World surfing champion Shaun Tomson was in NYC this week for the launch of his updated book Surfer’s Code, and I had the good fortune to meet him twice, first at the Waves for Development fundraiser on Monday, and then again for the book event at Saturdays NYC.  When I first saw him on Monday, I knew exactly who he was.  (When I was a little girl, I actually collaged my closet doors with surfing pics of all the greats of the day.)  He introduced himself, and we proceeded to chat.  We were standing there talking with a friend of mine who did not know who he was, and I was so incredulous that I eventually blurted out, “Dude, you don’t know who this is??”  The next day, I emailed my friend the link for Bustin’ Down the Door - the film about the South Africans and Aussies who took the surfing world and the North Shore by storm during the winters of 1975 and 1976.  With their new maneuvers and techniques, desire to elevate the perception of surfers in the worlds’ eye, and their winning form, Shaun, along with Mark Richards, Ian Cairns, Pete Townend, and Rabbit Bartholomew, became the first world champions of the sport and were tremendously influential in establishing the professional surfing circuit.  As I told my friend, Shaun is legendary. A few years back, I had the great fortune of being taken to Tavarua, Fiji, (a much-coveted, but private surfing resort) by the man I was dating, himself a notable shaper.  It was where I would finally get on a surfboard for the first time after growing up immersed in the culture, and watching, but never trying.  A mutual friend of ours, a long-time surfer who surfed with Shaun many, many years ago, had gifted me with the first version of the book before the trip.  I was finally, and rather unexpectedly, presented with the chance to get the book signed.  Of course I was thrilled that he remembered me from earlier in the week.  Who wouldn’t be?  He gave a talk out on the back patio, where he told stories which were, at turns, moving, poignant, and funny.  Memories of past rivalries, of the infamous duel and epic wave with MR at Off the Wall, and what it represented, touching stories of his father, and of his son Matthew.  And stories of how the lessons in the book relate to, and can serve us well in life. Shaun is a wonderful ambassador for the sport, and comes across incredibly warm-hearted.  He has a lovely soul, which is evident in his outlook and approach to life, to hardship, and to his responsibilities as a man, father, husband, fellow surfer, and former world champion. It was a great honor to meet him.

World surfing champion Shaun Tomson was in NYC this week for the launch of his updated book Surfer’s Code, and I had the good fortune to meet him twice, first at the Waves for Development fundraiser on Monday, and then again for the book event at Saturdays NYC. 

When I first saw him on Monday, I knew exactly who he was.  (When I was a little girl, I actually collaged my closet doors with surfing pics of all the greats of the day.)  He introduced himself, and we proceeded to chat.  We were standing there talking with a friend of mine who did not know who he was, and I was so incredulous that I eventually blurted out, “Dude, you don’t know who this is??”  The next day, I emailed my friend the link for Bustin’ Down the Door - the film about the South Africans and Aussies who took the surfing world and the North Shore by storm during the winters of 1975 and 1976.  With their new maneuvers and techniques, desire to elevate the perception of surfers in the worlds’ eye, and their winning form, Shaun, along with Mark Richards, Ian Cairns, Pete Townend, and Rabbit Bartholomew, became the first world champions of the sport and were tremendously influential in establishing the professional surfing circuit.  As I told my friend, Shaun is legendary.

A few years back, I had the great fortune of being taken to Tavarua, Fiji, (a much-coveted, but private surfing resort) by the man I was dating, himself a notable shaper.  It was where I would finally get on a surfboard for the first time after growing up immersed in the culture, and watching, but never trying.  A mutual friend of ours, a long-time surfer who surfed with Shaun many, many years ago, had gifted me with the first version of the book before the trip.  I was finally, and rather unexpectedly, presented with the chance to get the book signed. 

Of course I was thrilled that he remembered me from earlier in the week.  Who wouldn’t be?  He gave a talk out on the back patio, where he told stories which were, at turns, moving, poignant, and funny.  Memories of past rivalries, of the infamous duel and epic wave with MR at Off the Wall, and what it represented, touching stories of his father, and of his son Matthew.  And stories of how the lessons in the book relate to, and can serve us well in life.

Shaun is a wonderful ambassador for the sport, and comes across incredibly warm-hearted.  He has a lovely soul, which is evident in his outlook and approach to life, to hardship, and to his responsibilities as a man, father, husband, fellow surfer, and former world champion.

It was a great honor to meet him.