Born:
Joel Parkinson was born in Australia, April 10, 1981
Hometown:
Born in Manbour, Queensland, Australia, Joel now lives in Coolangata, Australia.
Nickname:
In the tradition of Aussies cutting off the end of names and adding an "o" or "y" (see Occy, Davo, Damo, etc), Joel Parkinson is now known the world over as Parko.
Style:
As both an athlete and free surfing genius, Parko shines as surfing's premier stylist. Parkinson is razor sharp and smooth as silk on the wave face. He strings together multiple maneuvers with deep, long turns and stays deep in the pocket at all times. Like Tom Curren or Taylor Knox, Joel is what most serious surfing athletes long to be. That's not to say he doesn't take to the air or spin his tail when the time calls for it. Whether in competition or in free surfing situations, Parko is consistent, radical and powerful.
