last August, Irons had his last victory at the Billabong Pro Tahiti. He was known for his powerful, barreling surfing as well as being the only true rival of Kelly Slater, the nine-time World Champion. The two engaged in some of the most memorable title races in history.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2010-11-03

Sad loss for his family and the surfing world. All accounts say he caught Dengue Fever.

RIP, so untimely it is hard to believe.