Renaissance of Surfing |
 The Largest Surfing EncyclopediaA-Z: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Advertisement
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Surfing wasn't quite dead, but it was close. A century ago, the sport of kings had been diminished by the oppressive hand of the West to where it was practiced only in the tiniest outposts by the fewest of participants. Prior to the arrival of Captain Cook in Hawaii in 1778, waveriding had been an integral part of the culture enjoyed across the classes and by people of all ages. The European presence inadvertently killed off most of the population with disease while missionaries crammed religion down native throats, warning against the immorality of pastimes such as surfing. All manner of outdoor bathing, especially in revealing swimsuits, was frowned upon. By the end of the 1800s, the influence of civilization won out, reducing the religious act of riding waves from sacred to scarce.
Waikiki, along the south shore of Oahu, was one area that surfing endured. The missionary presence was in decline, and the slow, rolling surf was perfectly tailored to the solid wood planks of the day. By spending their waking hours in the water, many Hawaiians became quite proficient surfers and inspired visitors to take up the sport. Tourism was beginning to bloom as burgeoning hotels attracted people worldwide, many of whom received surf lessons from a group of local surfers known as beach boys who earned their living on the sand at Waikiki. American journalist Alexander Hume Ford was the biggest lobbyer for surfing, starting the Outrigger Canoe and Surfboard Club in order to preserve beach access and introducing author Jack London to the sport in 1907. London would immortalize Waikiki's beach boys (principally George Freeth, the most accomplished surfer of the era) in his novel, Cruise of the Snark, and in the national periodical, A Woman's Home Companion. The Outrigger was followed by the Hui Nalu and other clubs, all of which promoted the sport in a positive light. Through London's works, people in faraway lands were familiarized with surfing and soon would be able to see it for themselves. In 1908, Freeth was hired to perform surfing exhibitions by California industrialist Henry Huntington to help promote the Redondo-Los Angeles Railway. Freeth trained other surfers to accompany him in performances up and down the coast; however, it wasn't until fellow beach boy and Olympic swimming champion Duke Kahanamoku returned in 1912 that surfing gained wide recognition. Duke's exhibitions reached from Southern California to the East Coast and on to Australia. In each place, his name as an Olympian preceded him, drawing crowds to marvel at his aquatic feats. From Duke's extensive travels, the sport began to branch around the world. As the number of surfers increased, further research and development soon made surfboards accessible for everyone. Inspired by Kahanamoku, Detroit's Tom Blake relocated to Waikiki in 1924 and created a replica of the ancient olo boards used by Hawaiian chiefs. Finding the solid 16-foot-plus planks cumbersome, Blake drilled several holes through the core to reduce the weight, covered them and invented the first hollow board. In 1935, he added a fin to aid in stability and became recognized as surfing's first modern inventor. His advancements led to even lighter, more maneuverable boards in the decades to come, opening the sport to an ever-growing section of the population. The return of competition also helped fuel the resurgence. A vital aspect in ancient Hawaii, one that gathered communities and abetted gambling, contests first reappeared as paddle races along Waikiki between clubs. Australia's Surf Lifesaving Carnivals expanded to incorporate surfing after Duke's 1915 visit, and in 1928, Kahanamoku join ed Blake and other Californians in the first Pacific Coast Surfboard Championships held at Corona del Mar (featuring the triumphant introduction of Blake's hollow board). The Pacific Championships helped expose the sport until World War II interrupted it in 1941. In 1953, the first worldwide meet was held, known as the Makaha International. By then, factories were mass-producing lighter boards, surf movies were on the scene and the surfing diaspora had encompassed the globe. Thanks to the efforts of these men, surfing was spared extinction and has prospered with nearly one hundred years of unchecked growth. Rather than adorning the walls of some museum, the sport of kings has graced every ocean, again transcending class, age and sex. And for many, it is nothing short of a religion. -- Jason Borte, February 2001
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