People were surfing in Hawaii by AD 400, but nobody knows when this practice started. Capt. James Cook, a British sea captain and explorer, was the first European to witness surfing in Hawaii in the late 1770s. When the missionaries from Scotland and Germany arrived in 1821, Hawaiian traditions and cultural practices were forbidden or discouraged, which included leisure sports like surfing and holua sledding. By the twentieth century, surfing, along with other traditional practices, had all but disappeared from widespread practice. Some Hawaiians continued to practice the sport and art of crafting boards from local woods. At the start of the twentieth century, Hawaiians living close to Waikiki began a revival of surfing, possibly in protest to the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and they re-established surfing as a sport. In 1908, the sport of surfing reached California, and it then began to spread to other parts of the United States and other countries. Duke Kahanamoku, "Ambassador of Aloha," Olympic medalist, and avid waterman, rightfully introduced surfing to the world, although authors like Jack London wrote about the sport after having attempted surfing on his visit to the islands. Some important surfers throughout the years are as follows:
A
- Rolf Aurness(USA) (1970 World Champion)
- Reno Abellira (Haw)
- Clyde Aikau (Haw)
- Eddie Aikau (Haw)
- Simon Anderson (July 7, 1954), (Aus) Inventor of three fin 'Thruster' fet up.
- Anna Needham Inventer of the time machine, recently wrote the de vinci code.
- Bill Andrews (August 18, 1944), (USA) Among first to surf Black's in La Jolla, CA. Photo on cover of Surfer Magazine, 1964
- Robert August
- Lisa Anderso
B
- Tim Baker (Aus) Journalist, former editor of Tracks and Australia's Surfing Life magazines.
- Rochelle Ballard
- Jim Banks (Aus)
- Shawn Barron
- Wayne Bartholomew (Aus) (1978 World Champion)
- Clae Baxter (NZ) Three time New Zealand Champion surfer. Died of a heart attack, while surfing in Holland.
- Layne Beachley (May 24 1972), (Aus) Six time ASP World Champion and founder of 'Aim For The Stars'.
- Larry Bertleman (Haw)
- Jesse Brad Billauer
- Larry Blair (Aus)
- Tom Blake (March 8, 1902 - May 5, 1994), US, Early American Surfer, inventor of the Skeg.
- James Blears (1972 World Champion)
- Wendy Botha SA
- Lynne Boyer
- Jenny Brennan (NZ) Died while surfing the biggest wave in the world. Sponsored by Billabong.
- Bruce Brown
- Jonny Bull (UK) Portugal surfing pioneer.
- Taj Burrow (June 2, 1978) (Aus) Pro Surfer
- Tony Butler (August 6 1972), (USA) Founder www.wblivesurf.com All around good guy and ruler of the C Street "Honey Hole" in Wrightsville Beach NC
C
- Jeff Clark (USA) discovered Mavericks and rode it alone for 15 years before it became a known spot.
- Ian Cairns (Aus) One of the Bronzed Aussies .
- Tom Curren (July 3 1964), (USA) Three times World Champion and Style Guru.
- Tom Carroll (November 26 1961), (Aus) Two times World Champion and Power Surfer.
- Ashley Cheadle, (Aus) with Billabong
- Greg Cipes (), (USA) actor and professional surfer.
- Ken Collins
- Nathan Cool, renowned surf forecaster and Ventura California longboarded
- Joe Cheshire Co Founder of Digitalwunderland Surf Video Distributor and Filmmaker
- Ross Clarke-Jones (Aus)
- Laura Blears Ching younger sister of Jimmy Blears, daughter of wrestling legend Lord Blears, won title of Hawaii's number one amateur female surfer, won the women's division in 1972 Makaha International, became only female to compete in the Smirnoff men's championship in 1973, took part the following year with six other women and won title of world's number one lady surfer (same year she married Bonn Ching and later divorced - had one son, Dylan) - Appeared in Playboy's July 1975 issue in six page pictorial titled "Super Surfer", surfing nude.
D
- Miki Dora (1936 - January 3, 2002), (USA) Surfing's Chief Rebel and Hellraiser.
- Ami DiCamillo
- Darrick Doerner
- Shane Dorian, (Haw) Pro surfer.
- Peter Drouyn (Aus)
E
- Michael Eppelstun (Aus)
- Gary Elkerton (Aus)
F
H
- Jeff Hakman (Haw)
- Cheyne Horan (Aus)
- Hans Hedemann (Haw)
- Bethany Hamilton (February 8, 1990), (USA) Victim of a much-publicised shark attack.
- Laird Hamilton (March 2, 1964), (USA) (Hawaii and California), Big wave rider and tow-in surfing inventor.
- Todd Holland (December 11, 1968), (USA) Highest world ranking was 8.
- CJ Hobgood (USA) (2001 World Champion)
- Damien Hobgood (USA)
- Nathan Hedge (Aus)
- Fred Hemmings (Haw) (1968 World Champion)
- Damien Hardman (Aus) (1987,91 World Champion)
- Derek Ho (Haw) (1993 World Champion)
I
- Andy Irons (July 24, 1978), Hawaiian, twice world champion.
- Bruce Irons (Haw)
J
K
- Duke Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 - January 22, 1968), (Haw) US Swimming Champion, Hawaiian Personality.
- Dane Kealoha (Haw)
- Barry Kanaiaupuni (Haw)
- Buzzy Kerbox (Haw)
- Buttons Kaluhiokalani (Haw)
- Drew Kampion (April 4, 1944), (USA) surf writer and editor, editor of Surfer Magazine (1968-71), author of Stoked: A History of Surf Culture, The Way of the Surfer, The Book of Waves, etc.
- Dave Kalama
- Keala Kennelly
- Alex Knost
- Jim Knost
- Damian King (Aus)
L
- Isabel Letham (1899 - 11 March 1995), (Aus) First Australian to surf.
- Jack London (January 12, 1876 - November 22, 1916), (USA) Writer.
- Gerry Lopez (November 7 1948), (Haw) "Mr.Pipeline", Founder of Lightning Bolt surfboards and Actor (played role of Subotai in Conan the Barbarian
- Carlo Longobardo (1984), (USA) (Awesome)
- Andrew Luster (1964), (USA) Max Factor heir.
- Wayne Lynch (Aus)
- Barton Lynch (Aus) (1988 World Champion)
M
- Rob Machado (October 16, 1973), US,
- Kary Mullis (December 28, 1944), US, Noted Biochemist.
- Chris Malloy
- Dan Malloy
- Keith Malloy
- Peter Mel
- Sofia Mulanovich , she is the first South American to ever win the World Title in 2004
- Pauline Menczer (Aus)
- Phillip MacDonald (Aus)
- Trent Munro (Aus)
- Bill MacWright (USA)
N
- Greg Noll , big wave pioneer, rode biggest wave of his era at Makaha
- Paul Neilson (Aus)
O
- Mark Occhilupo (June 16, 1966), (Aus) (1999 World Champion)
- Phyllis O'Donell (Aus)
- Margo Oberg
P
- Mark Philippoussis (November 7, 1976), Australian, Champion tennis player.
- Martin Potter (October 28, 1965), 1989 World Champion.
- Mike Parsons
- Michael Peterson
- Felipe Pomar (1965 World Champion)
Q
R
- Mark Richards (March 7, 1957), (Aus) Four time World Champion.
- Rory Russell (Haw)
- Bruce Raymond (Aus)
- Robert Englund
S
- Bob Simmons (March 29, 1919 - September 26, 1954), US, Father of the modern surfboard.
- Kelly Slater (February 11, 1972), US, 7 Time World Champion.
- Mike Stewart , World Champion bodyboarder
- Rell Sunn , Queen of Makaha, O‘ahu
- Col Smith (New) (Aus)
T
- Peter Townend (Aus) (1976 World Champion)
- Shaun Tomson (August 21, 1955), USA, Born in South Africa currently living in the USA, he became the World Champion in 1977.
- Terry "TubeSteak" Tracy (TIMELESS), the other side to the "Dora" coin.
- Leigh Tingle had the first bellyboard in Australia and built for him by Scott Dillon and Noel Ward at Bondi. Gordon Woods was responsible for the final shape. It was February 1958. The belly board was made from balsa offcuts from full sized surfboards and coated with fibreglass. It had two fins and a handle across the front measuring 48 inches in length. Leigh still rides the board in 2005. It has travelled to Hawaii three times where the Pipeline, Sunset, Makaha, Makapu and Waimea were ridden in 1964, Los Angeles, Bali and Fiji. He was one of the original founders and treasurer of the NSW and Australian Surfriders Associations back in 1964. In May 1964 he was the official starter at the first World Surfboard Riders Championships.
- Joel Tudor (USA)Famous contemporary longboarder
V
- Butch Van Artsdalen , the original Mr. Pipeline
- Kennith Venindaile?? (NZ) aka MOLE RAT. Ken is currently the no.1 mole rat in NZ. He won Mole of the year 06.
W
- Richard Waddams (UK) Portugal surfing pioneer.
- Harvey Wallbanger (USA) Possibly only a myth.
- Dennis Wilson (December 4, 1944 - December 28, 1983), (USA) Founding member of The Beach Boys.
- John Whitmore (SA) South African surfing pioneer.
- Mike Waltze
- Robert "Wingnut" Weaver
- Emma Williams (NZ) Top New Zealand Five overall female professional surfer, with Quicksilver Dale Webster , (USA) Northern California surfer who surfed over 10,000 days in a row.
- Mark Warren (Aus)
- Sharon Webber
Y
- Nat Young (1957), Australian, Tried to register surfing as an official religion.
- Georgia Yates , New Zealand No.1, U16 Female Surfer 2006, with Billabong. Preti much the hottest chic I know!! Sorry shes taken!! ...027hotstuff
Z
- Barry Zito (May 13, 1978), US, Baseball pitcher
When checking these guys out, don't forget to sport
a pair of SeaSpecs! They help block out harmful UVA and UVB rays that can
harm your eyes and reduce tons of glare off of that crystal blue water
they'll be surfing!
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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