Legends of the boards to be honored

Mike Sciacca

Four individuals who either evolved or revolutionized the sport of

surfing through technique, ability or lifestyle, will be inducted

Friday into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame.

The annual ceremony this year will induct the late Carl Hayward, a

local surfboard shaper known for the “Rocket Fish;” Tom Carroll, a

hard-charging surfer who became a two-time world champion; Robert

McKnight, who brought about a wildly successful marriage of the surf

lifestyle to fashion; and Mark Richards, surfing’s first four-time

consecutive world champion.

The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at 300 Pacific Coast Highway in

front of Huntington Surf and Sport.

“We’re really honored to have these individuals cemented here at

Huntington Surf and Sport,” said Aaron Pai, Surfers’ Hall of Fame

committee member and owner of Huntington Surf and Sport. “We are

honoring athletes for their personal achievements and the mark they

have left on the sport of surfing.

“I think on Friday there will be more world titles gathered on one

street corner than there’s ever been.”

Serving as masters of ceremonies for the event are former world

and five-time U.S. overall champion Corky Carroll and six-time world

champion Kelly Slater.

“Each of these inductees is special in their own unique way and

gave us so many special memories,” Pai said. “They showed us how to

surf and what good surfing was all about.

The Surfers’ Hall of Fame is the first imprint collection of

legendary surfers in the world. Both Carroll and Slater were part of

the first class inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.

Carl Hayward

(19572005)

The surfing lifestyle epitomized Carl Hayward, who opened his

self-named storefront in Surf City, created the 1980s iconic Rocket

Fish surfboard, owned a few surf shops before going on to join Hurley

International and coached the Marina High School surf team.

Hayward was known for his strong family values, honesty and work

ethic, which made him one of the most notable figures in the surf

industry.

He died on Jan. 21 at age 48 in a place that had been heaven on

earth to him -- the ocean. His body was found floating near the south

side of the Huntington Beach Pier.

Family and friends numbering more than 100 saluted the respected

Hayward with a paddle-out on Jan. 30 south of the pier.

He will be remembered fondly once again on Friday.

“He’ll definitely be there in spirit,” Pai said.

Tom Carroll

Australian Tom Carroll dominated the surf contest scene in the

1980s, his dominance stretching from Hawaii’s Pipeline to a wave pool

on the East Coast. “Strength” and “fortitude” have been used to

describe Carroll, who won two world championship titles during an

injury-riddled career.

He also boycotted South Africa contests due to that country’s

policy on apartheid, which put an end to his world championship

contention. His record still stands at 26 victories, however, and by

the end of the 1980s, he became surfing’s million-dollar man by

signing a contract with longtime sponsor, Quiksilver.

Robert McKnight

During the 1970s, Robert McKnight and his friend and business

partner, surf legend Jeff Hakman, obtained a license to sell

Quiksilver board shorts in the United States.

When he started out with Quiksilver, a company founded in

Australia in 1970, McKnight drove along the coast, marketing clothing

to California surf shops. Those are humble beginnings compared to

where he stands now as chairman and CEO of the Huntington Beach-based

company.

The company went public in 1986 and Quiksilver has since grown to

include multiple clothing lines.

Today, Quiksilver still stands at the forefront by creating 18

diverse brands for diverse markets. It manufactures snowboard boots,

bindings and boards and distributes surf, skate and snow fashion

throughout the United States and Europe.

The McKnight name still influences the surf industry as he

sponsors youth surf contests, environmental studies and professional

surfing all over the world.

“The one thing about Robert that most people don’t talk about is

just how much he has influenced our American culture through his surf

wear,” Pai said. “For 30 years he has held the title as the top

manufacturer in the industry.

“He has marketed and shared our sport not just in Orange County,

California and the U.S., but he’s done it all over the world. He’s

portrayed the sport in such a positive light and manner, and the

sport has grown because of what he has done.”

Mark Richards

Riding his short, winged, twin-fin surfboard -- a revolutionary

design for its time -- Mark Richards surfed his way to world

championship titles in four consecutive years, a record that stood

for 15 years. The Aussie first made a statement in the water at age

6, winning nearly every contest he entered. Soon, he was at the top

of the Australian surf scene, but with professional surfing not yet

established, Richards spent his time surfing in his hometown of

Merewether.

When professional surfing did start in 1976, Richards was right

there. He won two major events at Hawaii’s North Shore and resided as

one of the world’s top three surfers for a few years.

In 1979, Richards, whose long body contributed to his surfing

style and earned him the nickname Wounded Gull, mastered his

board-shaping abilities and created the winged twin-fin.

Richards surfed on the pro tour during the 1970s and 1980s, before

getting into surfboard shaping at his family shop in his native

Australia. In 2001, he showed his championship form by winning the

over-40 division at the World Masters Championships.

Past Surfers’ Hall of Fame inductees:

2004

December

David Nuuhiwa Sr.

July

Jack Haley

Peter “PT” Townend

Mark Occhilupo

Gerry Lopez

Jericho Poppler

2003

May

Bud Llamas

Paul Strauch

Mike Doyle

July

Andy Irons

Shaun Tompson

Tom Curren

Jack O’Neill

2002

May

Corky Carroll

Robert August

Robert “Wingnut” Weaver

August

Kelly Slater

Lisa Andersen

Laird Hamilton

Joel Tudor