Geographical Barrier For N.Z. Surf Board Riders

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30028, 12 January 1963, Page 9

Geographical Barrier For N.Z. Surf Board Riders

ALTHOUGH the Austrax** lian surfer, Bernard Farrelly, is officially the world champion surf board rider, there must always be some doubt as to whether he is actually the best surf board rider in the world while competition for the title is held so far away from the main centres of surfing.

Farrelly won the worid title on December 31 in an exciting international championship tournament at Makaha Beach, Hawaii. He beat nine very experienced surfers in the final. Thus event must indeed have been a greet apeatade, but there were a great many extremely fine surf board exponents missing.

There are not very many surfers who can afford a trip to Hawaii just to take part in the so-called world surf board champtonahipe.

Without the support of a controlling body or a private sponsor, the average surfer in New Zealand and Australia, two of the main surfing countries, cannot hope to compete for the title.

Admittedly, Hawaii Is the home of surf board riding and from this point of view at is toe obvtous place to bold surf board championships. However, interest in this ride of surfing is rapidly torreeaing in toe two "down - under" countries and acoaedingiy some change of venue or spocial wrangemeutsfartop surf board riders from each country to attend must be made in toe near future. The championship wnuM certainly hold greater interest in New Zeeland it etsriess such as K. McDonald

(Sumner), T. White (Titahi Bay), T. Jay (Waiimadri) and D. Quane (Sumner) could compete. Their

chances of a win, or even a high placing, would probably not be very great, but ; toe experience would be of considerable benefit to ' them. Naturally, surf assorts- ; tions in New Zeeland have a first and foremost duty to I save life on the beaches. : Competitions are purely a secondary aspect, although without toem the movement I would probably fade away through lack of interest. \ Therefore, as things stand at present, any surf board I rider wanting to attend toe ; world changwoeships in Hawaii has to pay his own way or find a sponsor—« ; very unsatisfactory state of ; affaire. At present, Canterbury! leads toe field in surf board riding, or paddle board ; racing as tt is more commonly known in New Zea- 1 land. The province can! boast toe New Zeeland ; rittetoolder, McDontfid, and also toe third place-getter i in toe national cbnnptonahip, Jay. There are also ; gp-wTfti otter cocncMritosv in < Canterbury —D. Queue i (Sumner) and R. McDountt (Wteenairi), tor instance—who oould compete cradttebiy in any company. Queue, in perntirrfler, has ; done as much as anybody ; to encourage surf boned > riding as a conapetttiire I sport. He was one of tbs ; tew who paoneerad toe; sport and has competed l with distinction lor a number of yeses. As a; builder of surf boards far paddle boaeda), Quans is very highly regarded tn! surfing circies. Last winter ; he tnweßed to Australia to ; •t ooy 9anmCL wcnmqucß in surf board maradarfiwa