Four young City Beach lads traveled down south to watch the first State Surfing Titles in ’64. The boys camped out, ate canned food and went surfing.
Graham McManus recalls he was age 17, “Our memorable week started when we drove on the Old Coast Road (parts were limestone track) to Yallingup for the Easter 1964 State Surfboard Riding Championship. With me were Ean Craigie a.k.a. Duck (age 16), Graeme Butler a.k.a. Butts (age 16), Jeff Harper a.k.a. Cousin (age 17). After the championships we surfed Yallingup, Gallows, Guillotine and Margaret River with only us dudes in the water”.
Rugged up and watching the first State Titles at Yalls are L-R: Graham McManus, Ean Craigie, Graeme Butler and Jeff Harper – Image courtesy of Graham McManus.
WA Aquatic Monthly magazine (April 1964) produced a six page article on the first Surfboard Championships held at Yallingup over Easter.
Some images from the mag are displayed below (Left) Fine trophies, a big crowd, great thrills and spills galore – that was Yallingup 64. (Right) Two competitors race in on a surging wave, with keen-eyed Judges (John Shackley, Bob Birch & Don Roper) watching their style from their observation platform high out of the surf. Images credit WA Aquatic Monthly magazine.
Photo: Media coverage (30 March 1964) of WA’s first Surfboard Championships at Yallingup Beach. Image credit WA Newspapers.
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