Keith ‘Jock’ Campbell was the WASRA President from 1978-80 and part of 1984-85. Jock was great at ‘assembling the troops.’
Following is a brief summary of some of Jock’s recollections of a busy time in WA surfing as it progressed from amateur to professional. 1978 to early/mid-80s.
Pacesetter Homes might well have given WASRA the “if you build it, they will come” encouragement brief.
“Assembling the troops” may well have been my strength. 10 years retail sales and marketing experience prior to 1978 really gave me a bit of an insight into creating a “playing field.” This article is more about what the “playing field” involved, not me. It involved, judges, surfers , innovators, commentators, challengers, spectators, venues, contests, results, rankings, winners, sponsors, media support, parking, government assistance, recognition of surfing as a sport, site crew, organising travel and accommodation for Australian titles and down south events. It’s about what turned out to be a growth area over the articles time frame. Surfing worldwide became professional and for me involved all of the above. My involvement was minor and made easy by a dedicated group of volunteers. WASRA, Surfing Australia the APSA and the ASP looked after the detail.
No doubt we and our forefathers from the mid-50s on had and have still got a belief in what the future holds for surfing. My beliefs during the early 80s was that Pro surfing, amateur surfing and recreational surfing would reach the heights it did and be a major player in all those areas and become a major employer in an industry that exploded. What I did not see coming was live TV broadcasts with lay day issues, wave pool technology, push bike board racks and the Olympic Games in Countries with little or no surf. The wave pools fixed that.
1978 Aust Titles South Point WA. Contest officials Jock Campbell & Barry Nettle with support team. Photo Ric Chan
My recollections of the last 45-50 years may not be 100% accurate. Over 1000 people were involved. Pretty much all of them were “believers.” There are too many events and names to try and cover all the bases. This is not meant to offend anybody – there are just too many! Surfing Down South and the net is loaded with surfing history and this is just a summary of a much bigger picture.
Amateur and Professional surfing event timelines and events.
1975-82. Ian Cairns involved in setting up Aust Pro Surfing Association and World Association of Surfing Professionals.
WA surfing pioneers Ian ‘Kanga’ Cairns, Jodie Cooper & Perry Hatchett. Photo Anders
1960s-80s Ric Chan NZ surf photographer pretty much covered anything which related to surfing.
1973 Ric Chan snapping photos at State Titles Margs. Photo courtesy Ric Chan
1978-1982. ‘Oceans Bali Who’ Pro events held at Trigg.
Bill Girdwood was the promoter. Shaun Atkinson won it in 78 and 82 and Greg Laurenson was head judge. Margaret River local Chris Matters won the 1981 event. (Records don’t show 79 & 80 winners). Bill had one of or the first city surf shops. One of the initial believers in WA and WASRA President 1983. He sold his shop to the late Dave Kennedy.
1978 Bali Who pro comp winner Shaun Atkinson winner at Trigg Point. Photo Ric Chan1975 Shaun Atkinson surfing North Point WA. Photo Ric Chan
1978 Greg Laurenson suggested I become President of the West Australian Surfing Association and I attended an AGM where that happened. I had 2 stints in that position 1978-80 and part of 1983/84.
Greg like those before and after him wasa believer of the “if you build it, they will come” principle.
1979 Greg Laurenson in the shaping bay Cordingley Surfboards Jolimont. Photo Ric Chan
Greg was one of an original group of teenage Scarborough surfers made up of a few locals and our respective surfing high school mates. In those early years, 1960-64, competitive surfing was underway and saw the beginning of the West Australian Surfing Association. Like myself Greg was a member of The North End board club. For our initial small crew, a trip down south was on Friday PM or Sat AM to go to the Mandurah area ( Avalon Pt), camp there and come home Sunday. Going North was to walk to Trigg Point. Going overseas was one trip on the Rottnest barge. Took about an hour and a half, costONE POUND. The ferry may have been an option, but the price was not. Over the ensuing years that small group grew quickly to include more Scarborough and talented North Beach and Trigg surfers. In 1966/67 Greg and I worked on the Carnamah wheat bins to finance a possible ‘Endless Summer Dream’ up and down the East Coast. Afterwards I headed to Phillip Island Victoria and judged the Bell’s event in 67, I think. Greg decided to start his “surfboard shaping apprenticeship”. Greg in due course became known as Thunder pants, Pantsman or Pants. Greg and I worked on a number of events from early 78 and in the 80s. Greg was a well-informed, entertaining, humorous commentator with a good turn of phrase. I was contest directing.
1968 Jock Campbell with his FJ and Mal Read at Cat Bay on Phillip Island Vic. Photo Rod Slater.
Greg’s contribution to surfboard design, judging, publicity, retail, amateur and pro surfing as well as beach commentary helped give WA surfing a base for the credibility and culture to build on it has. He is recognised by many in Surfing Down South articles. Greg passed away Feb 2007 aged 61. I visited him on hearing he had returned from Tasmania where he was based for a number of years and was unwell. Some people never change. Calm by nature and energised when talking. Shortly before his passing he married his long-term partner Jo. They had 2 daughters Jade and Zoe.
1967 Greg Laurenson surfing Rocky Point WA. Photo Greg Woodward.
1978. Ken Trainer finished his term as President with WASRA in good shape. Tom Blaxell took over as secretary, Ivan Wiltshire looked after the books, during my times. An efficient group of volunteers stepped in to ensure any progress of surfing in WA was more than well catered for. They would know who they were. Safe to say they had the time of their lives.
Ian Cairns was at an early meeting and suggested the future of most surfing competitions in WA should continue in the Southwest. That has been the case but with the change in the demographic and age groups of competitors we saw more events take place in Perth. Ian’s contribution to state, national and international surfing is well documented on the internet, and he has a book also. Definitely a ” if you build it the people will come” man.
During my time there was an article in a regional paper that mentioned that a male had broken the law doing something. He was described as a “surfer” or “surfie” looking male or such like. WASRA expressed concerns about the description. As far as I know those terms have not been used as a negative again in mainstream media.
National Championships held down South. Bill Bolman was manager of the Queensland team. He spoke to me re ‘man on man’ surfing at the Stubbies event on the Gold Coast which was the first ‘man on man’ event in pro stand up surfing. It motivated me to run the same concept in Perth.
1979. First year of the Pacesetter Homes ‘King of The Point’ contest at Trigg pt. ‘Man on man’ surfing introduced to WA with a winner take all $1,000 prize. The “if you build it, the people will come” came to fruition here. The people came and have kept on coming since. WASRA was the ‘builder’. Well done Harry Wilson!
1979 Harry Wilson of Pacesetter Homes (left), Keith Campbell the President of WASRA and local surfboard maker Tom Blaxell with the $1,000 cheque for winner of the King of the Point contest.
The ‘crown’ wetsuit in the pic was a one off by Rip Curl, which in a perfect world the winner would have had right of way for any wave at Trigg Point when wearing it – for a period of time. I can’t recall either one month or 1 year?“It WAS NOT a perfect world!”🤪
Goofy footer Mike McAuliffe won the first three years of the event.
1980 Trigg King of The Point contest runner up Ken MacKenzie & winner Mike McAuliffe. Photo Ric Chan1980 Mike McAuliffe surfing South Point WA. Photo Ric Chan
1978 -1980. Clubs became a growth area. A class from North Beach primary school came to Trigg for a surf awareness lesson. Mark Richards (NSW) visited the North Beach school.
Carine high school had surf movies in their lunch hour. It was a full house. There was also an inter-school event staged at Scarborough around that time. Not sure of the result of that contest, but Carine won it in 84.
1984 victorious Carine SHS surfing team with sponsors, officials & their headmaster. Image courtesy of the Stirling Times and Tom Blaxell.
Mark Richards OAM was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985 as an Athlete Member for his contribution to the sport of surfing.
Mark Richards AOM Four times world surfing champion. Image courtesy Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Early to mid-1980s Matt Branson became the first WA surfer to win the Australian Junior Division Title. Contest was staged at Bells. Matt was rated 27 in the world or thereabouts, late 80s or early 90s.
1982. Dave Kennedy‘DK’. Opened The Star Surf Shop in the City. Bit of a big deal at the time given the size of the shop and the city location. His vision was to “create the total surf shop that stocked everything that emanated “surfdom.” Dave and wife Jo were big supporters of WASRA. They supplied state teams with marked sweatshirts etc and Dave was very active within the organisation.
Dave passed away in 2005. He was 51.
1987 Dave Kennedy Star Surfshop. Surf industry profile courtesy Western Mail newspaper.
Surfing had been in the WA Sports Federation prior to 1978. In the mid-80s the WA Institute of Sport made funds available to several aspiring surfers to assist with travel etc. The late Wally Foreman, the Director of the Institute of Sport, was a keen supporter of surfing and its progression. Passed away 2006 aged 58.
Wally Foreman WA based sports administrator and commentator. Image Wikipedia.
In 1980 the National Scholastic Surfing Titles were held in WA for the first time. The contest was run over a week in the Southwest. The event was sponsored by radio station 6PM & Pipelines Legrope Co. A strong contingent of around. 60 talented school age surfers from around Australia competed at the Titles. Future World Champions Mark ‘Occy’ Occhilupo and Damien Hardman competed.
Occy finished 3rd in the u/15s which Damien won. Mike McAuliffe was 3rd in the u/19s, Mitch Thorson won the u/17s, Dave Macaulay was 3rd in that division while John Shindig and Stuart Bedford-Brown tied for 3rd in the u/15s.
1980 Scholastic Titles contest sponsor Helen Hattrick & WASRA contest official Bill Girdwood presenting awards to U/15 boys finalists. Photo Ric Chan. L-R Mark ‘Occy’ Occhilupo NSW, Damien Hardman NSW, Squizzy Taylor SA & John Shindig WA.
Owing to either a booking error or a strike the NSW team and support staff had to spend a non-planned overnight stay in Perth. Around 24 in number, they stayed in our 3 bed, 1 bath home in Trigg that night. Fortunately, we had a 6mx6m games room addition on the side of the home! Two future world champs involved!
Prior to the event I spoke to Robert Conneeley at his health food shop in Marg’s to seek his advice on the best way to avoid any drama given the numbers involved. He simply said, “respect the locals, respect the environment and respect the ocean.” I told the competitors the game rules and that Robert was our connection. Robert was a legend at the time and still is so the kids took it on board and went out of their way to behave. Robert was in the 1967 bells event I judged. There had been earlier significant events but I think it may have been the start of Margaret River as the home of big-time surfing in WA and Robert’s part in that and his support should not be overlooked. (Another believer).
1976 Rob Conneeley surfing Marg River. Photo Ric Chan
Interestingly over the period WA surfers Stuart Bedford-Brown, Dave Macaulay and Mitch Thorson were on the pro tour there was at least 8-10 world surfing champions competing. Life was not meant to be easy!
1983/84. At age 17, just after becoming WA Junior Champion goofy footer Stuart Bedford-Brown turned pro. He joined the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) in 1984 and achieved a career high #12 ranking in 1993.
The following snap was taken by legendary French surf photographer Sylvain Cazenave who was shooting Stuart for his French clothing sponsors (Oxbow) catalogue at Anglet (Biarritz) in early 90’s.
Early 90s Stuart Bedford-Brown surfing at Anglet (Biarritz)France. Photo Sylvain Cazenave
Dave Macaulay won the Duke Kahanamoku Award for the most emerging surfer at a National Championship 1980. Dave reached number three twice in the World Professional rankings around a decade later. In 2018 Dave become WA’s first ever World Surf League World Champion, after claiming victory in the Azores Airlines World Masters Championship held at Praia De Santa Barbara in Sao Miguel on the Azores Islands.
2018 Dave Macaulay winner WSL World Masters event at Praia De Santa Barbara in Sao Miguel on the Azores Islands. Photo Mal Hardy.
Mitch Thorson won the Duke Kahanamoku Award for the most emerging surfer at the 1981 National Championship held at Bells Beach. Like Dave he was on the now WSL tour for over a decade and achieved a top 16 rating in that period. A highlight of his ASP career was the rare distinction of having defeated ten individual World Champions including Shaun Thomson, Mark Richards, Tom Carroll and Tom Curren.
1981 Mitch Thorson surfing South Pt. Photo Ric Chan
Early/mid 80s Perry Hatchett became a world class judge and went on to become head judge of the ASP for 10 years. Perry was the prime mover of a change of two ASP rules. Took length of ride out of the criteria 1984 and reduced the scoring waves that count to the best 2 waves in 2000.
1980s Perry Hatchett head judge overseeing judging booth. Photo courtesy Tracks Magazine. Photographer unknown.
Brent Stewart started the first surf school in WA in 1983 and judged with Perry at the inaugural Thriller ‘The Emu Bitter Thriller’ in 1985. Both represented WA as competitors at National surfing Championship level.
1980s Scarborough Surf School Promo courtesy Brent Stewart.
Early to mid-80s
1. A choreographed synchronized surfing exhibition was held on Trigg beach featuring some of the state’s best surfers to assist the Telethon broadcast, which was a lot of fun. Much the same as synchronized swimming but on the sand and no boards doing manoeuvres.
2. The day before the 1981 King of the Point there was no surf. Tom Blaxell had been in Bali previously for the Bali Om pro. He saw a ritual prior to that event where they sacrificed a burning surfboard before a contest, presumably to get good waves. We notified the media that we were going to try the same thing and Tom prepared a board. The media turned up, Toms burning board was pushed out to sea. Next day was 1 to 1.5m plus offshore. True story!
3. These three Companies were formed, developed and launched or founded onto the world stage. Each has its own story. Suffice to say they were successful quite quickly. Rusty formed 85, Creatures developed from 76-87 before launching 87 and Westsuits founded 83.
Rusty, Creatures of Leisure and Westsuits logos.Web images
Summary
During the mid to late 80s and early 90s, WA had three out of the 16 top rated male surfers in the world at various times. Stuart Bedford Brown highest ranking 12. Dave Macaulay highest ranking 3rd and Mitch Thorson highest ranking 16.
Jodie Coopers professional career spanned 1983-93. At her first pro event she was runner up at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. Jodie won thirteen times on the world professional circuit and was runner up in 13 other events. She was runner up for the World Title in 1985. Jodie has received recognition awards for her successes and overall contribution to her chosen career from State, National and International organisations. Hard to imagine a 15/16-year-old Albany girl achieving all that. But she did!
1990 Jodie Cooper Tracks Reader Poll Winner. Cover image courtesy of Jodie and the WA Surf Gallery Yallingup.1980s Signed photo of Jodie Cooper contest surfing. Image courtesy of Jodie and the WA Surf Gallery Yallingup.
The achievements of pretty much all the surfers and events in my story are well documented in Surfing Down South and on the web.
Hope you enjoyed the read.
Acknowledgements
In 1994 Jock was made a Life Member of Surfing WA. and was honoured in the 2008 WA Surfers of the Year Awards. He received the Len Dibben Award for Services to the WA Surf Industry – Surfing Culture for his role in organising surfing events and guiding WA surfing through a period of expansion.
Thanks Jock, for sharing your surfing recollections.
Keith ‘Jock’ Campbell was the WASRA President from 1978-80 and part of 1984-85. Jock was great at ‘assembling the troops.’
Following is a brief summary of some of Jock’s recollections of a busy time in WA surfing as it progressed from amateur to professional. 1978 to early/mid-80s.
Pacesetter Homes might well have given WASRA the “if you build it, they will come” encouragement brief.
“Assembling the troops” may well have been my strength. 10 years retail sales and marketing experience prior to 1978 really gave me a bit of an insight into creating a “playing field.” This article is more about what the “playing field” involved, not me. It involved, judges, surfers , innovators, commentators, challengers, spectators, venues, contests, results, rankings, winners, sponsors, media support, parking, government assistance, recognition of surfing as a sport, site crew, organising travel and accommodation for Australian titles and down south events. It’s about what turned out to be a growth area over the articles time frame. Surfing worldwide became professional and for me involved all of the above. My involvement was minor and made easy by a dedicated group of volunteers. WASRA, Surfing Australia the APSA and the ASP looked after the detail.
No doubt we and our forefathers from the mid-50s on had and have still got a belief in what the future holds for surfing. My beliefs during the early 80s was that Pro surfing, amateur surfing and recreational surfing would reach the heights it did and be a major player in all those areas and become a major employer in an industry that exploded. What I did not see coming was live TV broadcasts with lay day issues, wave pool technology, push bike board racks and the Olympic Games in Countries with little or no surf. The wave pools fixed that.
My recollections of the last 45-50 years may not be 100% accurate. Over 1000 people were involved. Pretty much all of them were “believers.” There are too many events and names to try and cover all the bases. This is not meant to offend anybody – there are just too many! Surfing Down South and the net is loaded with surfing history and this is just a summary of a much bigger picture.
Amateur and Professional surfing event timelines and events.
1975-82. Ian Cairns involved in setting up Aust Pro Surfing Association and World Association of Surfing Professionals.
1960s-80s Ric Chan NZ surf photographer pretty much covered anything which related to surfing.
1978-1982. ‘Oceans Bali Who’ Pro events held at Trigg.
Bill Girdwood was the promoter. Shaun Atkinson won it in 78 and 82 and Greg Laurenson was head judge. Margaret River local Chris Matters won the 1981 event. (Records don’t show 79 & 80 winners). Bill had one of or the first city surf shops. One of the initial believers in WA and WASRA President 1983. He sold his shop to the late Dave Kennedy.
1978 Greg Laurenson suggested I become President of the West Australian Surfing Association and I attended an AGM where that happened. I had 2 stints in that position 1978-80 and part of 1983/84.
Greg like those before and after him was a believer of the “if you build it, they will come” principle.
Greg was one of an original group of teenage Scarborough surfers made up of a few locals and our respective surfing high school mates. In those early years, 1960-64, competitive surfing was underway and saw the beginning of the West Australian Surfing Association. Like myself Greg was a member of The North End board club. For our initial small crew, a trip down south was on Friday PM or Sat AM to go to the Mandurah area ( Avalon Pt), camp there and come home Sunday. Going North was to walk to Trigg Point. Going overseas was one trip on the Rottnest barge. Took about an hour and a half, cost ONE POUND. The ferry may have been an option, but the price was not. Over the ensuing years that small group grew quickly to include more Scarborough and talented North Beach and Trigg surfers. In 1966/67 Greg and I worked on the Carnamah wheat bins to finance a possible ‘Endless Summer Dream’ up and down the East Coast. Afterwards I headed to Phillip Island Victoria and judged the Bell’s event in 67, I think. Greg decided to start his “surfboard shaping apprenticeship”. Greg in due course became known as Thunder pants, Pantsman or Pants. Greg and I worked on a number of events from early 78 and in the 80s. Greg was a well-informed, entertaining, humorous commentator with a good turn of phrase. I was contest directing.
Greg’s contribution to surfboard design, judging, publicity, retail, amateur and pro surfing as well as beach commentary helped give WA surfing a base for the credibility and culture to build on it has. He is recognised by many in Surfing Down South articles. Greg passed away Feb 2007 aged 61. I visited him on hearing he had returned from Tasmania where he was based for a number of years and was unwell. Some people never change. Calm by nature and energised when talking. Shortly before his passing he married his long-term partner Jo. They had 2 daughters Jade and Zoe.
1978. Ken Trainer finished his term as President with WASRA in good shape. Tom Blaxell took over as secretary, Ivan Wiltshire looked after the books, during my times. An efficient group of volunteers stepped in to ensure any progress of surfing in WA was more than well catered for. They would know who they were. Safe to say they had the time of their lives.
Ian Cairns was at an early meeting and suggested the future of most surfing competitions in WA should continue in the Southwest. That has been the case but with the change in the demographic and age groups of competitors we saw more events take place in Perth. Ian’s contribution to state, national and international surfing is well documented on the internet, and he has a book also. Definitely a ” if you build it the people will come” man.
During my time there was an article in a regional paper that mentioned that a male had broken the law doing something. He was described as a “surfer” or “surfie” looking male or such like. WASRA expressed concerns about the description. As far as I know those terms have not been used as a negative again in mainstream media.
National Championships held down South. Bill Bolman was manager of the Queensland team. He spoke to me re ‘man on man’ surfing at the Stubbies event on the Gold Coast which was the first ‘man on man’ event in pro stand up surfing. It motivated me to run the same concept in Perth.
1979. First year of the Pacesetter Homes ‘King of The Point’ contest at Trigg pt. ‘Man on man’ surfing introduced to WA with a winner take all $1,000 prize. The “if you build it, the people will come” came to fruition here. The people came and have kept on coming since. WASRA was the ‘builder’. Well done Harry Wilson!
The ‘crown’ wetsuit in the pic was a one off by Rip Curl, which in a perfect world the winner would have had right of way for any wave at Trigg Point when wearing it – for a period of time. I can’t recall either one month or 1 year? “It WAS NOT a perfect world!”🤪
Goofy footer Mike McAuliffe won the first three years of the event.
1978 -1980. Clubs became a growth area. A class from North Beach primary school came to Trigg for a surf awareness lesson. Mark Richards (NSW) visited the North Beach school.
Carine high school had surf movies in their lunch hour. It was a full house. There was also an inter-school event staged at Scarborough around that time. Not sure of the result of that contest, but Carine won it in 84.
Mark Richards OAM was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985 as an Athlete Member for his contribution to the sport of surfing.
Early to mid-1980s Matt Branson became the first WA surfer to win the Australian Junior Division Title. Contest was staged at Bells. Matt was rated 27 in the world or thereabouts, late 80s or early 90s.
1982. Dave Kennedy ‘DK’. Opened The Star Surf Shop in the City. Bit of a big deal at the time given the size of the shop and the city location. His vision was to “create the total surf shop that stocked everything that emanated “surfdom.” Dave and wife Jo were big supporters of WASRA. They supplied state teams with marked sweatshirts etc and Dave was very active within the organisation.
Dave passed away in 2005. He was 51.
Surfing had been in the WA Sports Federation prior to 1978. In the mid-80s the WA Institute of Sport made funds available to several aspiring surfers to assist with travel etc. The late Wally Foreman, the Director of the Institute of Sport, was a keen supporter of surfing and its progression. Passed away 2006 aged 58.
In 1980 the National Scholastic Surfing Titles were held in WA for the first time. The contest was run over a week in the Southwest. The event was sponsored by radio station 6PM & Pipelines Legrope Co. A strong contingent of around. 60 talented school age surfers from around Australia competed at the Titles. Future World Champions Mark ‘Occy’ Occhilupo and Damien Hardman competed.
Occy finished 3rd in the u/15s which Damien won. Mike McAuliffe was 3rd in the u/19s, Mitch Thorson won the u/17s, Dave Macaulay was 3rd in that division while John Shindig and Stuart Bedford-Brown tied for 3rd in the u/15s.
L-R Mark ‘Occy’ Occhilupo NSW, Damien Hardman NSW, Squizzy Taylor SA & John Shindig WA.
Owing to either a booking error or a strike the NSW team and support staff had to spend a non-planned overnight stay in Perth. Around 24 in number, they stayed in our 3 bed, 1 bath home in Trigg that night. Fortunately, we had a 6mx6m games room addition on the side of the home! Two future world champs involved!
Prior to the event I spoke to Robert Conneeley at his health food shop in Marg’s to seek his advice on the best way to avoid any drama given the numbers involved. He simply said, “respect the locals, respect the environment and respect the ocean.” I told the competitors the game rules and that Robert was our connection. Robert was a legend at the time and still is so the kids took it on board and went out of their way to behave. Robert was in the 1967 bells event I judged. There had been earlier significant events but I think it may have been the start of Margaret River as the home of big-time surfing in WA and Robert’s part in that and his support should not be overlooked. (Another believer).
Interestingly over the period WA surfers Stuart Bedford-Brown, Dave Macaulay and Mitch Thorson were on the pro tour there was at least 8-10 world surfing champions competing. Life was not meant to be easy!
1983/84. At age 17, just after becoming WA Junior Champion goofy footer Stuart Bedford-Brown turned pro. He joined the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) in 1984 and achieved a career high #12 ranking in 1993.
The following snap was taken by legendary French surf photographer Sylvain Cazenave who was shooting Stuart for his French clothing sponsors (Oxbow) catalogue at Anglet (Biarritz) in early 90’s.
Dave Macaulay won the Duke Kahanamoku Award for the most emerging surfer at a National Championship 1980. Dave reached number three twice in the World Professional rankings around a decade later. In 2018 Dave become WA’s first ever World Surf League World Champion, after claiming victory in the Azores Airlines World Masters Championship held at Praia De Santa Barbara in Sao Miguel on the Azores Islands.
Mitch Thorson won the Duke Kahanamoku Award for the most emerging surfer at the 1981 National Championship held at Bells Beach. Like Dave he was on the now WSL tour for over a decade and achieved a top 16 rating in that period. A highlight of his ASP career was the rare distinction of having defeated ten individual World Champions including Shaun Thomson, Mark Richards, Tom Carroll and Tom Curren.
Early/mid 80s Perry Hatchett became a world class judge and went on to become head judge of the ASP for 10 years. Perry was the prime mover of a change of two ASP rules. Took length of ride out of the criteria 1984 and reduced the scoring waves that count to the best 2 waves in 2000.
Brent Stewart started the first surf school in WA in 1983 and judged with Perry at the inaugural Thriller ‘The Emu Bitter Thriller’ in 1985. Both represented WA as competitors at National surfing Championship level.
Early to mid-80s
1. A choreographed synchronized surfing exhibition was held on Trigg beach featuring some of the state’s best surfers to assist the Telethon broadcast, which was a lot of fun. Much the same as synchronized swimming but on the sand and no boards doing manoeuvres.
2. The day before the 1981 King of the Point there was no surf. Tom Blaxell had been in Bali previously for the Bali Om pro. He saw a ritual prior to that event where they sacrificed a burning surfboard before a contest, presumably to get good waves. We notified the media that we were going to try the same thing and Tom prepared a board. The media turned up, Toms burning board was pushed out to sea. Next day was 1 to 1.5m plus offshore. True story!
3. These three Companies were formed, developed and launched or founded onto the world stage. Each has its own story. Suffice to say they were successful quite quickly. Rusty formed 85, Creatures developed from 76-87 before launching 87 and Westsuits founded 83.
Summary
During the mid to late 80s and early 90s, WA had three out of the 16 top rated male surfers in the world at various times. Stuart Bedford Brown highest ranking 12. Dave Macaulay highest ranking 3rd and Mitch Thorson highest ranking 16.
Jodie Coopers professional career spanned 1983-93. At her first pro event she was runner up at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. Jodie won thirteen times on the world professional circuit and was runner up in 13 other events. She was runner up for the World Title in 1985. Jodie has received recognition awards for her successes and overall contribution to her chosen career from State, National and International organisations. Hard to imagine a 15/16-year-old Albany girl achieving all that. But she did!
The achievements of pretty much all the surfers and events in my story are well documented in Surfing Down South and on the web.
Hope you enjoyed the read.
Acknowledgements
In 1994 Jock was made a Life Member of Surfing WA. and was honoured in the 2008 WA Surfers of the Year Awards. He received the Len Dibben Award for Services to the WA Surf Industry – Surfing Culture for his role in organising surfing events and guiding WA surfing through a period of expansion.
Thanks Jock, for sharing your surfing recollections.
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