World Champion Shaun Tomson to Visit Hawaiian South Shore in Mid-November

Meet a Surfing Legend at Hawaiian South Shore

One of the most exciting parts of owning a surf shop is having the opportunity to meet some of the greatest athletes and influencers from our sport—and sometimes we get to share that privilege with our customers. In mid-November, Hawaiian South Shore will be hosting one of surfing's all-time legends, world champion Shaun Tomson.

Shaun will be in Hawaii for a number of speaking engagements, and will dropping by the store at 5:00 p.m. on November 12 for a meet and greet. One of surfing's greatest talents during the 1970s, Shaun has become a soft-spoken but deeply engaging ambassador for the sport, while simultaneously advocating for the marine environment, sharing candidly about the painful loss of his son, and enjoying a second career as a popular motivational speaker. His impact over the past 10 years has been profound, and he continues to use his platform as a former world champion for the good of the community.

Shaun Tomson's Competitive Legacy and the Free Ride Era

Shaun was a leader of innovation during the Free Ride era (named after the seminal film Free Ride, which showcased his world-changing approach to riding waves). He was widely considered to be one of the top barrel riders of his generation, helping to pioneer the pigdog approach to backside barrel riding and, by most accounts, riding deeper at Pipe and Backdoor than just about anyone at the time. He broke Mark Richards' stranglehold on the world tour, winning the Pipe Masters in 1975/76 and becoming world champion in 1977. Nearly 50 years later, he remains the only South African male to have ever won the world championship. Shaun was also incredibly dominant in his home country's competitive scene, winning the Gunston 500 six years in a row, in addition to 19 major international events.

From World Champion to Motivational Speaker

Today, Shaun serves as a motivational speaker, addressing audiences all over the world, including C-suite executives of major corporations. He discusses the various challenges he has faced throughout his life, including those he experienced as a professional surfer, as well as losing his son when the boy was still a teenager. His inspirational speeches encourage people to adopt positive values that drive success and provide support during life's challenging periods.

Business Ventures and Environmental Advocacy

Shaun has also recently relaunched his clothing brand Instinct, which was originally founded in the 1980s. (He also launched a second brand called Solitude in the 1990s.) He is a prolific author, having written books such as "Surfers Code – 12 Simple Lessons for Riding through Life" and "Bustin Down the Door – Revolution of '75 (the latter of which is the companion to the film "Bustin Down the Door," which he co-produced). He was also the first professional surfer to become a member of the Surfrider Foundation, and ultimately served as chairman of the advisory board. In addition, he co-founded his own ocean environmentalism foundation, Project Save Our Surf.

Join Us for This Historic Visit

Shaun moved to California in 1980. He currently lives in the Santa Barbara area with his wife and adopted son. We feel incredibly privileged to have Shaun visiting us here in Honolulu, and hope you will all come down to meet this legend of the sport.