Branson, Matt (1969 – )

Loud, brash, tattooed heavy-metal regularfooter from Western Australia; a middling world tour competitor in the 1980s and early '90s; better known as the the first pubically self-outed gay male pro surfer.

Born (1969) and raised in North Beach, a suburb of Perth, Branson began surfing at age 10, won the junior division of the 1985 Australian Titles, and three years later joined the ASP pro tour. Branson kept his sexual identity a secret for the duration of his surfing career, but it was a st...