Surfing

DESCRIPTION:

When Hawaii's Duke Kahanamoku, a police officer and Olympic champion, was invited to Australia in 1914 he was asked to put on a surfing demonstration at Freshwater in Sydney. The Duke complied on his own surfboard and then crafted a wooden surfboard from local timber to demonstrate how it was done. Duke Kahanamoku then went on to teach the sport to others and as locals took to the new sport with alacrity: the Australian Surfer was born. By 1924 Australian surfing had progressed and was popular enough for the inaugural Australian Board Riding Championship to be held.