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. (See link to Tom’s Benton Moran story at the end of this post).
Benton now works in the fibreglass pipeline industry supplying major resource industries around Australia and he still loves his surfing and shaping. You can still get a hand-crafted shape from Benton today.
Benton photos
Scarborough surfer, artist, photographer the late Peter Matulich (1959-2018) spent his weekends and spare time chasing waves and snapping surf photos down south in the 1980s. Pete snapped the next image of Benton surfing Lefthanders in 1980. (See link to more of Pete’s Benton pics at end of this post).
In 1981 Benton was a member of the Australian Amateur Surfing Team which beat the English, Welsh and combined United Kingdom teams to bring home the Foster’s Lager Cup to OZ.
Includes Prudence Howeth (Sydney), Greg Brown Vic), Mitch Thorson (WA), Roger Clements (Newcastle), Colin Earle (WA), Jeff Sweeney (Vic), Mike McAuliffe (WA), Benton Moran (WA) and Ross Marshall who took the pic.
Benton was WA’s Open Mens Champion in 1987. Lots of big names on this trophy ie Tony Hardy, Dave Macaulay, Rick Gath, Richard Kelly, Mike McAuliffe and Benton.
Note: This trophy is on display at the WA Surf Gallery courtesy of Benton Moran.
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