Surfing legend’s Bend whitewater video goes viral

The video of surfer Gerry Lopez skimming the waves of Bend’s Water Park in the Old Mill District is making the rounds.

Lopez is only one of the incredible athletes that local photographer and videographer Paul Clark has decided to highlight in Central Oregon.

“Well, as a photographer, I’m interested in people being self expressive on the water and the river waves allow people regardless of ability to be very simple and expressive,” Clark said Friday.

Clark has also shot talented local Conway Bixby, who’s also making waves as a board shaper and avid Deschutes River surfer.

“The great thing about standing waves is the wave never really changes, so you can stand on this wave for hours on end,” Conway said.

“You can look at your board, look at the waves, you can see how your board’s moving through the water and see what you need to change to make your board better for the wave you’re surfing,” he explained.

But when he isn’t capturing beauty shots of Central Oregonians, Clark captures his own waves.

“The nice thing about action sports — adrenaline sports, adventure sports, extreme sport — it really requires a piece of mind to perform well,” Clark said.

Bixby added, “It’s just kind of the freedom. You get in a flow, and everything goes away. And it’s just about living in that moment and getting your turns in and flowing and getting some spray off your board.”

NewsChannel 21 will have a full story on Gerry Lopez on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, anyone who wants to check out Clark’s video on Lopez, as well as many others, can go to his website at suppaul.com.