</div>
<div id="primary_links">
</div>
</div>
<div id="maincontent">
<div class="maintext">
<div class="resize-text">
<h1>Shaun Tomson</h1>
<div class="frontpage_node_content ">
<div id="rrpedia"><div class="item-list"><ul id="rrpedia-header"><li class="first">**Updated** 21-06-2011, 16:52</li><li><a class="ext" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shaun_Tomson&action=edit" target="_blank">Modify</a></li><li class="last"><a class="ext" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun_Tomson" target="_blank">Original document</a></li></ul></div><div id="rrpedia-content"><table class="metadata plainlinks ambox ambox-content" border="0">
This **
biographical article needs additional
citations for
verification**. Please help by adding
reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced **must be removed immediately**, especially if potentially
libelous or harmful.
(May 2011)
Shaun Tomson
|
Personal information |
Born |
Shaun Tomchinsky
August 21, 1955 (age 55)
Durban, South Africa |
Residence |
Montecito, California, U.S. |
Surfing career |
Years active |
1974–1990 |
Best year |
1975 |
Major achievements |
1975 IPS World Champion |
Shaun Tomson (born Shaun Tomchinsky; August 21, 1955) is a South African professional surfer[1] and former world champion, environmentalist, actor, author and businessman.
[edit] Life and career
He was born Shaun Tomshinsky 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.
Shaun attended school in Durban - Clifton Preparatory and Carmel
College. Shaun went on to dominate amateur surfing competition in South
Africa and began venturing over to Hawaii in the late 60’s, courtesy of a
barmitzvah present from his father. It was on one of these trips that
an awestruck 14 year old Tomson eyewitnessed the so-called “Biggest Wave
Ever Known” by Californian Greg Noll at Makaha in 1969. Hawaii’s surf
proved to be a daunting challenge for Shaun, 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.
[edit] Surfing and the Free Ride generation
In 1975, Shaun was an integral part of the “Free Ride” generation.
Along with Australians Rabbit 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.
On a performance level, Tomson completely changed the way the tube of
the wave was ridden, using a completely unique style of pumping and
weaving through and around collapsing sections of the barrel. Even
today, his electrifying performances at Off The Wall and Backdoor
Pipeline stand the test of time. A very underrated aspect of Tomson’s
inventiveness was his in the tube punch throughs where he escaped
unscathed from hideous closeout sections over a shallow reef.
[edit] Tomson and film
Shaun Tomson has appeared in many films including Free Ride, Fantasea, Many Classic Moments, and In God’s Hands. Tomson also co-produced an award winning full length feature film about the benchmark mid-70’s surfing era called, “Bustin’ Down The Door” which premiered in early 2008.
[edit] Tragedy
The Tomsons’ son Mathew died on April 24, 2006 in Durban, South Africa from an accidental death caused by playing the “choking game.”[2]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links