Behind the polarising persona lies a troubled past, a skateboarding mindset and a wave pool obsession that have helped Jacob ‘Zeke’ Szekely carve out one of surfing’s most unconventional careers.
Like most surfers who are tuned in to social media, I had my own preconceived ideas about Jacob ‘Zeke’ Szekely. The San Diego-born surf, skater and content creator has built a following through a loud, extroverted and occasionally polarising online persona. Yet, much like Taj Burrow and plenty of others who have admitted to warming to him over time, I quickly discovered that the real-life version of Zeke is more nuanced than the character he sometimes plays online.
My first encounter with the self-proclaimed ‘king of the wave pool’ came at Stab High Sydney where he somehow managed to flirt his way into a Monster Energy promo girl’s phone number, sign autographs for stoked groms and vlog the entire experience simultaneously. He went on to compete in the final at URBNSURF where he attempted a superman fingerflip – one of several NBDs (Never Been Done) the Californian has introduced to surfing.
His energy, enthusiasm and work rate was infectious. Whether you love him or hate him, there is no denying Zeke’s influence on the intersection of surfing, skating, wave pools and content creation. The purpose of this feature isn’t to change your opinion of him. Instead, it’s to better understand the unique mix of cultures that shaped one of surfing’s most divisive personalities.
Growing up in La Jolla, San Diego during the early 2000s, Zeke was exposed to a surf and skate scene which operated on its own terms.
Chlorine dreams – Zeke believes he owes much of his career to the introduction of wave pools.“I grew up around the beach at a time when there was so much raw talent coming out of the area,” he said. “It definitely felt pretty core and bad ass. Guys were surfing, regulating local spots but then also partying every night and ...
