Surfing has been around forever. Okay, not that long but since before surf magazines at least, and it’ll likely be around long after the last mag is printed. But along with the stoke and interest that pictures and articles provide, a magazine – especially one that’s spanned over four decades – can also act as a useful archive. So for those that haven’t got the full lowdown on the Saffa surfing story, this week we’re throwing you back to the turn of the millennium (Vol. 24.1) which gives “The Big Picture.”
(click images to view larger and read)
1976 – 1982 covers the birth of Zigzag through to Mark Richards’ fourth consecutive IPS title – a feat that was thought impossible to match. Sorry Mark, Kelly was born.
1983 – 1990 spans from the start of the new ASP world tour that kicked-off in Durban, through to the release of Nelson Mandela, which had its own major ripple effects.
1994 – 1998 sees Jason Ribbink nearly getting scalped at Backdoor in Hawaii. 100 stitches and three years later, Cass and Ian charge Robben Island for the first time.
1999 and beyond makes some interesting predictions. While some are now a reality, thank Neptune that surfing isn’t quite yet being contested in wavepools at the Olympics.
(above) Seth Hulley ‘competing’ at the Shareworld wavepool in Johannesburg – circa ’87.
(top) Raymond Robertson tucks into a KZN tube – both images © Chris van Lennep
* Got something to add ? Tune us the story for our Write to Surf competition, which has some epic prizes up for grabs.
