'Legends of 72' Exhibition
Celebrating fifty years since the infamous 1972 World Titles at San Diego, and other breakthrough events that year, the 'Legends of Surf 72' exhibition will open shortly.
The official opening night is at Rydges Gold Coast Airport Hotel on Friday, 29th April, where it'll show until Wed 4th May. It'll then shift to QT Hotel, Surfers Paradise, from Friday 6th May to Sunday 8th May.
The 72 Worlds was the plank that bridged two worlds: surfing's previous standing as a loose, amateur sport, and the shiny professionalism that followed. Iconic photos from the era tell the story of surfing evolution and cultual change.
David Nuuhiwa's white Jaguar in the carpark at Oceanside as Narrabeen's Col Smith looks askance from atop his rented beater.
Nuuhiwa was odds on favourite to win the contest, helped in no small part by his adoption of the recently unveiled Fish surfboard - notice the boards on the roof? - however San Diego locals were indignant that he was riding one of 'their' designs and stole his favourite board. It was later found hanging from the pier, hacked, and impaled on a butcher knife, with an inscription that read: “Good luck David.” (Photo Jeff Divine)
Of the 1972 Australian team, 14 of the 21 representatives have since been inducted into the Surfing Australia Hall of Fame.
Entry to the exhibition is free, plus by simply turning up you get a chance to win an S-Lab Experience of shaping your own board.
On Saturday the 7th May, Surfing Australia will host its annual Hall of Fame Awards in the QT Ballroom. Tickets can be obtained here.
Legends of Surf 72 has been organised by Andrew McKinnon, Curator Karen Neilsen and co-ordinated by Rod Brooks. Thanks to Christopher Mater and Nimai Strickland from Surfing Australia for helping to produce the Legends of Surf '72 video clip and the photographers and contributors for recreating 1972.
Comments
David Nuuhiwa had his boards in board socks in 1972?
His surfing and his equipment were state of the art - no idea how he didn't win the event.
Drew Kampion, who covered the event for Surfer, certainly thought he should've, though having his favourite board stolen and butchered didn't help his cause.
That was an ugly incident - disgruntled San Diego locals didn't appreciate David's using the keel fin Fish design without credit to Steve Lis, the kneeboarder originator.
No idea if that was an oversight or a deliberate act on David's part - maybe Phil Jarrett covers the incident in his TSJ profile. Anyone read it?
If David HAD won the 1972 World Contest, the entire course of competitive surfing in the US would have been different, as he was probably the most famous surfer in America at the time.
So instead of being lost to the competitive wilderness, replete with white board and black long john, the US would've been there as Oz and Sth Africa hit the professional stage?
Interesting thought.
Goes against what I generally believe, that cultures turn upon broad movements and not the actions of individuals, but definitely worth thinking about.
"That was an ugly incident - disgruntled San Diego locals didn't appreciate David's using the keel fin Fish design without credit to Steve Lis, the kneeboarder originator."
well, there is a lesson for you...don't piss off a kneeboarder. it could set back your culture for a decade.
Maybe, yes - with David as the figurehead, professional surfing could have been a big deal in America at the time.
Instead, the entire competitive surfing movement in the US took a hiatus that lasted for years, with drugs, petty localism and "soul surfing" with white boards sans logos and all-black wetsuits pretty much dominating American surfing until PT and Ian came to California.
They started their programme with the NSSA, etc and revitalised the entire sector, with their Aussie experience of boardriders clubs (unknown in America) and surfing as a sport, which was a strange idea for many American surfers - and to some, it still is.
"Surfing is a lifestyle, maaan, the Church of the Open Sky - not a sport!"
That's why exhibitions like "Legends of Surf 72" are important - and by extension, the "Barons" television series, because you don't know where you are going until you know where you've been.
This link below will explain the "stolen fish design" very well. Great watch
https://www.redbull.com/au-en/watch-fish-the-surfboard-documentary
Wow, thanks dch87 - lots of info there.
For folks who want to hear it from the David himself, Steve Lis and other parties involved including the apparent perpetrator of the board theft and hanging from the pier, it is about 23:20 in the film -
Sound like David didn't do anything deliberate - more a marketing mishap and subsequent overreaction by defensive locals.
cheers dch87 really enjoyed the first 40 mins, will watch the rest this evening.
How's the whippiness of the Tom Curren cutback at the 36.10 mark.
I'd argue competitive surfing never really took hold of the culture in USA, to the extent it did in Aus.
As evidence I'll submit that mainland USA, with a population of 329 million has not been able to sustain a single CT event.
By contrast Australia with 25 million has easily been able to sustain 3 or even 4 CT events.
Very true, FR76 - one of the reasons for that is the dichotomy among American surfers themselves if surfing is a sport or a lifestyle.
Australia has the same, but I would argue the split between the groups is greater in America.
Even the rootsiest dope-smoking north coast of NSW local or far Northwest of WA fly-swallowing desert dweller gets exited to see an Aussie do well in WSL level events and challenge for a world title.
There are surfers in California in particular, but elsewhere in the US also who genuinely don't care about competitive surfing and never have.
Ke12Y who?
How did Col Smith get an HQ wagon to San Diego?
Lol. was thinking the same thing. :) On closer inspection though, I think the door handles are different.
No way is that a HQ
You're right Dicky, HQ's had flush door handles. Google shows a 1970 Chevrolet Kingswood Estate which is probs Col's car. Always thought Kingswood was Aussie so there you go.
Very informative clip...I'd love to see that exhibition..everything important in my life- other than my family - (there's only surfing & music -ha!) seems to have had peak transitional moments in 1972. I was too young "that much".. still I didn't have to go to Vietnam?????