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Surfing Combines SkillsandThrillsHONOLULU (AP) - When the Big Kahuna speaks everyone listens.The Big Kahuna is a mythical Hawaiian witch doctor, a demi-god, who watches over surfing. At his command waves rise and surfers fall.Right now, according to George Downing, the Big Kahuna is brewing big magic for surfing Downing should know because he is a Big Kahuna in his own right. He is considered to be one of Hawaii’s greatest living surfers, one of the most influential in the sport since the legendary Duke Kahanamoku.The Duke, a full blooded Hawaiian, was three times a member of the U.S. Olympic team and winner of two gold medals for swimming the 100 meters freestyle event.Called the world s greatest surfer, he turned surfing into a celebrity sport by teaching the Duke of Windsor, Douglas Fairbanks and scores of other notables how to ride the waves at Waikiki. Then, he popularized the sport in California and Australia and went on to appear in moviesDuke Kahanamoku set the record for the world s longest surfing ride, a mile and a quarter across Waikiki Bay, ending up on a ripple against the sands of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel beach. George Downing duplicated this feat but stopped short of the beach by 10 yards to keep the Duke’s record intact.A man who respects tradition is George Downing. And a man who is intent on making surfing as popular a sport as baseball and football. Ever since he gave up winning all the surfing titles around, Downing hasworked to develop a standard of professionalism for the sport Now he is ready to launch it upon the world, with a world series of professional surfing to be held on four continents thisyear, including events in Australia, Japan, Hawaii, Brazil and the United States* J* M.■ o arat ' ■*RIDING THE CURL—Poised on the tried to out-macho each other face of one of Hawaii's giant waves, risking the biggest and an expert surfer rides the curl,infiercest* lining uic viggcai anu uciucoiwaves around, the sport now puts the emphasis on skill. (Photo courtesyM m m • twcompeting for the winner’s purse in ------ ......the Professional Surfing Cham- Surfer Magazine.) pionships. Once a wild ride as surfersThe sport has changed greatly from what it was in the Duke’s time, Downing notes. In the earl days of the sport, themam point of surfing was thelong ride Surfers used heavy redwood boards 17 feet long to ride a wave from its peak all the way to shore Then, the emphasis changed to the trick ride, with surfers riding in tandem or with one standing on the shoulders of another In the, the sport was transformed into the wild ride as surfers tried to out-macho each other in risking the biggest and fiercest waves around Downing, 44, survived this period with a worldwide reputa tion for daring and skill Many of fas contemporaries, however, did not They fell victim toifcrushing waves 23 feet high or a forest of pilings in the path oftheir waves The high rate ofinjuries and fatalities gave surfing an unpleasant imageand for a while threatened the existence of the sport.Downing was one of the first to realize the damage done tothe sport and sought to transform the wild ride into the skilled ride, where performance was judged on a surfer’s ability to maneuver his board into zigzags and turns while ruling the face of a wave.“The emphasis on skills will open the sport to everyone,” Downing claims There’s no need to search for the biggest and highest waves, because zigzags and turns can be performed even on small waves. No one has to prove he canbeat a tug wave or be ashamed of not faring up to the roughones’'f* or the professionals, though,there is still en* ugh risk to excite the most ardent thrill seeker Professionals surfing incompetition under Downing’sskill system earn their highestpoints for performing maneuvers in large waves and closeto the point where the curl ofthe wave collapses. Here, the slightest mistake in performance can lead to a wipeout under tons of raging water Downing has also announced an award to any surfer in professional competition who can ride his board in a 360 degree loop down, up and around the face of a wave. The surfer who can perform this skillful maneuver will get a cash prize of $1,000 donated by Japan’sSake industry association, according to Downing.“We’re trying to make surfing more interesting for both the participant and the spectator,” Downing says, “and to make it into something everyone can do For anyone who can swim, it’s a lot safer than skiing and a lot more fun ”
Newspaper Details
Ennis Daily News
Ennis, Texas, US
Wed, Apr 28, 1976
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USA 30 Dec 2019
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