February 7th, 2015, represents a historic day for surfing in Cronulla. It marks 100 years since the day Hawaiian swimming champion, an Olympic gold medalist Duke Kahanamoku, introduced surfing to the Sutherland Shire.
Surfing Sutherland Shire, an umbrella organisation representing the 13 Cronulla board riders clubs, is presenting this coastal community surfing centenary with a month long celebration called ‘Surf Retrospect’. Celebrations included the Australian Board Riders Battle at North Cronulla, a community market, followed by the official launch black-tie dinner.
The photo displayed above is from the vintage and retro surfboard displays held at Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club. The weekend long event included surf history talks and the establishment of the Cronulla Surfing Walk of Fame. Southern Cross Protection provided security to protect some priceless antique ‘toothpick’ surfboards from the 1920’s and 30’s, and later Malibu’s introduced to Australia at Cronulla Beach in 1956 by members of the USA Olympic team. These ‘surfers’ were guests of Cronulla SLSC and demonstrated the new style of surfing on this unique and radical new craft.
The Cronulla public were in awe of the Americans and their surfing, and a new era in Australian culture started from that day.
The celebration aims to raise financial support for Surfing Sutherland Shire, a non-for-profit body run locally by volunteers, which supports our region’s junior surfing pathways through board riders clubs, training programs and events. The association’s goal is to promote a healthy lifestyle through participation in our sport and pathways for talented juniors, and to ultimately produce professional surfers, national champions and one day even another World Champion!
