OLYMPIC GAME OF THROES
[1988 ISA WORLD LONGBOARD SURFING CHAMPION]
As a young grommet learning to surf at Mermaid Beach in the early ’60s, one of my dreams was to see surfing in the Olympics. This would represent true recognition as a fully-fledged sport.
When Phyllis O’Donnell (Banora Point, Tweed Heads) and Bernard "Midget" Farrelly (Palm Beach, Sydney) won the first world titles at Manly Beach, it seemed the next logical step for surfing was to be truly recognized as a world sport. World professional surfing kicked off in 1977 with Coolangatta’s Peter Townend crowned as the first world professional champion. Yet, surfing was still stereotyped as
