Let’s get one thing straight; there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to surf a twinnie. The beautiful part of this particular surf craft is the freedom it allows the operator: mentally, physically, and spiritually. The great Mark Richards is credited with popularising the twin fin in 1977 with his Free Ride-era self-shaped twin fins. But, if you go back in surfing history to the late 1940s, you’ll hear tales of San Diego, California designer and surfer Bob Simmons, riding his unique take on the twin fin, along with experimental twin-fin designs made by Bear Mirandon, Steve Lis, as well as the Eaton-McCoy and other under-the-radar designs happening in pockets around the world.
When Mark Richards burst onto the scene with a signature twinnie under his feet, the surf world felt a seismic shift—the atom split, single fins all over the world were shelved, and twinnies reigned supreme. MR won twin-fin-powered world titles from 1978 to 1982.
Mark Richards names Reno Abellira’s performance on an early Lis Fish as one of the sparks of his twin-fin exploration. Shortly thereafter, MR went to work under the tutelage of Dick Brewer to create his beloved contest-killing twin fin that he employed to epic effect.
