George Downing (surfer)

George Downing (May 2, 1930 – March 5, 2018) was an American surfer based in Hawaii. In 1951, he created the first surfboard with a removable fin.

Early life

Downing, of Irish-American background, was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii Territory, where he learned to surf at the age of nine. He took a route as a paper boy and bought his first surfboard from a homeowner along his route.[1] By 1942, his uncle Wally Froiseth took him around the islands to surf.[2]

Career

Downing noticed that surfers were becoming reckless and getting injured after trying to surf 25-foot waves.[3] Consequently, Downing built "The Rocket", a surfboard with a removable fin, and thus revolutionized the surfboard and surfing.[4][5] This redwood board is considered the first real big-wave gun, a board able to ride a large wave.[6] With this board, Downing competed in and won the 1954 Makaha International Surfing Championship and appeared in multiple movies.[4] When he wasn't competing, he accepted a teaching placement at the Outrigger Canoe Club, where he met his future wife, Gildea.[7] In total, Downing won the Makaha International Surfing Championship three times; 1954, 1961, and 1965.[8]

After leaving Outrigger Canoe Club, Downing opened his own surf shop in Kaimuki, which later earned him the Legacy Award from the Hawaii Tourism Authority.[9] He later competed in the 1965 World Championships, where he finished seventh, and the 1968 Peru International where he came third. From there, he turned to coaching where he led Hawaii to the 1968 World Surfing Championship Title.[10]

In 2011, Downing was inducted into the Surfers' Hall of Fame alongside Taylor Knox and Chuck Linnen.[11] He died in March 2018 at the age of 87.[12]

References
  1. Pennybacker, Mindy (March 7, 2018). "Hawaii surfing pioneer George Downing remembered". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  2. Housman, Justin (March 14, 2018). "The Calculated Badassery of Big-wave Pioneer George Downing". adventure-journal.com. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  3. "Big Kahuna Is In Command". Burlington Daily Times News. North Carolina. April 14, 1976.icon of an open green padlock
  4. Howard, Jake (2018). "Saying Goodbye To The First Surfer To Turn A Board". stabmag.com. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  5. Marcus, Ben (November 15, 2013). 365 Surfboards: The Coolest, Raddest, Most Innovative Boards from Around the World. Voyageur Press. p. 93. ISBN 9781610588553. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  6. "THE HISTORY OF THE GUN SURFBOARD". finbin.net. March 2, 2019. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  7. Young, Jackie M. (2018). "Surfing Is Life At Downing Hawaii". hawaiibusiness.com. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  8. "George Downing "1999 Surf Pioneer"". surfingwalkoffame.com. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  9. Jobeth Devera (March 6, 2018). "Surfing pioneer and environmentalist George Downing dies at 87". hawaiinewsnow.com. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  10. "GEORGE DOWNING". usblanks.com. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  11. "Three To Be Inducted Into Hall". Fountain Valley View. California. March 10, 2011.icon of an open green padlock
  12. Davison, Phil (March 14, 2018). "Vince Collier and George Downing, legendary surfers and polar-opposite personalities, have died". Washington Post. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
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