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GB - Newspaper feature of surfing
Surfing in Waikiki makes the front cover of the Illustrated London News. -
GB - Trace of surfers in Cornwall
Photograph of surfers in Cornwall with primitive boards - resembling alaias. -
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Development of surfing in the British islands
During this timespan, surfing was mainly practised by individuals. Even though the first British club was founded in 1923 in Britain, it remained a niche activity.
The little upswing surfing experienced in the 1920-30s was stopped by WWII. -
GB - Island Surf Club of Jersey
Creation of the first British surf club by Nigel Oxenden. Having experienced surfing in Hawaii, South Attica and Australia after WWI, he brought the sport back to Britain. -
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GB - Promotion of surfing
Magazines for scout movements promoted surfing and guides for surf-riding were published. Companies also exploited surfing as a way to stimulate tourism. -
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Surfing in the British islands
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First wave of popularisation of surfing
After WWII, leisure activities and seaside resorts gained in popularity - thanks to a consequential promotion of the latter. Surfing was one of those activities, and up until the 1960s it remained as such. -
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Organisation of surfing
From the 1960s on, surfing clubs were founded all over the British Islands. Institutions were thus created, so as to organise competitions and set rules.
At the same time, European competitions took place on British and Irish sport. -
IR - Kevin Cavey
Kevin Cavey starts surfing on wooden planks, before building his own surfboard. He would carry out a surfari, where he went to Donnegal, Northern Ireland and the West Coast to do surfing demonstrations. After having represented Ireland in a surfing competition in San Diego, California, he came back home with the will to develop similar contests in Ireland. He would be involved in the teaching of surfing throughout Ireland, and one of the pioneers of Irish surfing. -
IR - Bray Ireland Surf Club
Founded by Kevin Cavey, the BISC was the very first surfing club, meant to educate people on the sport. The club was officially founded and exposed to the public during the 1966 Boat Show, which led to further connections including Roger Steadmann who became a lifelong friend and with Kevin played a pivotal role in the early development of Irish Surfing. -
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Professionalisation of surfing
As institutions had been set up and crowds grew in size when attending competitions, money got into surfing. Sponsors injected money prizes in it. With this process of professionalisation, surfing drifted away from being a lifestyle and became a sport. The organisation of surfing had already initiated this. -
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IR - Creation of the Irish Surfing Association
After a number of surfing clubs emerged in the 1970s, they would be put under the authority of the ISA, which is still to this day the ruling body of surfing in Ireland. -
IR - Smirnoff incident
The 1972 ESC were a watershed in Irish surfing. The event was a success, as waves and surfers delivered a show that would put Ireland on the map of European surfing. However, Smirnoff, the main sponsor of the event had displayed a banner that stated "We enjoyed surfing until we discovered Smirnoff". The statement created a schism amongst surfers. A part of them understood the need for publicity to help the growth of surfing, whereas others condemned the use of surfing for commercial purposes. -
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Second wave of popularisation of surfing
Having been stimulated by the increasingly popular competitions, surfing becomes more accessible with the improved gear. Even though the activity remains expensive, it is physically more accessible and possibly less challenging. -
IR - Full scale development of surfing in Ireland
The ISA set up its headquarters in Easkey.