| Over 30 Historical Surfboards to be on display at the Duke’s Day Centenary Celebrations This coming January 8-10, 2015, the Freshwater Surfing Community is celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Duke Kahanamoku’s visit to Freshwater igniting Australian Surf Culture. “Not only will the iconic 100 year old Original solid timber Board made and rode by Duke be on display, we will also be assembling a mind blowing array of historical and ‘game changing’ surf boards. This will surely be one of the most important and influencial gathering of surfing equipment of the past Century” said –Eric Middledorp Duke Board Caretaker and member of the Dukes Day Centenary Celebrations Committee. Other Dukes Day Committee member, Jack McCoy, also said of this event -"Having grown up in Hawaii you learn early that your surfboard is your magical connection to riding waves. The evolution of the surfboard is a fascinating subject and we will be proudly displaying boards from the ancient 16ft Olo that was ridden by Kings all the way thru to a futuristic Foil surfboard that rides above the waves. I believe this will be one collection of surfboards under one roof you will not want to miss” |   |
Besides surfboards from Hawaii and California, Australian designs that have their place in the evolution of surfboards timeline will also be featured. A personal board of Terry Fitzgerald who developed the Wing/Flyers in the early 1970's, Mark Richards Twin Fin that he popularised in the late 70's and rode to 4 world titles. The Geoff McCoy Laser Zap with its Ben Lexcen fin, and of course Simon Anderson's Tri Fin that is the most commonly used fin design today. Many of the boards in the exhibit will be from the designers personal collections (Mark Ingleby, Carl Tanner, Gordon Merchant, Ray Moran, Simon Anderson and Terry Fitzgerald) that have never been exhibited before.
There will also be the details of each board with their story and place in the surfboard evolution timeline that will share the uniqueness of each magic carpet craft.
The exhibition will be shared in memory of Chris Drake, who at 23 gave his life trying to help others in dangerous surf conditions. Steve Bennett -Dukes Day committee chairman and former president of the Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club had this to say about the dedication. "We are privileged to be able remember Chris by dedicating the ‘100 years of Surfboards Display’ in his memory. The Freshwater Surfing Community recognises that Chris had a great affinity with the Ocean and the Surf and was a totally committed individual who put his own personal safety at risk to help others in danger and in a time of need. Our respect and thoughts go out to his family and friends.".
Looking forward to sharing the stoke and joy of Dukes Day, January 8-10, 2015, at Freshwater Beach with all kinds of activities on the beach, in the club house and in the park including the re-enactment of Dukes exhibition 100 years to the day with Hawaiian Longboard Champion Duane DeSoto playing the Duke and riding an exact replica of Dukes board he made when he first arrived in Australia Dec 1914, appearances and "talk story" with the three surviving members of the Duke Kahanamoku Surf Team, Joey Cabell, Fred Hemmings, and Paul Strauch Jr, eco displays and education, ancient surf craft building, all forms of surf riding including long boarding, short board, ancient wood crafts and body surfing Legend from Hawaii, Mark Cunningham. You can also win a Panasonic GH4 still/video camera that shoots 4k resolution by making a short film to enter Duke Shorts film competition, as well as win Patagonia clothes and wetsuits at the screening of the award winning film "A Deeper Shade of Blue" Saturday night, under the stars for the free show.
It's going to be a fun filled couple of days. We trust you can make it down to share the stoke. Till then, as the Duke would say, Aloha to you, and you and you.
Duke Day committee
There will also be the details of each board with their story and place in the surfboard evolution timeline that will share the uniqueness of each magic carpet craft.
The exhibition will be shared in memory of Chris Drake, who at 23 gave his life trying to help others in dangerous surf conditions. Steve Bennett -Dukes Day committee chairman and former president of the Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club had this to say about the dedication. "We are privileged to be able remember Chris by dedicating the ‘100 years of Surfboards Display’ in his memory. The Freshwater Surfing Community recognises that Chris had a great affinity with the Ocean and the Surf and was a totally committed individual who put his own personal safety at risk to help others in danger and in a time of need. Our respect and thoughts go out to his family and friends.".
Looking forward to sharing the stoke and joy of Dukes Day, January 8-10, 2015, at Freshwater Beach with all kinds of activities on the beach, in the club house and in the park including the re-enactment of Dukes exhibition 100 years to the day with Hawaiian Longboard Champion Duane DeSoto playing the Duke and riding an exact replica of Dukes board he made when he first arrived in Australia Dec 1914, appearances and "talk story" with the three surviving members of the Duke Kahanamoku Surf Team, Joey Cabell, Fred Hemmings, and Paul Strauch Jr, eco displays and education, ancient surf craft building, all forms of surf riding including long boarding, short board, ancient wood crafts and body surfing Legend from Hawaii, Mark Cunningham. You can also win a Panasonic GH4 still/video camera that shoots 4k resolution by making a short film to enter Duke Shorts film competition, as well as win Patagonia clothes and wetsuits at the screening of the award winning film "A Deeper Shade of Blue" Saturday night, under the stars for the free show.
It's going to be a fun filled couple of days. We trust you can make it down to share the stoke. Till then, as the Duke would say, Aloha to you, and you and you.
Duke Day committee
RSS Feed
