Malik Joyeux (31 March 1980 – 2 December 2005) was an accomplished all-around waterman and a professional Big Wave surfer. Known by many as the "petit prince", the goofy-foot surfer often gained attention for charging the treacherous barrels at Teahupoo, Tahiti. He was credited in 2003 with the Billabong XXL Tube of the Year for riding one of the largest waves ever to be surfed in history. Joyeux was one of Tahiti's best known professional surfers and was featured on the cover of Surfer Magazine's 2004 "Big Issue".

Early life

Joyeux was born in France and moved to

French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = "Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" , image_map = French Polynesia on the globe (French Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of French ...

at a young age, where his mother Hélène raised her three children on the tropical island of

Moorea Moorea ( or ; Tahitian: ), also spelled Moorea, is a volcanic island in French Polynesia. It is one of the Windward Islands, a group that is part of the Society Islands, northwest of Tahiti. The name comes from the Tahitian word , meaning ...

. He started surfing at the age of 8. For years his older brother Teiva, little sister Tylane and mother Hélène lived in a big hut near

Haapiti Haapiti is an associated commune on the island of Mo'orea, in French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = " Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" , image_map = French Pol ...

on Moorea with no luxuries. It had no walls, just a wooden structure with a roof, surrounded by ferns and palm trees, and the ocean just meters away. Teiva managed to turn professional windsurfer and kite-surfer and moved to Hawaii to pursue his dream. Malik started to get some sponsorship deals as a surfer: just a few clothes, some boards and plane tickets. French surfer Didier Piter took him under his wing in the European

Gotcha Gotcha, a colloquial contraction for "got you" (got ya), may refer to: Film and TV * ''Gotcha!'' (film), a 1985 film starring Anthony Edwards and Linda Fiorentino * "Gotcha!" (''Adventure Time''), an episode of ''Adventure Time'' * "Gotcha" ...

team and managed to finally finance his surf trips with an official contract.

Death

On Friday, December 2, 2005, Joyeux took off deep on an eight-foot wave at

Oahu Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O ...

's Pipeline in Hawaii. It has been stated by witnesses that as Joyeux dropped into the wave the nose of his board sank into the face of the wave slowing his forward momentum but he quickly recovered, however the damage had been done. He tried to maneuver, but due to the loss of critical speed on this highly technical wave, he was struck by the lip of the wave and forced underwater. The force of the wave broke his board. Aamion Goodwin, who caught the next wave, commented that the leash of his board was completely intact, ripped off by the force of the wave. With his board no longer attached to his body, he was impossible to locate visually. Water photographers and other surfers searched for Joyeux, however difficulties and conditions hindered the search. He was found 15 minutes later at Pupukea beach break, off to the right of the peak at Pipeline, by surfer Myles Padaca. Padaca reached him and brought him to the beach with the help of several other surfers. Lifeguards and paramedics attempted to resuscitate him but failed to do so. An autopsy report revealed that he had likely hit his head on his surfboard, instantly rendering him unconscious.

Awards

* 1999 "¼ final

Tahiti Pro" * 2000 "¼ final Gotcha Tahiti Pro" * 2001 Semi-Finalist " Volcom air show" * 2003 " Billabong XXL Heaviest Tube" * 2004 " Monster Tube Award"

Notes and references

Pro Surfer Malik Joyeux Dies at Pipeline
on Surfer magazine
Rider's Profile of Malik Joyeux
on Oxboworld {{DEFAULTSORT:Joyeux, Malik 1980 births 2005 deaths French Polynesian surfers People from Tahiti Sports deaths in Hawaii People from Mo'orea