<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australian surf legend Shane Herring, once seen as the country's answer to American powerhouse Kelly Slater, has died aged 53.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He fell down some stairs and hit his head at his home on Sunday, Surfing Life Magazine and Swell Net reported. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Herring was born on Sydney's Northern Beaches in 1971 and first learnt to surf when his family moved to Dee Why.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/surfers-report-feeling-infected-as-yellow-foam-washes-up-on-popular-beach/40aec73e-ec1d-4d43-9bcc-7861228d6736" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>More than 100 surfers reportedly infected as yellow foam washes up on beaches</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His innovative style of surfing spearheaded his brief but bright career and, alongside Slater, created a shift in technique and approach in the early 90s.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Herring triumphed against Slater during the debut Coca-Cola Classic world championship tour at North Narrabeen in 1992.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But, by the following year, his rankings began to slide until he was unrated by 1995. He struggled with addiction. </span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/surfer-shane-herring-dies-aged-53-kelly-slater-pays-tribute/e923effd-68ee-4946-b40f-e2662ffc326f" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Herring lived quietly on the North Coast, occasionally going out on the water for a surf with friends and shaping boards ahead of his death. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bunnings-expands-product-range-for-aged-care-and-disability-support/e4fbad3f-f3a4-43f3-8083-1e6affbd3320" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Bunnings expands product range for aged care and disability support</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5), 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px auto;max-width:440px;padding:0;width:99.375%"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DHS2Eo0AfXm/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;amp"></a></blockquote></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Slater paid tribute to his old rival in a social media post, remembering him for blending the old-school power and pure lines with the new-school mentality and speed in the 1990s. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In the years we spent traveling and surfing together, I always found Shane to be a kindhearted guy and an extremely talented surfer, but he had his demons that limited his time of greatness," he said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He loved the purity in surfing and was uncomfortable with the limelight and notoriety and scrutiny it brought him. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He made a bigger mark than he might be known for these days and it hurts to know we won't get to catch up again. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I was really looking forward to seeing and maybe even surfing again in the coming months with Shane, whom I haven't seen in probably 20+ years." </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/westfield-security-guards-required-to-wear-body-cameras-in-new-safety-initiative/25a408d7-535c-4f11-8c85-afa22e8e3923" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Westfield security given bodycams year on from Bondi Junction attack</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Finishing up this tribute, Slater said: "Ride on, Shane. We're thinking of ya." </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Surfing World Magazine has described Herring as "one of Australian surfing's most blinding talents, and one of its happiest tragic figures".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"A surfing talent like few we'd ever seen in Australian surfing, Herro burned brief but bright in the early '90s before flaming out," the publication wrote. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justin Crawford said his friend Herring was a "true gentleman never said bad by anyone except concaves in surfboards".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Rest easy my friend. We had a beautiful friendship and I treasure every colour of the rainbow (you) were. There will be only one," he said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727"><em><strong><span>Apple App Store</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1"><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>.</span></strong></em></div></div>