The City of Durban is all set to celebrate 50 Years of Surfing with the DBN X FST, a surf/skate/music/art festival along the Golden Mile kicking-off this Saturday, 27 June, before a ‘Surfing Through The Ages’ Exhibition starts next Wednesday, 1 July.
The World Surf Cities Network will be hosted in Durban next week, and the ‘Surfing Through The Ages’ exhibition at the Dairy Beach pumphouse (just back from the New Pier promenade) is part of the festivities. Patrick Flanagan, along with other members of the South African Surfing Legends organisation, have been working hard to make sure there’s an incredible collection of surf memorabilia on display, and everyone is invited.
The exhibition starts at 1:00pm on Wednesday, 1 July, and runs for two months with free entry. So pop in and peep around, chat to some of the legends, and stare in awe at the iconic photos and boards that will be featured.
Check out the press release below for more details.
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CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SURFING IN DURBAN
The Pump House building at New Pier in Durban is the venue for an exhibition that traces the history of surfing in the city back to the early sixties. The display that opens to public on the 1st July 2015, runs for three months.
Durban’s waves are regarded by many as some of the best and most consistent in the world.
In bygone days Durban was the home of the Gunston 500 that started in 1969. The iconic event ran annually in July each year for over two decades, attracting the world’s best surfers to the city beaches.
Durban has produced a number of surfers who have gone on to achieve greatness on the world stage.
Max Wetteland, who has spent more than 50 years surfing Durban’s waves, was the first representative surfer from this country to attend an international event, the inaugural World Titles held in Manly Australia in 1964.
Both Shaun Tomson who won the IPS World Professional Title in 1977 and Martin Potter, who won the same title in 1989, grew up surfing the waves off Durban’s beaches.
Photos of Durban legends like; Mike Ginsberg, Robert McWade, Shaun Tomson, George Thomopoulos, Errol Hickman, Max Wetteland, plus many more will be on display.
Since then ‘Surf City’ as Durban is often called, has produced numerous internationally renowned surfers like Mike Burness, Paul Canning, David Weare and Travis Logie as well many ISA world amateur champions.
Currently Durban’s Jordy Smith is a World Surfing League contender.
Durban is an important producer of surfboards and surfing accessories. A number of manufacturers
export these much sought after products to global markets.
Many great international surf clothing brands are and have been based in Durban.
The exhibition will showcase the Durban surfing pioneers, past and current heroes and the golden years of surfing in Durban. A selection of vintage surfboards will be on display.
Entrance is free.
The event is sponsored by the Ethekwini Municipality and Durban Tourism and is presented by
South African Surfing Legends.
For further information contact Pat Flanagan at pat@breezehill.co.za or 073 9600 158
