WA Surf Industry pioneer Tom Blaxell has surfed with Trigg surfer Benton Moran since the 70s. The lads have been members of Dolphins and Trigg Point Board Riders clubs and in the 80s Tom employed Benton as a shaper in his Surfboard manufacturing business.
This is Tom’s story of Benton Moran…
I first met Benton in the 70’s as an obnoxious gangly grommet. We took him up to Geraldton in the back of the F100 as a young Dolphins recruit, to an Interclub weekend with the Geraldton Boardriders, which was a regular annual fiesta on our calendar.
As it turned out, he proved to be a very talented and aggressive young surfer, who rose to the top of the pack. In concert with that, his social skills also rose with him, and he quickly became a highly liked, and down to earth character, amongst the surfing fraternity at large.
He went on to feature in State, then National competition, and then to World competition. He was the runner up in the 1981 World titles in Puerto Rico.
Then just as he was at the peak of his powers in 1982, he had a bad car accident, and incurred a serious back injury, which put him out of the surf. He was fortunate, however to be given ground breaking surgery, fusing his lower back together.
This is when he took up shaping, and quickly became a talented and creative craftsman for Blaxell Surfboards. His work became highly sought after. Benton also got involved in coaching and judging and was appointed WA State coach and Team Manager.
Despite being told he would never surf again, he did eventually venture out in 1984, and the following Ric Chan pics of Benton at Trigg tell their own story. They were taken after his return to the surf. No small miracle.
Photo: 1984 Benton surfing Trigg on a Blaxell Surfrider surfboard. Ric Chan pic
Photo: 1984 Benton surfing Trigg on a Blaxell Surfrider surfboard. Ric Chan pic
Photo: 1984 Benton surfing Trigg on a Blaxell Surfrider surfboard. Ric Chan pic
Photo: 1984 Benton surfing Trigg on a Blaxell Surfrider surfboard. Ric Chan pic (image water damaged)
Following that he again qualified for the national team for the World Titles in England in 1986.
Image: 1986 Media article featuring Blaxell surfboard shaper Benton Moran.
He was also instrumental in founding the Trigg Point Boardriders club, which was a latter regeneration of the Dolphin Surfriders.
Photo: 2000s Trigg Point Boardriders Club with a collection of vintage single fin surfboards.
Tom in white boater (left) and Benton kneeling in black cap (centre).
Benton is now in the fibreglass pipeline industry supplying major resource industries around Australia, but still loves his surfing and shaping. You can still get a hand crafted shape from Benton today.
Photo: 2018 Tom and Benton celebrating Blaxell Surfboards 50th Anniversary at Hillarys boat harbour.
There’s so much more to the story and one day we might be able to draw more of it out of him…😊
Here’s to “Bent One”
Tom Blaxell
Benton media article and photos….
Image: 1986 Benton’s comeback article by Ron McDonald in Western Mail newspaper.
Photo: 1985 Trigg surfers Paul Cunningham, Benton Moran and Richard Kelly heading to Oz Titles on the East Coast.
In 1986/87 Benton won the Malibu Pro Surf contest held at Trigg Point. The event was sponsored by Malibu Caribbean Rum and was part of the National Longboard Pro circuit at the time.
Photo: 1986/87 Finalists Malibu Pro Surf contest held at Trigg Point. Peter Matulich pic
Stuart Entwistle (NSW) congratulating WA’s Benton Moran. Nat Young (NSW) on the right. Benton is wearing his OZ team yellow/green wettie.
WA Surf Industry pioneer Tom Blaxell has surfed with Trigg surfer Benton Moran since the 70s. The lads have been members of Dolphins and Trigg Point Board Riders clubs and in the 80s Tom employed Benton as a shaper in his Surfboard manufacturing business.
This is Tom’s story of Benton Moran…
I first met Benton in the 70’s as an obnoxious gangly grommet. We took him up to Geraldton in the back of the F100 as a young Dolphins recruit, to an Interclub weekend with the Geraldton Boardriders, which was a regular annual fiesta on our calendar.
As it turned out, he proved to be a very talented and aggressive young surfer, who rose to the top of the pack. In concert with that, his social skills also rose with him, and he quickly became a highly liked, and down to earth character, amongst the surfing fraternity at large.
He went on to feature in State, then National competition, and then to World competition. He was the runner up in the 1981 World titles in Puerto Rico.
Then just as he was at the peak of his powers in 1982, he had a bad car accident, and incurred a serious back injury, which put him out of the surf. He was fortunate, however to be given ground breaking surgery, fusing his lower back together.
This is when he took up shaping, and quickly became a talented and creative craftsman for Blaxell Surfboards. His work became highly sought after. Benton also got involved in coaching and judging and was appointed WA State coach and Team Manager.
Despite being told he would never surf again, he did eventually venture out in 1984, and the following Ric Chan pics of Benton at Trigg tell their own story. They were taken after his return to the surf. No small miracle.
Photo: 1984 Benton surfing Trigg on a Blaxell Surfrider surfboard. Ric Chan pic
Photo: 1984 Benton surfing Trigg on a Blaxell Surfrider surfboard. Ric Chan pic
Photo: 1984 Benton surfing Trigg on a Blaxell Surfrider surfboard. Ric Chan pic
Photo: 1984 Benton surfing Trigg on a Blaxell Surfrider surfboard. Ric Chan pic (image water damaged)
Following that he again qualified for the national team for the World Titles in England in 1986.
Image: 1986 Media article featuring Blaxell surfboard shaper Benton Moran.
He was also instrumental in founding the Trigg Point Boardriders club, which was a latter regeneration of the Dolphin Surfriders.
Photo: 2000s Trigg Point Boardriders Club with a collection of vintage single fin surfboards.
Tom in white boater (left) and Benton kneeling in black cap (centre).
Benton is now in the fibreglass pipeline industry supplying major resource industries around Australia, but still loves his surfing and shaping. You can still get a hand crafted shape from Benton today.
Photo: 2018 Tom and Benton celebrating Blaxell Surfboards 50th Anniversary at Hillarys boat harbour.
There’s so much more to the story and one day we might be able to draw more of it out of him…😊
Here’s to “Bent One”
Tom Blaxell
Benton media article and photos….
Image: 1986 Benton’s comeback article by Ron McDonald in Western Mail newspaper.
Photo: 1985 Trigg surfers Paul Cunningham, Benton Moran and Richard Kelly heading to Oz Titles on the East Coast.
In 1986/87 Benton won the Malibu Pro Surf contest held at Trigg Point. The event was sponsored by Malibu Caribbean Rum and was part of the National Longboard Pro circuit at the time.
Photo: 1986/87 Finalists Malibu Pro Surf contest held at Trigg Point. Peter Matulich pic
Stuart Entwistle (NSW) congratulating WA’s Benton Moran. Nat Young (NSW) on the right. Benton is wearing his OZ team yellow/green wettie.
Thanks Tom and Benton for your contributions.
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