Shady Hollow - surfers
Two of the best surfers in the world have surfed on a Shady Hollow surfboard. One you’ve probably already read about on the website, Wayne Lynch, the other one is Michael Peterson. Besides myself and Richard Evans, I don’t think any other manufacturer could say that they have had those two surfers ride their boards.
One of my team riders, Kelly Pritchard was in Sydney for the Australian Titles in the late ‘70s. He was sitting on the beach watching a few heats when MP walked up to him and asked if he could borrow his board. Kelly was stunned and of course said yes. MP was in the next heat and as usual, he won this event. He came back to Kelly and said “that board surfs really well”, then he up and left. Kelly couldn’t wait to come home and tell me what happened. Michael Pierce shaped that board, and he was equally pumped that MP liked his shape. Kelly was an excellent surfer and placed highly in a lot of local and state competitions.
Simon Buttonshaw and Charlie Bartlett (Charles of the Sea) were two friends who grew up in Torquay in the late ‘60s and ‘70s. Simon was also good friends with Wayne and hand painted a mural on the 1st board Wayne ever shaped. Simon was not only an incredible artist, but he was a really good surfer who featured in a lot of local and interstate competitions. Charles won the 1st Alan Oke Memorial Competition at Phillip Island and, for the next year, the big question was “will Charlie return?” (he didn’t)! He was also a pioneer in environmental issues helping form the organisation called SANE - https://sanesurfers.org. Charles coined the now famous phrase “don’t destroy what you came to enjoy”. Charles loved big waves and was never afraid to tackle any sized wave.
There was one local surfer that had an incredible amount of talent, and he was one of the most radical surfers that I have ever seen. I regard Ian Mulligan as one of the best surfers this coast has ever produced.
Another surfer who rode my boards for a while was Wally Tiballs. A very talented goofy-footer who won the Quiksilver Trials at Bells Beach in 1976.
My good friend Ron Roozen won the first cash competition the Pennisula Board Riders held on a Shady Hollow. Ron is an excellent surfer and won or placed highly in quite a few local and state competitions. He later went on to become one of the best judges in the ASA.
Michael Marchant was also an excellent surfer and loved competing. Actually, the first ASA competition I went in as a teenager , I came up against Mick in my first ever heat. He was vicious in the water, who was to know he was to become one of my best friends. He is also a talented artist and did lots of sticker designs for Trigger Bros which are still being used today.
The list of young guys who rode my boards is endless. I have a soft spot for everyone of them and I’m so grateful that I met them. Long live the Reefers!
