The South West’s first professional surfing contest attracted 102 outstanding surfers. The pro contest was held in reasonable waves up to 6ft at Yallingup in January 1970 with $500 prize money up for grabs.
Tony Hardy won the event with $250 prize money from WA’s top junior Ian Cairns. Max Hickson was third and Cottesloe’s Ian ‘Mitch’ Mitchell was fourth.
Mitch: “I won the grand sum of $25 and rang my Mum and told her I was staying down a bit longer. I ended staying down for about a month. I do remember being in the final with Ian and watching him slide slipping because his Farrelly side-slipper board had such a skinny fin. I thought I would do pretty well because I was doing what I thought were more turns and reos and stuff. Talk about delusions of grandeur.”
Surf photographer Ric Chan was there to capture the action for the Independent Newspaper in Perth.
1970 Pro Comp competitor at Yalls. Ian ‘Mitch’ Mitchell from Cottesloe. Photo Ric Chan1970 Pro Comp competitor at Yalls. Ian Cairns riding Farrelly side slipper board. Photo Ric Chan1970 Pro Comp competitor at Yalls. Peter Roberts from Bunbury. Photo Ric Chan1970 Pro Comp competitor at Yalls. Tony Hardy surfing Yalls left. Photo Ric Chan1970 Media coverage of first Pro Comp at Yalls courtesy of the Independent Newspaper. Photos Ric Chan1970 Pro Comp winner Tony Hardy leaving the surf at Yalls. Photo Ric Chan1970 Pro Comp contestants at Yalls. L-R Ian Cairns, Ian Mitchell & Max Hickson. Photo Ric Chan.1970 Trevor Burslem’s surf column coverage of first Pro Comp at Yalls. Image courtesy of the Independent Newspaper.
The South West’s first professional surfing contest attracted 102 outstanding surfers. The pro contest was held in reasonable waves up to 6ft at Yallingup in January 1970 with $500 prize money up for grabs.
Tony Hardy won the event with $250 prize money from WA’s top junior Ian Cairns. Max Hickson was third and Cottesloe’s Ian ‘Mitch’ Mitchell was fourth.
Mitch: “I won the grand sum of $25 and rang my Mum and told her I was staying down a bit longer. I ended staying down for about a month. I do remember being in the final with Ian and watching him slide slipping because his Farrelly side-slipper board had such a skinny fin. I thought I would do pretty well because I was doing what I thought were more turns and reos and stuff. Talk about delusions of grandeur.”
Surf photographer Ric Chan was there to capture the action for the Independent Newspaper in Perth.
Thanks for sharing your pics Ric.
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