Leading a Balanced Life

It was a brief but spectacular race between man and thunderous breaker, and when Knox survived the drop and veered to the right and out of harm's way, he had carved a niche in surfing lore.

The 52-foot peak at Mexico's Todos Santos Island was judged to be the largest wave conquered in 1998, earning the Carlsbad surfer $50,000 as winner of the inaugural K2 Big-Wave Challenge.

It remains the defining moment in Knox's career, and therein lies the irony, because the 13-year veteran on the Assn. of Surfing Professionals' World Championship Tour is not a big-wave specialist. His defining moment, many had predicted, would occur on the elite contest circuit in the form of a world title. Now, time appears to be running out on a 35-year-old who competes largely against surfers in their 20s.

But it may be premature to count him out. Having discovered meditation, Knox claims to be sounder of body and mind than ever.

As the Boost Mobile Pro, a WCT event, begins a five-day run today at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, he ranks fifth in the world. A victory, at a right-handed point break that suits his explosive style, would propel him into the top three with four events remaining.

His previous best finish was fourth in 2001, a year after meeting Ron Rathbun, founder of the Kelee Spiritual Foundation in Oceanside.

Through methods taught by Rathbun, also a surfer, Knox has become far less obsessed with surfing, which he believes has made him looser and more confident.

"I'm not going to lie to you -- it's something I want," Knox said of the world championship. "But one of the things I've learned through all this introspection -- and it has relieved me of so much pressure -- is that surfing is something I do, but it's not who I am. It does not define me as a person."

Recently at tide's edge in Carlsbad, Knox was just another proud parent. Jordyn and Hunter, 7 and 9, were catching their first waves without Dad's assistance.

"Look at my daughter ride that wave; I've really got to get out there," he said, postponing an interview.

Knox was Hunter's age when he started surfing. His family moved from Thousand Oaks to Oxnard and he sulked because he loved the wilderness.

But once he discovered the sensation of getting tubed, or covered by hurling waves, he couldn't get enough.