WA surfboard manufacturer Tom Blaxell and I travelled across the Nullarbor Plain in his work panel van to watch the 1970 World Titles held at Bells & Johanna beaches in Vic.
We stayed in a cottage at Jan Juc, Vic with contestants Dana Nicely (Haw) and Claude Codgen (USA East Coast) and others. Tom & I camped on the lounge room floor in front of the log fire and had to wait for the last person to settle each night before we could get some sleep. We saw lots and had a fun time 😊
After the event Tom ventured further up the east coast and I returned to WA with Steve ‘Sheepdog’ Cockburn in his panel van along with Aus competitor Ian Cairns (Junior), Giles Geiger and my brother Bruce King.
En route we stopped briefly in Adelaide and I purchased my first Steamer wetsuit (O’Neill) from John Arnold Surfboards before heading onto Penong for a desert surf.
We camped overnight at Cactus (freezing) and found fun waves at Caves the next morning. I took some Super 8 footage of the WA boys surfing, then joined them for a few waves, unfortunately sharks turned up and my/our session was cut short.
The rest of the long trip was uneventful and Sheepdog got us home safely.
Snapshots (sourced from City Beach Surf Riders Club Super 8 film)
1970 Sheepdog’s panel van Great Ocean Road Vic.1970 Bruce King looking at Dana Nicely (Haw) and Claude Codgen (USA East Coast) surfboards in Jan Juc Vic.1970 Bruce King looking at Dana Nicely (Haw) and Claude Codgen (USA East Coast) surfboards in Jan Juc Vic.1970 Sheepdog surfing Caves at Penong SA.1970 Ian ‘Kanga’ Cairns surfing Caves at Penong SA.
Click on Video link to view footage of the WA lads surfing Caves.
WA surfboard manufacturer Tom Blaxell and I travelled across the Nullarbor Plain in his work panel van to watch the 1970 World Titles held at Bells & Johanna beaches in Vic.
We stayed in a cottage at Jan Juc, Vic with contestants Dana Nicely (Haw) and Claude Codgen (USA East Coast) and others. Tom & I camped on the lounge room floor in front of the log fire and had to wait for the last person to settle each night before we could get some sleep. We saw lots and had a fun time 😊
After the event Tom ventured further up the east coast and I returned to WA with Steve ‘Sheepdog’ Cockburn in his panel van along with Aus competitor Ian Cairns (Junior), Giles Geiger and my brother Bruce King.
En route we stopped briefly in Adelaide and I purchased my first Steamer wetsuit (O’Neill) from John Arnold Surfboards before heading onto Penong for a desert surf.
We camped overnight at Cactus (freezing) and found fun waves at Caves the next morning. I took some Super 8 footage of the WA boys surfing, then joined them for a few waves, unfortunately sharks turned up and my/our session was cut short.
The rest of the long trip was uneventful and Sheepdog got us home safely.
Snapshots (sourced from City Beach Surf Riders Club Super 8 film)
Click on Video link to view footage of the WA lads surfing Caves.
Run time 3 min. Music Vance Burrow Yallingup WA.
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1970 World Surfboard Riding Championships Bells Beach Victoria posted 17 April 2019.
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