All photos: WSL

Former Championship Tour member, Tom Curren's traveling companion on the legendary The Search trips, charismatic and talented power surfer Chris Davidson died last Saturday night after receiving a punch that left him on the ground, reported the Australian press.

At 11pm the police received the call and sent the ambulances to take him unconscious to the hospital, where he died a short time later.

Davo, as he was known, was 45 years old and had two children. His name became more widely known worldwide after beating Kelly Slater at Bells as a wildcard at the age of 19.

At that age, as part of the Rip Curl team, he traveled around the world with three-time world champion Tom Curren, as part of the expeditions of the program The Search, Davidson was highlighted in the videos of the same name and the well-known Beyond the Boundaries.

After investing a good amount of time in the QS, he managed to qualify for the CT, which he was part of in 2010 and 2011, finishing 14th in his first year (his best result was a third in Supertubos) and 25th in his second.

The surfing world mourned his loss, with Slater writing on Instagram: “He was one of the most talented surfers I have ever met.” His friend Nathan Hedge, also a former member of CT, told Channel 9: “It’s the worst thing that could happen in history.”

The Enever family recognized the importance that Davidson had in the evolution of Laura, a former member of the CT and big wave surfer.

“Davo was an incredibly talented surfer, and an authentic person in our sport and community,” wrote Surfing Australia.

A 42-year-old man was arrested as the main suspect in the murder.