Shaun Tomson on the significance of Pipeline
"Three waves,” said Shaun. “If you can make it at these three waves, if you can throw yourself over the ledge and pull in, get barrelled and take your licks, you will emerge as a surfer that can take on anything in the world. You need to surf Sunset, Pipeline, and Haleiwa. You need to continually push yourself at these three waves until you know how to surf them with confidence, and you’ll be able to take on the world.“
On the men’s World Title honour roll, South Africa only has just one entry - Shaun Tomson. Shaun won his world title back in 1977, at a time when many of us were just groms, or even less. I was nine-years-old, I rode a boogieboard, and the significance of Shaun's victory meant nothing to me at the time.
Over the years, as South Africa went through so much political turmoil and instability, Shaun Tomson was always part of surfing's structure, as a spokesman, a businessman, and a mentor. He consistently emerged as a larger-than-life surfing hero.
In 1984 he paddled out at Muizenberg, a beginner’s wave beachbreak in Cape Town in driving wind and rain, on the final day of the Spur Steak Ranch Surfabout, a mobile event that was eventually won by Greg Day. We watched as groms, transfixed at the sight of professional surfers in real life.
It was the year that Tom Carroll announced an upcoming boycott for competing in South Africa in 1985. Carroll was soon joined by Tom Curren, Martin Potter, and Cheyne Horan. Shaun was aggrieved, and made this speech at the Australian Surfing Hall Of fame a few days after Carroll announced his boycott.
“What’s the next stand in surfing’s newly found political conscience?” asked Tomson. “Maybe we won’t go to the USA because we object to American involvement in Central America. Maybe we don’t go to France in objection to the Socialist government. Maybe we won’t go to England because we abhor Thatcher’s treatment of the IRA. Where will it end? If you don’t support South Africa, then voice your opinions, but support pro surfing. I don’t stand here tonight in defence of South Africa. I stand here as a surfer in defence of pro surfing.”
Shaun understood his influence as a world champion and never shied from using that platform. In 2010, Shaun, who is Jewish, condemned an outburst by Mick Fanning who'd called journalist Chas Smith "a fucking Jew". And right up to the present time, Shaun has taken the time to take his message of hope and surf stoke to the school kids of South Africa with the power of ‘I Will,’ and the thrill of riding waves.
But before all of this, Shaun was the youngest surfer to ever win a Pipeline Masters title. That was in 1975 and Shaun was 20. Hawaii, and more particularly Pipeline, is the place that allowed him to realise his potential as a surfer and in turn gave shape to his character. It's with this in mind that Shaun recently stepped up to the plate in a last-minute bid to remedy the WSL's unenviable situation regarding the cancelled 2019 Pipe Masters event.
Below is the letter that Shaun wrote to Mayor of Honolulu Kirk Caldwell in defence of pro surfing.
The letter was written a week ago. Shaun is yet to receive a reply.
Dear Mr Caldwell
Growing up in South Africa, as the son of a swimming champion, Duke Kahanamoku was my hero and Hawaii was always the first place I wanted to surf internationally.
I first came to your beautiful islands in 1969 with my Dad, a bar mitzvah present, and fell in love with the culture - I came every year thereafter through the early 1990s.
I surfed in Hawaii's first international pro contest in 1970 and competing in the challenging waves gave me tremendous confidence and boosted my career immeasurably.
Ultimately I became the youngest surfer to win the Pipeline Masters and then the youngest to win the IPS World Surfing Championships, a professional league formed by Hawaii's own Fred Hemmings which has now evolved into the World Surf League, professional surfing's governing organization.
After my pro surfing career ended I became a businessman, author and organizational consultant and now speak all over the world to the world's largest corporations, telling stories of character and purpose, of my time in Hawaii riding the world's most challenging waves, while competing in the world's most prestigious surfing contests.
I speak of your state's wonderful heritage and culture, and the spirit of aloha which is so closely aligned to my homeland's spirit of Ubuntu.
Professional surfing contests have helped mould my character and have done the same for thousands of young Hawaiian surfers.
Professional surfing events have given many young Hawaiians the opportunity to travel internationally, make a career for themselves, and most importantly to spread that spirit of aloha.
The impact of Hawaiian pro events is felt throughout the world and across all oceans - thousands of young boys and girls in Australia, France, Japan, South Africa and many other countries grow up dreaming of competing at Sunset Beach, Waimea Bay, and the Banzai Pipeline.
And in 2020, realising Duke's dream, surfing will be in the Olympic Games.
I tell you all of this because you may not be aware of the tremendous positive impact that professional surfing in your state has on the rest of the world, positively impacting tens of millions of people.
Pro surfing events have been held every year in Hawaii since 1970 - an uninterrupted run of almost 50 years.
I have read that this run may be interrupted...
I have read that you have denied the World Surf League's request to swap permits for the Pipeline Masters, the Superbowl of surfing.
I have read there might have been an administrative error in applying for a permit by the WSL - as an outsider I am not privy to the details.
While I understand that the competition venues on the North Shore are in great demand by many people with competing financial and other interests, I am hoping that you can reconsider your decision and perhaps come to some form of middle ground solution in accordance with the greater good of the Hawaiian and world community - the young local surfers who wish to make a career from surfing, their families, the local businesses who profit from the events, and the millions of fans across the world who see Hawaiian pro events as the pinnacle of surfing achievement.
I look forward to a positive resolution that benefits your great state and the entire surfing world.
Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully,
Shaun Tomson, B.Comm., MS Leadership
(Photo of Shaun winning the '75 Pipe Masters by Lance Trout)
Comments
So pro surfing was more important than ending apartheid in 1985? Not his best moment, nor yours.
Only if you really think a pro surfing boycott ended apartheid, because he did also offer this..."I don’t stand here tonight in defence of South Africa."
Anyway, classy guy. Always has been. Shaun has more reason than most to be bitter yet he keeps on giving back.
Yes always wondered about The Shaun and his political alignments (if any at all except for making a buck - anybody old enough here to remember the bounty ad?). He certainly has no shortage of ego or a word of advice either. Was never a fan he just seemed too teethy and polished and now he is on the self belief lecture circuit and getting involved in Hawaiian politics. I reckon let them sort it out the last thing they need is an old champ throwing his two bob in. Yeah a shame it won’t be on but just think of those marvellous wave pool events we will get to see!
Wild reo!
Yep
Shaun ripped
Dead set 1970's grom idol.
Shaun was surfing a whole new level with his backhand assault on Pipe.
Hawaiian gun Jeff Hackman was stunned to see Shaun doin' cutbacks inside Sunset Barrels.
I stared down his insane Burleigh barrel-roll take-off during late 70's Stubbies warm-up.
Shaun's true lines afforded deeper critical turns which jaw dropped the '70's Surfing World
The Tube Master still influences Bodysurfing's pure bottom turns & Deep barrel maneuvers.
Tomson was also a role model for career Sportsmen competing over 20 years retiring at 36.
By today's standards it's hard to believe all his peers retired way way earlier.
His 10 consecutive years in Top 6 laid the foundation for today's career Surfers .
Note: Shaun still had to continually place high ahead of cut-off... every other year.
Something from those '70's Surf Mags I recall was most unusual. (Shaun fans please advise?)
I believe Shaun spent more money chasing his World Title than he earn't for that season.
Fair to say Shaun's biggest sponsorship deals came on the back of that Title.
I bought every 'Shaun' Mag back in the day! None mentioned religion...(After-Hall of fame?)
It shouldn't change a thing...The bloke surfs like a sea-demon!
Thats the most ive ever understood your comments :)
I spent the 18 months of 84/85 in South Africa, I got a bit of flack from some people back in Aus. when I got back. When I explained that it was actually a good thing for people to travel there as due to media blackouts a lot of people did not know that the rest of the world felt that their way of life was wrong, so at least travelling surfers sat down and talked to them about it. Apartheid was copied off the Australian model for managing blacks.
Tommy Carrolls stand was good in some ways, but at the time most surfers over there hated him for it, I can understand Tomson's frustration at what I imagination he saw as hypocrisy, I can remember an interview in tracks in the 70's where they asked him about apartheid, he then blew them off with a story about his first trip to Aus. After landing in Perth they drove east to a town called Ceduna where they went to the laundry to wash there stuff out. They were confronted with a sign inside "No blacks or surfers" .
In the winter of 85 Shaun spent about a month in J/bay, there was no contest that year and a crowd was 20. The most noticeable thing about his surfing a wave like that was you could hear him breathing/grunting coming down the line and that one section that we weren't making, he was grunting through it. Which made us realize we weren't putting enough effort and the level of surfing lifted dramatically. Had a few surfs with him, just us out perfect supers.
G'day mate, a few times now Ive notice you've contribute something surprising and worthwhile. It's the classic other side of the coin. Good work.
Glad MR dropped in on him at OTW, Shaun was a snake in the water
With the benefit of hindsight I reckon Shaun was in the wrong with his stance on sporting contacts with South Africa during the apartheid era. I heard an interesting story regarding the 1981 Springbok Rugby tour of New Zealand. I imagine a lot of Australians don't realise how bad things got here during that time. There were major riots in the streets before and during and after every game. It was possibly about as close as New Zealand has got to a civil war since the 1951 waterfront strike. Anyway while this was going on evidently Nelson Mandela got wind of the unfolding events in New Zealand. When he heard about the strength of feeling against apartheid in NZ he was said to have been given a real boost. The idea that the anti apartheid movement was so strong in Aotearoa gave him a lot of strength in his struggle. The thing was that for the white South African regime, sporting contacts, particularly in rugby and cricket were vitally important to them and the legitimacy of their system of government. The idea that international sport was not political was emphatically proven to be false in this regard.
I accept that Australia has and had serious issues with it's treatment of Aborigines, but to equate this situation with the systematic and institutionalised subjugation of non-white people in South Africa during the apartheid regime was dishonest at best.
From what I hear Shaun Tomson is a good person, and no one would deny his place amongst the greats of surfing history. I can understand his strength of feeling on the matter of sporting contacts at the time, but I believe he was wrong.
Spuddups keep in mind that just 18 years prior to all this hoo-haa the "systematic and institutionalised subjugation of non-white people" in Australia was alive and well. In fact (& correct me if I'm wrong) prior to the referendum on Aborigines being allowed to vote they were still classified as "Flora & Fauna" - different era but definitely equatable!!. The only difference being is that those Dutchies over there managed to keep it going until 1994 - way too long. One has to wonder how Tom Carrol and Co. would have reacted if the Quiksilver Pro was held back in 1967. Sometimes you gotta pick up the dogshit in your back yard before demanding others do the same.
What a load of garbage.
The vote to include aboriginals in the voting process was utterly overwhelmingly in favour - 91 percent !!
To judge from bureaucratic ineptitude the mood of mainstream Australia and equate it with apartheid is pure farce.
The modern equivalent is to state that homosexuals are still considered persecuted outcasts because they were only just allowed legal marriage.
Blowin I'm referring to governments here - not general mainstream Australian population!!! Big difference!!!
I'm not equating it to apartheid - I'm equating it to the treatment of human individuals of different race by inept bureaucrats in both instances - it's just that the bureaucrats on the other side of the Indian Ocean never considered some of the population's mood, made it law and the rest is history.
Fair enough.
Sorry to jump down your throat.
Hope you’re getting a few nice ones.
I reckon this has to be the one of the more civilised forums on the internet.
Full credit to local legend Rabbit & OZ crew who without doubt charged the Pipe.
Also wish to talk up another Pipemaster matching Shaun in the competitive department.
Michael Ho was every bit as deep and powerful a surfer.
Whilst never winning outside of Hawaii. His name was pre-chalked onto every finals board.
Locals/Pros agree Michael Ho ruled The Point in the way he danced the rockbreak.
Micheal surfed each wave to the very end & then some more...Last of the golden age.
You guys know!..1982 Pipe Master Ho was again runner-up aged 40. Triple Crown etc.
(The Oldest Grom charges)
Recapping on Top 40 Age bracket.
Shaun had to arm wrestle an army of ultraviolent groms just to survive the next heat.
Now WSL escort their retired Gentlemen onto dreamboats via the salon's massage recliners.
Shaun the Prawn was attributed to his claw-like maneuver for bossing closeout barrels.
The lazy '60's style peg-like stance gave way to Shaun's commanding seacreature stance.
Again! Bodysurfers change creature with changing wave and Shaun's prawn is a lifesaver.
The advantage that Shaun had at Pipe was that he had a lot more rocker than others. This enabled him to get close to vertical backhand as the photo shows. That said, I remember watching Rabbit and Bruce Raymond charge some really heavy days at Pipe when there was no sun.......and no Shaun.......just thick unpredictable monster barrels.
Much more rocker than others -
Rocker that was not put in the shaping process but added after glassing....with the help of a dozen or so house bricks placed in the centre of the finished board with nose and tail chocked.
The Pink Banana! Shaped by Spider Murphy.
Really?
The pink banana ?
Sounds like something that would be typically found poking out the front of a toey German shepherd , not spearing under the lip at pipeline.
I have nothing but the utmost respect for Shaun. Surfed with him at Kirra in the old days, and let me tell you some facts. He is one of the most amazing tube riders ever. His ability to do things on a wave is nothing short of amazing. His humility is an inspiration. his work in the surfing community is legendary. Nuf said
He used to charge big sunset as well.
I stayed in Ubuntu quiet a few years ago and jagged the swell of the year at J bay, Twiggy did well. They put a vid, "The Pure Line", good watch narrated and with some early stories by Shaun. They also put up some of the early footage coming out of Donkey bay, that's what they called back then anyway. Tube rider extraordinaire ol Shaun.
You got lucky Jamjardy, the swell of the year only happens about 3 times a year, funnily enough each one better than the last, swell of the decade is generally every third year. :-) If you want to see frothing from a forecast swell J/bay is the place to go, I think the locals get nearly as much satisfaction seeing a car park full of surfers that have been skunked.
Nice letter from Shaun.
Shaun has mellowed a bit , I thought his commentary at J-Bay was great , but you have to be very careful when going into the political realm," that ghosts of deeds done in a younger life, do come back and haunt you"......
We have to move on from No Pipe , political bullshit and I can only imagine how pissed off the Hierarchy of the WSL are , maybe they might have another event at Leemore ?
Hubris
Noun
excessive pride or self-confidence.
synonyms: arrogance, conceit, conceitedness, haughtiness, pride, vanity, self-importance, self-conceit, pomposity, superciliousness, feeling of superiority;
...and next to the definition a photo of Shaun...
It's very easy to judge and criticise from afar. All power to Tom Carroll for his stance back in 1984. Apartheid was, and is evil and fundamentally wrong on all levels. But imagine being a young surfer, cricketer who only wants to ply their their god given trade. The ocean is an escape from all the political bullshit and he was right when he identified the hypocrisy of the Americans, French, British and countless others who have engaged in suppression and segregation in all four corners of the world. I'm not sure if you can separate sport from politics but it is the politicians who are out to benefit their own political situation by dragging athletes into their political quagmires and in most cases I question their authenticity. As for surfing Tomson, along with MR and MP were among my first heroes of the sport. Being a kneelo I have to include Greenough and Peter Crawford (PC) in that group. There is a marvellous doco on youtube about the history of the Pipe Masters and Lopez and Tomson feature prominently. Do yourselves a favour and watch it if you haven't already.
Yep , it would have been tough for some sportspeople. I'm currently working with a dude who was pretty much a dead cert for a gold medal in his swimming event in the Moscow Olympics. Something like six weeks out from the games he finds out that NZ has boycotted and he won't be going. Talk about gutted aye. He went "fuck this" and moved to the Gold Coast where he surfed his brains out for a few years before getting back into training again for Los Angeles. He was a bit past his peak the this point and finished fourth from memory. From there he gained a scholarship to swim for a university in Hawaii which must have dulled the pain somewhat. Anyway, the guy is still ripping at 56yrs old and has some great stories to tell. Still it was a pretty cruel blow for a young bloke who had trained his ass off for many years only to have it snatched away from him at the last moment.
That's got to be a pretty bitter pill to swallow for a young bloke Spuddups.
re:( SPORT PAST AND PRESENT IN SOUTH AFRICA) ....google books.
2012 Edited by Scarlett Cornelissen & Albert Grundlingh
By 1989 only 4 of the top 30 surfers competed in S.A.
On Shaun backing up his 1977 World Title ...
1978 onward Shaun was banned from Brazil then a growing list of countries at random.
Japan had AA + A events also Brasil A events were all off limits to S.A. Surfers.
Australian International Visa games deferred S.A. surfers from part OZ & World tour events.
With such roadblocks Shaun's Contest record stands as even more astounding.
S.A. surfers emigrated or applied for dual passports/Shaun held an Irish passport.
Potz & Wendy Botha were essentially lesser celebrated bastardized World Champs .
Shaun's plea for a sporting gesture was echoed & elevated by S.A. surfers whole.
Stating birth-rite determines a career in Surfing...World Title reserved for others elsewhere.
All this is just a taste from said must read book loaded with S.A./OZ Surfing exploits.
Shaun was always a controversial character both for his personal characteristics and his views about sport and politics. It is easy, when considering his position, to lose sight of the big picture which was that the pressure on apartheid was actually working. I think, given that he came from a wealthy family that had benefited from apartheid, it is hard to justify his position. Sport and politics do mix and the casualties on the sporting side amount to little more than inconvenience and disappointment. The casualties on the political side in South Africa at the time were counted in the death toll.
"I think, given that he came from a wealthy family that had benefited from apartheid,"
Do you know that? Like, do you actually know first-hand, or are you just surmising? Because if it's the latter it's a pretty weak statement to make. Really, it's a low blow.
Shaun may well regret taking that original position, he was in a tough situation as a professional South African athlete, and anyway he wouldn't be the first high profile person forced to backtrack on matter of opinion. Chomsky, for instance.
Right or wrong, having it colour - no pun intended - every future action of his is too much to bear.
So let it go, this article has nothing to do with it. Or better yet, enlighten yourself with some of the good community work Shaun does in California and his homeland. Let that be the lasting impression.
Any white family in South Africa that had the resources to take their teenage son surfing in Hawaii every year benefited directly from apartheid. I would have thought that was indisputable.
You're an insuffereble twat sometimes Blindboy.
Why? Because I point out the simple historical truth of the matter? So insufferable twat? I can live with that. Better an insufferable twat with a grasp of history than one of the 'bros and 'bras living in a fantasy.
envy can cause severe side effects, seems blindness in boys has been added to the list
Blindboy judging someone like Shaun who you or I know very little about is pretty hard. Everything was not black and white , more murkey grey. The government was responsible for apartied; an Affricana government that would not hesitate to shoot you if started up a protest march. Things got done quietly, I met quite a few people that I thought were privileged arseholes but in a few cases i was wrong big time, they were doing things to help the coloureds. They just weren't making a song and dance about it and they weren't going to let travelling surfers in on it.
I saw a lot of ugly shit over there and some things i perceived to be bad because of my righteous prejudice toward them(whites). It was and still is a complex situation, last time I went there for a few months I came to the conclusion that apartheid was still in force business wise, it will take a few generations to snuff it out.
You have to understand that The Affricana's didn't just think the blacks were inferior, that went for anyone who was not an Affricana male.
My point, as I said in my first post, is that Shaun chose to elevate pro surfing above ending apartheid by refusing to support the sporting bans which were having an impact. Not his finest moment is the only judgement I made. He may have done any number of wonderful and generous things in his life, but his behaviour on that point was regrettable.
Sat on the sideline for a long time reading comments but this and the tow-in post sparked an interest. Would be a great shame to lose Pipe from the circuit. Blindboy has a point, certain people have prospered to the detriment of the majority in SA. Same in Australia, just the scale is different. Shaun earned his worth at Pipe therefore his view is understandable, radio silence from everyone else. What's WSL future?
Blindboy is right! Shaun would highlight the importance of Rocker.
Forward thinking reintroduced the Banana. Hardly daggy from then on.
(Shaun Tomson - "When we grew up we had an Idyllic Existence!")
Disclaimer: [I also met Shaun ... Nov/1989 XXXX Pro @ Surfers Paradise]
For those not from 1970-80's...Surfers were the last crew to ever attend a Rally.
Surfers were too busy Gang bashing Punk Chix/ Gays/ Abos or Gang Raping underage Chix.
"Maui Wowie or Apart-high!"... All the same to them.
Which Oz surf champ is the Poster Boy for our shameful past ? (List goes on & on & on!)
"Look over there... Another Plastic Bag!"
Yep, that sums up the era post hippy surfing (mid 70’s on).
Did Shaun do his time in the military as I thought it was compulsory in those days, as the guys I have met from that era all did it and hated it? Bind boy is right, in that Shaun chose a side, a side in hindsight was the wrong one. Maybe too much of a surf nazi, however I would have thought if it happened today, he may make a different decision.
Yeah he did his time in the Military, funnily enough within spitting distance of cave rock and I don't think he served on the border which was the horrifying bit.
I got the impression that Martin Potter left SA because it was time for him to his 2 year military more so than his stance against apartheid, but who knows, what is said and what is real are generally two different things .
Right on all accounts fellow Swellnetonians.
Shaun served 18 months from 1972-'73.
Shaun explained Jews used Karate as defense against Afrikaner's Army units.
Army Life or team player roles were also denied to Jews in right wing apartheid S.A.
Potz emigrated to OZ 1984 citing personal political considerations/military avoidance.
Toss of the coin & both sides lose... Wrong place wrong time,welcome here any day!
"he wouldn't be the first high profile person forced to backtrack on matter of opinion. Chomsky, for instance."
Chomsky, ay! Tell me more Stu, not aware of the opinion he had to backtrack on.
I know he was a great surfer. He was once very noted for throwing shade on the Great MP stating he held surfing back . I don't think he ever apologised for making that statement , which is b/s