Darryl Virostko

Birth : 1971-12-25, Santa Cruz County, CA

History

Darryl "Flea" Virostko (born December 25, 1971) is a professional "big wave" surfer from Santa Cruz, California. He graduated from Santa Cruz High School in 1991. He is a three-time Mavericks competition winner. Virostko appears as himself in the surfing films Riding Giants, Step Into Liquid, and Billabong Odyssey. Surfer declared his 2004 wipeout on a 50-foot wave at Waimea Bay, Hawaii, the "Wipeout of the Decade" As of 2009 Virostko is a recovering addict, and runs a program, "FleaHab", to teach other recovering addicts how to surf and be active while learning a new way of life.He starred in The Westsiders a documentary film by Josh Palmer that chronicles his difficult upbringing and addiction to drugs, on the west side of Santa Cruz.

Movies

Discovering Mavericks
Self
Winner of the Newport Beach Film Festival 2013 Audience Award, Discovering Mavericks is an epic film that reveals the true story of this famous and deadly wave, from the decade it was surfed solely by lone surfing pioneer Jeff Clark to the events that followed - leading it to become one of the most famous big wave surfing spots in the world.
Separate Volume
It isn’t that strange, that no two surfers have the same exact approach to a wave. It is an extension of character and everyone is different. In the making of Separate Volume, the intention was to show how each member of the team is unique. A lot of our surfers have never been spotlighted or even seen outside of a magazine, so this was their chance to shine. The movie also delves deeper into surfers that you have seen hundreds of times but still know nothing about. Nathan Fletcher has voices in his head that make him travel the globe and surf to a different tune. In typical Hawaiian style, Dustin Barca had to fight for everyone’s respect and it is undeniable in his surfing. You will see Brent Dorrington, who at 17 has that natural surfing style that echoes a young Tom Curren. Chris Ward’s unbridled power and mix of wild abandon produces spontaneity in every aspect of his surfing and his life.
Riding Giants
Darryl Virostko
Riding Giants is story about big wave surfers who have become heroes and legends in their sport. Directed by the skateboard guru Stacy Peralta.