Farewell To Dave Stanfield, One Of Surfing’s Great Voices

Long before professional surfing had WSL broadcasts, elaborate production crews, and Joe Turpel… it had Dave Stanfield.

For the better part of four decades, if there was a surf contest happening somewhere in the world, it was his voice coming through the speakers.

Sadly, Stanfield has passed away at the age of 74 following a battle with liver cancer.

Following his commentary debut at the OP Pro in Huntington Beach in 1983, Dave spent the following 40-plus years becoming the voice of everything from Oahu’s Triple Crown to world tour events and junior contests. He called surfing through multiple generations of world champions, several changes of governing bodies, and the sport’s transition from television highlight reels to live webcasts.

Before instantaneous Google searches and conveniently packaged athlete statistics, Dave reportedly arrived at events carrying enormous binders filled with surfer biographies, results, and historical notes.

“Talk about things you know, and not about things you don’t know,” he said in 2013. “Avoid talking about yourself, unless asked. And at the right time, during key moments, silence can be golden.”

If you grew up watching pro surfing a couple decades ago, you knew Dave Stanfield’s voice. It was there for the World Title heats and the moments you’d watch a hundred times over on grainy VHS tapes.

For a generation of surf fans, his voice is stitched into some of the best memories.

Rest easy, Dave.