B. C. J. Turpin Ha« Helped Surfing

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30641, 6 January 1965, Page 7

B. C. J. Turpin Ha« Helped Surfing

JN a movement which provides a public service there are inevitably persons who put in an enormous amount of work behind the scenes, often without sufficient recognition. Such an Individual is B. C. J. Turpin, the Taylor’s Mistake delegate, who so readily stepped into the vacant position of secretary on the Canterbury Surf Life-saving Association when clubs failed to nominate a successor to M. B. Restall.

The spirit of this action is typical of the surf lifesaving movement. Turpin did not really want the job; he knew something of the great amount of work involved, having been a regular member of the association for some years. But rather than see the association’s activities stifled because it had no secretary, he stepped into the breach. Turpin may continue on to become one of the movement’s most efficient and respected administrators. However, he has already gained a place in the unwritten story of Canterbury’s surfing history. As a competent competitor and as club captain of the Taylor’s Mistake club, he would have as much right as anybody else to claim credit

for his club’s rise to the premier position in Canterbury surfing. This dark haired, strongly built surfer has spent many long hours training his juniors and considers himself amply repaid by their’ achievements. They have now reached a standard which is far superior to that set by juniors in other clubs in rescue and resuscitation team events. And he still finds time to help train newcomers for their surf awards. He is a familiar figure at Latimer square, where Taylor’s Mistake

teams do much of their midweek dry training. As a competitor, Turpin still makes regular appearances at Canterbury championship carnivals, his thorough knowledge of drill and above average swimming ability making him a welcome member of any team.