1980s

Money begins to enter the world of surfing and the surfing equipment and fashion industries evolve.

Surfers

Surf spots

Thurso

Alex Conrad

Alex Conrad was brought up in Cornwall. He learnt to surf in the 1980s and has competed both on traditional wooden bellyboards and on more traditional ‘longboards’.

Steve England

Steve England is the Editor of Carve surfing magazine. He grew up surfing Porthtowan in Cornwall, after his parents moved down from Lancashire.

Steve England

Steve England is the Editor of Carve surfing magazine. He grew up surfing Porthtowan in Cornwall, after his parents moved down from Lancashire.

Steven Wilkinson

Steven Wilkinson is Technical Director of Swell Surf Products making boards for people to learn on.

Nick Radcliffe

Nick Radcliffe started surfing aged 12 in St Agnes and got his first surfboard in 1973 for £15.

Andy Bennetts

Andy Bennetts is one of the pioneers of Scottish surfing. Along with Bill Batten and Ian Wishart he set up the Scottish Surfing Federation in the 1970s and encouraged the development of the surfing scene in Scotland.

Alan Bleakley

The first person Alan Bleakley saw surfing was an Australian lifeguard, Bob Head, on Great Western beach, Newquay. His first board was one of Bob Head’s which he got courtesy of a card game for his 15^th birthday.

Paul Russell

Former European Surfing Champion in Open (1983-85) and Senior (1991-93) divisions, Paul Russell was winner of the first European Professional Surfing Circuit in 1984. Twice British Champion. Six times English Champion.

Andy Bain

Andy Bain has been surfing in Thurso since the 1980's.

Alex Wade

Alex Wade was brought up in Devon and now lives in west Cornwall. He has contributed surfing columns and features for national newspapers including The Times where he started a daily surfing blog. He wrote 'Surf Nation' in 2007. He is a trustee for Surfers Against Sewage.

Alex Wade

Russell Winter

Brought up in Newquay, Russel Winter was the first ever European to qualify for the World Championship Tour and continued to compete at an international level for well over a decade with memorable wins over Mark Occolupo, Kelly Slater and Sunny Garcia.

Andy Hill

Andy Hill runs Troggs surf shop in Portrush, Northern Ireland and competed for Ireland in the 80s and 90s. His father, Ian Hill, was one NI's first surfers.

Andy Hill

Andy Hill runs Troggs surf shop in Portrush, Northern Ireland and competed for Ireland in the 80s and 90s. His father, Ian Hill, was one NI's first surfers.

Andy Hill

Andy Hill runs Troggs surf shop in Portrush, Northern Ireland and competed for Ireland in the 80s and 90s. His father, Ian Hill, was one NI's first surfers.

Andy Hill

Andy Hill runs Troggs surf shop in Portrush, Northern Ireland and competed for Ireland in the 80s and 90s. His father, Ian Hill, was one NI's first surfers.

Minnow Green

Robert Green joined Hayle SLSC in 1966 and got his first board in 1967. Called Minnow because he was competent in the water and was small, he was 3 times British Double Ski Champion. Now based in St Agnes, Minnow set up the British Longboarding Union in 1996.

Chris Griffiths

Chris 'Guts' Griffiths won numerous Welsh, British and European titles during the 80s and 90s. Today he and shapes boards on the Gower in Wales.

Arlene Maltman

During the summer of 1976, aged 12, Arlene Maltman borrowed boards and suits and kept practicing in the whitewater. She won the European Championships in 1984 and the British in 1984. She is President of Jersey Surf Club.

Pete Ash

Pete Ash moved to Cornwall in the late 1960s aged 12. He got into surfing through his father who had been posted to Australia during the war and brought boards and surfing ideas back to postwar Britain.