surfresearch.com.au  randy rarick  : australia, 1968

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Richard Kavanaugh: Wind and Sea vs Manly Pacific, page 23
G. Cassidy: Film review - The Way We Like It, page 29.
Bob Evans: Mauritius - and island paradise, page 33.
Close Out!, page 39.

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S.A.F.E. Set fin systems, page 7.
Gordon and Smith, Pintail and Tracker, page 9.
Jeff Carter: Surf Beaches of Australia's East Coast, page 23.
Platt's Surfware, page 31.
Farrelly Surfboards, Summer pintail, a round-tail variation on our speed shapes and  speed square-tail ... 'Tracker." page 38.

Randy Rarick is an 18-year-old surfer who came from Hawaii eight months ago.
He was the 1967 Hawaii State Junior Champion and rated number 5 in the Hawaiian Surfing Association AAA ratings.
He's ridden almost every spot in the Hawaiian islands and came to Australia to see what it was all about.
He offers his own candid views on the Australian scene and these are his feelings and expressions on Australia.

ON Australian Surfing in General
Due to the more aggressive and competitive attitude the Australian surfers have, they seem to show a lot more enthusiasm than those of both Hawaii and California.
I find them very similar in spirit to the East Coast surfers of the U.S.
This attitude, of course, has been reflected in the styles which have been produced in the last year or so.
And it is these styles which have set the trend for today's surfing.
I'll be the first to admit that a lot of Australians are better than many Americans.
It's an obvious fact that Australians were setting the paces for some time.
I say "were," because I feel that now many others have picked up upon ideas and are contributing jusf as much.

ON Australia's Surfers
I've been up and down the coast of Australia from Bell's Beach to Noosa Heads, and at one time or another seen just about if not every well-known good surfer.
I've surfed with a lot of them on fun days, on good days, on bad days, and in contests.
In all this time I've gained a great respect for a good many riders.
There are just too many numerous good riders I've met to mention here.
So I'll just elaborate on the better known ones and hope I don't offend any personalities.
Of all the surfing I've'done I don't think I've had more fun than with guys like Keith Paull, Peter Cornish (Sydney), "Baddy" Treloar, Wayne Lynch and Peter Drouyn.
I learned a great deal from each one of them plus the pure enjoyment of surfing with them.

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In their own right each one is a master of a board and on any given day one could beat the other.
I have a great deal of admiration for Keith Paul(l) in the fact he's made it to the top on his surfing alone and not by publicity.
A thing which is rathel uncommon these days.
Cornish is just a neat guy to surf with, and to watch his cut backs makes one drool.
"Baddy" is just the funny "jolly green giant" who makes happy surfing even better.
Lynchy is so hot it makes me wonder how much more he can do.
But despite his newfound ability he's a lot of laughs and a good kid.
Drouyn is in a class of his own.
A lot of people don't seem to like his style but I think he is one of the best and most unique surfers today.
I feel in the end he will emerge on top.
Nat is still good and if he ever wanted, I suppose he could be great again.
McTavish is doing his own little things but still surfing the way he wants and doing good.
Conneelly is happier than ever so what more need to be said.
Guys like Parkinson, Spencer, Channon, Brennan and Monie all have impressed me with their drive and determination.
There are certainly many more, and all of which have showed me that Australian surfers are really good.

ON Bell's
Bell's has good surf and it does get big.
Keith Paull, "Baddy" and myself had it at 8-10 ft. ten days before the contest.
It's nothing like Hawaii.
An easy vertical climb and drop wall with no need for anything more than a good pintail.
Boobs- around the corner- is another thing.
Fast Haliewa- type waves that were out-of-sight.
Wayne Lynch is the maestro of Bell's.
I need not say any more because everything which has been written I'll simply double.
As for the contest itself, well with no surf the judging was a bit erratic.
But otherwise a very enjoyable contest.

ON the Australian Titles
This had to be one of the best contests I've ever watched.
Over three separate contests Keith Paull was the obvious and favourable winner in my eyes as well as just about everybody else's. It was funny to watch as Nat toppled in front of all the hero-worshippers.
And yet the last day showed that he could try awfully hard if he wanted.
Next to Keith, Robert Conneelly impressed me more than any-body.
With his own distinct style he won the contest within himself.
As for Midget, I wish he'd take my advice and smile a bit more and have more fun with his surfing rather than be so serious.
Lynchy was good, but not as good as the days at Narrabeen before the contest.
It was these fantastic days that Lynchy was THE Wayne Lynch.
Surfing for fun, laughing, surfing our brains out.
These few days with Spencer, "Baddy," Conneelly, 'Midget," early morning Nat, Keith and myself - these were the days that made me glad I'd come to Australia, and I think made everybody else glad they were Australians.

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ON Noosa
Noosa Heads-the fabled fantastic dream spot.
What a joke!
Between all the articles, stories and rumours, it's been built into the Cape St. Francis of Australia.
I compare Noosa to Waimeia Bay.
Sound funny?
Well, it's not.
Waimeia was only good three times last year and broke on only five occasions.
Since the beginning of this year Noosa has only been good really once and that was a week long stretch in February!
Since then the times it's broke haven't even been worth mentioning.
I myself was sucked in and I've been spending the last three months in Queensland waiting for just ONE of the "Cup of tea with God waves."
And in that three months it hasn't been over three foot at National and nowhere near as good as it is built up to be.
So all you disillusioned masses, hope for a cyclone, 'cause Noosa won't be on till then.

ON the Development of the Australian Surfboard
Having worked in board shops for the past four years I have come to know and understand a lot about surfboard construction and design.
Upon my arrival in Australia the "stubby" style of board was in full swing.
I viewed these with awe and dismay after just coming from the islands where the radical pins were the common sight.
To be exposed to a 7' x 25" x 18" pod, V-bottom, wonder was almost too much for me to comprehend.
How could the Australians be riding these I asked myself?
But, of course, luckily, about this time the better riders who had been in Hawaii and were influenced by the pins, saw the disadvantages of the stubbies and were beginning to convert.
By Easter the V-bottoms were on the way out, the pins coming on strong.
By the Australian titles all but a few had converted.
And today, you wouldn't find many self-respecting surfers without a pintail.
For once the Australians adapted a Hawaiian idea and merely scaled it down to match the Australian surf.
Although these designs came from my homeland, I have sat back and watched as an outsider, and in doing so I have not been totally caught up in the current trend in either Hawaii or here.
I am aware of it, of course, but I haven't committed myself to the fullest extent.
And in doing this I have seen a flaw.
The new radical designs are great-for one thing and one style only: the up and down, re-entry YO-YO styles.

ON the New Surfing Styles
This style is not only happening here, but in America as well.
With the development of the new boards they've restricted themselves into a patterned YO-YO.
I call it this 'cause that's exactly all they do.
And tell me, what's the difference between the idea of this style as compared to what noseriding was in America two years ago? See what I mean?
These new boards have evolved into a speciality board the same that noseriders were.
And isn't that the very essence of the idea Nat broke with his World Champion win in '66?
All around manoeuvering was what won him the title -not just noseriding or YO-YOing!
Sure guys may be pushing to the outer limits of YO-YOing, but didn't Nuuhiwa push to the outer limits of noseriding?
And look what happened to him!
So look back to '66 for a second, and dwell upon it and think about it.
And then look to guys like Keith Paul and Peter Drouyn and notice that they step to the nose between re-entries.
YO-YOing to them is just a part of surfing-not the whole bag!
These are simply my comments and impressions which I have observed and I am offering them as only comments and not as criticism, it is up to you to decide what you like.

Sunday, 29th September (AAP)-
ln a contest held at Manly today Wlndansea defeated Manly Pacific by 11 points.
This is all that would have been published about this contest in a daily newspaper.
However, for those who were there, it was one of the most memorable contests ever held.
The day dawned overcast with an onshore breeze and sloppy five foot surf, which IS in keeping with the usual surfing traditions.

Upon the scene arrived the New 2UW, which is fun to go round with in '68 or sum- think like that.
Also on the scene appeared a beard bearing the body of Shane Stedman.
The Manly Pacific side was capably organised by General Franco Lever- who is still alive and living in Spain?
Darryl Eastlake was the commentator assisted by an insignificant blond- haired stompie-etc. called Robbie "Bird- man" Mills, who every five minutes on the microphone informed the multitudes it was "back to Love", and playing his tapes, thereby charming more. ...than usual.
Enough about those who helped run the competition.

Surprises came early.
It was found that former Manly stalwart "Baddie" Treloar was surfing for Windansea.
However, Windansea's dynamic Peter Drouyn now surfed for Manly Pacific, which balanced the brain?drain.
 

Wayne Williams

Peter Drouyn

Page 25

The first three heats were dominated by Windansea with Kev. Parkinson producing some good surfing to edge out Lester Brien (who, it is rumored, taught "Snow" McAlister to surf).
Bruce Channon came third, but more about him later.
The second heat was won by John Monie (who plays football really) with Dick Harvey coming second.
Robert Conneelly turned in one of his best performances this year, winning the third heat from Hawaiian transplant, Randy Rarick (amazing what they can do with f. transplants nowadays), with Queenslander Peter Drouyn third.

The fourth heat saw Peter Cornish of the chain ganger-Shane gang, powering through with some unbelievable turns, in an effort to put Manly Pacific ahead.
However, in the next heat Chris Brock and Peter Cornish (Junior Model) put paid to any hope Manly had of winning, when they outclassed the opposition.

A little while afterwards Ward "Pally" Austin arrived, demonstrated that he didn't know all that much about surfing when he
spoke over the microphone and departed a little afterwards.
Then came a demonstration final that was to have had three surfers from each Club competing.
However, the Widan-and- sea contingent apparently didn't like the contgenial atmosphere at Manly and had returned to the smog-shrouded South Side.
(Otherwise known as the "other side" to the North Shore-ites).
It was this demonstration final that made the contest so memorable.
The "Jolly Green , Giant" represented Windansea with Peter Cornish, Peter Drouyn, Bruce Channon, Randy Rarick, Dick Harvey and Ian Goodacre flying the Manly Pacific colours.
The contestants hit

Page 26

the water and soon afterwards spectators realised that something different was happening, the surfers' seemed to be having a fun session as the wind changed to the north west and blew at an angle into the wave.
One of the surfers who was having a ball was Randy Rarick, who turned in amazing fin-first take-off exhibitions, completing two magnificent skeg-firsts from only 27* attempts.
Drouyn thought this was fun and did a few as well, he also did other things that I think he invented in the heat of the moment. Channon didn't like being seen by the crowd so he spent all his time disappearing inside the tube.
Harvey liked what Channon was doing, but wanted to go one better- he did a paddle out take-off and then disappearing inside the tube while still doing his turn and staying inside, emerging only for fresh air, all the while on his backhand.
At this "Baddie" thought they were all mad, surfed to win, and tried hard.
Cornish tried hard, however he too finally joined the fun crowd, delighting in bombing out in the shorebreak after ripping the wave apart.
Little Goody let himself go and started throwing his board allover the place, having a World War 1 dog- fight with every wave.
The Jolly Green Giant rode past Moo Cow to victory with Drone coming third.
In other words, for those who like the facts straight, the placings were Treloar, Cornish, Drouyn; however, in my opinion, they all won, because they succeeded in doing what they wanted to do, but how can you dead-heat seven or eight surfers, when a transistor had to be given to the winner.
Such a classical contest was this, that no one said the results shouId have been different, no controversy, just a happy feeling and a thought that there should be more contests like this one.

Later at the Leagues Club I found out what had happened when I asked Randy Rarick about the final and he replied: "It was the neatest contest I've ever been in-it was outasight!
We were out there trying, but not caring if we didn't win, we just did what we wanted to do."
Drouyn broke in here and said when he saw Randy trying a skeg-flrst take- off he shouted to Randy that he would do one before him.
Randy continued, "Peter and I were out there surfing for ourselves and not particularly for the judges.
Channon was the third down, he's seen me paddling out and he'd run to the nose, and then look at me to see if I was watching.
We just laughed at each other and kept surfing.
We were telling each other what a tremendous thing we'd done on the last wave.
Since coming to Australia I completely reversed my idea about surfing and this final was just an expression of these ideas."
Randy was last heard drinking a Tequila and saying: "It was bitchen!
I wish all contests were like that, it was just so rinky dink."
P.S. This article was written at a ridiculously low figure because of the standover tactics of the Editor.
Richard Kavanaugh
Photos Albert Falzon

FRENCH CHAMPIONSHIPS
By the time this issue gets on the newsagents' shelves The World Titles will be over and maybe an Australian will be The World Champion.
For those who have not yet been informed the French Championships were held not too long back and a small group of Aussies entered.
First, Wayne Lynch, second, Nat Young and third Keith Paull.

ELANDS ...BELIEVE IT OR NOT
If you ever get to Africa and if you have itchy feet, it's the first place you should head for- there's an old tale that just about every surfer will tell you about.
Elands Bay is 150 miles north of Capetown on the west side of the continent, along with its great surf has giant kelp beds and a thriving crayfish industry.
One day late last year the water got colder than its normal 50 degrees and some 40,000 cray fish walked out of the water and
died ;;-;;--the ~h.
You think that's hard to believe some of the locals got as high as 100,000.
We found the whole thing pretty hard to believe until Ron Perrot produced a newspaper clipping along with a photograph and although there wasn't a head count it was estimated that around 35,000 died.

A VERY GOOD YEAR
Everywhere in Africa people were telling us about the tasty crayfish, we were beginning to wonder if it wasn't a national meaL Spent five weeks there and didn't try one.
Their wines are great though and we did try plenty of them.

WORLD TRAVELLER
Keith Paull, who now has the travelling bug, returned to Australia from a three months' surfing trip in Europe and Africa only to pick up his ticket to Puerto Rico.
While in Europe he spent most of his time in France where he said 'the standard of living is- very high and everyone is rich'.
He spent most of his time surfing at Birritz (sic) and reports that it was the best surf he had in Euprope.
Keith also checked out Spain and Portugal, met up with MacGillivray and Freeman who had with them Mart Markinson and Billy Hamilton, surfed in the French Championships and placed third.
From Europe he travelled to Africa, surfed around Durban, wined and dined with some very nice people and surfed Jeffrey's Bay for a week.
If Keith wins the World Titles he'll be back in Australia within two months; if he doesn't he'll spend the next two years travelling through the United States.

NOOSA CONTEST
Lyn Jones sends us the results of a recent Noosa contest.
Senior: 1st, Graham Black; 2nd, Peter Drouyn; 3rd, Ricky Nielson.
Junior: 1st, David Treloar; 2nd, Paul Nielson; 3rd, L. Bache.
Women: 1st, Kim McKenzie; 2nd, Lyn Jones; 3rd, Jenny Clarey.

Surfing World  Volume 11 Number 4,  November1968.   This copy courtesy of the Graham Sorensen Collection.

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