19-year-old Clay Marzo used his trademark tail-whip to secure his first victory as a pro yesterday down in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, at the 3-Star Quiksilver Pro.

After marching out to an early lead in the final Marzo got lost in the turbulent conditions and struggled to find the backup wave he needed. He sat for more than 10 minutes before taking off on a little corner with some open face. Once in he instantly zeroed in on the section ahead. "I knew I needed to do something big," Marzo said.

His vicious throw-tail turn quickly had him spinning backwards into a reverse, "and I was able to spin it all the way around," says Marzo.

While a victory in a 3-Star doesn't net him a whole lot of qualfying points, Marzo's win is a noteworthy feat. In 2008 Marzo's family and freinds discovered he has Asperger's Syndrome, a rare form of autism. Before identifying the condition Clay was always struggling outside of his familiar comfort zones. While Asperger's is mild relative to the more debilitating forms of autism, its effects on the brain are significant.

In Marzo's case identifying the problem was more than half the cure. It was life altering. By modifying his diet, and working on ways to calm is very over-active mind (Imagine trying to do long division in your head while trying to stand in the middle of a freeway with cars zipping at you, that's how doctor's describe what Clay is going through when he's simply trying to answer a question from a stranger.) he's made huge strides in mitigating the most annoying symptoms, which has allowed him to pursue his career in pro surfing.

The great irony is that much of Marzo's surfing brilliance is directly attributable to the Asperger's that had set him back emotionally for years compared to his peers. One of the hallmark symptoms of Asperger's is getting intensely obsessed in very narrow interests. In Clay's case it's not just surfing, but his specific brand of launch and release, embodied in his patented move that he's perfected with years of repetition.

The story of Clay's journey of discovery with Asperger's was documented in the 2008 movie, Just Add Water, put out by Quiksilver. Since that time Clay has been trying to make his entire world his comfort zone, and his win in Mexico is undoubtedly a sign that it's working. His story continues to inspire many affected by the various forms of autism.