Chris Prior has passed away

[LeopardSkin]

https://www.mountainlifemedia.ca/2017/10/chris-prior/

[Alton]

Very sad

[C36]

Sad news for sure. One of the first guys I ever saw landing forwards cleanly in Ontario and interesting to hear that he learned to land them in the Gorge. Fun to race against - competitive on the water and super chill off. One of the guys we used to race windsurfers with once said Chris seemed to have the ability to shift to next gear at will. I always enjoyed seeing him out on the water in Squamish and seeing him loft jumps with easy off the flat water headed into the mouth of the river. I was the proud owner of one of the few Prior slalom boards with a coloured deck (green) for many years and chatted with Chris about it when he spied it at the spit one afternoon many years later. I enjoyed taking my son for a informal tour of the Prior ski factory and seeing how impressed he was at seeing that creative space.

Thoughts and prayers going out to all who are grieving his passing.

[AlexK]

Ditto that.
Peace out Chris
RIP

[drh]

Very shocking news. I bought one of Chris' custom slalom racing windsurfing boards (that he made for Sam Ireland) in the late 1980's. Very light and fast with steep hard rails that went upwind like a rocket.

I remember seeing Chris racing against Robbie Nash and the top stars in the world at the Gorge around the same era in wind gusting from around 20 to 40 knots - very wild. I think it might have been the Gorge Pro Am.

Chris was an amazing athlete. At Squamish, I saw him uphaul his sail (without an uphaul rope) by grabbing the mast while balancing on a sinker board submerged under the water.

Chris always seemed to be approachable and interested in talking about gear, windsurfing, skiing, and snowboarding.

Does anyone know what he died from?

[C36]

...Does anyone know what he died from?

Prior Snowboards & Skis (via Facebook)
October 17 at 7:36pm ·

It is with a heavy heart that the team here at Prior are saddened that Chris Prior; our friend, our mentor and legendary board shaper passed away suddenly on October 15th.

His legacy lives on.

[Chuck]

A real shock. Chris was one of the true OG's of the Canadian Windsurfing scene and a hell of a sailor to boot. You'd be out ripping along thinking you were hot sh&t and then Chris would blow your doors off, passing you like you were standing still. Then he'd rip a gybe and come out of it faster than he went in! Respect.

Condolences to his family and friends