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Hyper-competitive child surf star from San Diego, California; an unbeatable amateur competitor in the early and mid-'80s, and a pro tour flameout by age 17. Eggers was born (1970) in Mountain View, California, raised in Clairemont, and began surfing at age seven. He was introduced to the surf world in a short 1984 

 magazine profile as a family-loving, antidrug 14-year-old, with two United States Amateur Championship titles to his credit, a B+ average, and a selfless attitude. "It's important to stay down to earth," the tow-headed goofyfoot told 

. "Being a nice guy will get you a lot further in life."

In actual fact, Eggers was on his way to becoming one of the nastiest competitors to ever come down the pike. "He was vicious in the water," said fellow amateur competitor Dino Andino. "Evil, almost." Eggers later recalled his days as an amateur competitor thusly: "There's nothing better than looking into somebody's eyes and seeing the agony of defeat. Yeah, I ate that shit up."

In December 1985—after amassing 225 trophies as an amateur, 150 of them for first place, including four U.S. titles—Eggers dropped out of 10th grade, signed pro contracts with Gotcha surfwear and Body Glove wetsuits worth an estimated $30,000, set out on the world tour, and in 1986 was world-ranked #34. ""I figure I've got 20 more years as a professional surfer," Eggers told the Los Angeles Times that summer. "By the time I'm 36, I should have enough money to do whatever I want."

But Eggers' spectacular rise was followed by an equally spectacular descent. He quit the circuit in 1987 (partly because of repeated clashes with world tour peers who felt Eggers' ego had gotten out of control), began freebasing cocaine, was reported in a local newspaper article to have been disowned by his father, and was in drug rehab by early 1989. Eggers was later diagnosed with schizophrenia, and spent years in treatment for mental illness and drug addiction. He eventually moved to the Salton Sea, where he helped run his father's bar.

Eggers died at home of a heart attack, in 2015, at age 45.

Eggers was featured in a small number of surf movies and videos, including Scott Dittrich's 

Eggers, David

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