Shaun Tomson
| Shaun Tomson | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Personal information | |
| Born | Shaun Tomson 21 August 1955 Durban, South Africa |
| Residence | Montecito, California, U.S. |
| Surfing career | |
| Years active | 1969–1990 |
| Best year | 1977 |
| Major achievements | 1977 IPS World Champion |
Shaun Tomson (born 21 August 1955) is a South African professional surfer and former world champion, environmentalist, actor, author and businessman.
He was born in Durban, South Africa. As a Jewish athlete, he was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. He learned to surf in the beachbreaks in and around Durban under the watchful eye of his father Ernie, and alongside older cousin Michael Tomson and brother Paul Tomson.
Tomson attended school in Durban - Clifton Preparatory, Carmel College and the University of Natal, where he received a Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in Business Finance. He graduated from Northeastern University with a Master of Science in Leadership with a focus on social change. Tomson went on to dominate amateur surfing competition in South Africa and began venturing over to Hawaii in the late 1960s, courtesy of a barmitzvah present from his father. It was on one of these trips that an awestruck 14-year-old Tomson witnessed at first hand the so-called "Biggest Wave Ever Ridden" by Californian Greg Noll at Mākaha in 1969. Hawaii's surf proved to be a daunting challenge for Tomson, but he continued to mature and train in South Africa's hollow waves, such as Cave Rock, the Bay Of Plenty, and Jeffrey's Bay.
Tomson has been listed as one of the 25 most influential surfers of the century and as one of the 10 greatest surfers of all time. During his career he was both the youngest and oldest surfer to win a pro event and is considered to be one of the architects of professional surfing.
In 1975, Tomson was an integral part of the "Free Ride" generation. Along with Australians Wayne Bartholomew, Mark Richards, Ian Cairns, Peter Townend and Mark Warren, they rode the infamous waves along Oahu's legendary North Shore with a style, aggression, and raw courage unseen prior to their arrival. Collectively, these surfers changed the face of surfing and were the first to really apply themselves as serious professional surfers. With his good looks, eloquence, and undeniable athleticism, Tomson served by default as the face and voice of this movement and he is still viewed as the prototype blueprint for today's pro surfer, with legions of fans throughout the world. Tomson won the highly coveted IPS World Championship in 1977.
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