MANLY 2012
photo Gary Crockett
Crowds hit North Steyne yesterday for the first weekend of the inaugural Australian Open of Surfing, and the return of big money stadium-style surf contests to Sydney after more than 2 decades. A few minutes after this shot was taken an approaching electrical storm forced organisers to empty the crowded stands and the nearby skate bowl.
MANLY 1964
centre spread photo Ron Perrott [American] Surfer September 1964
The first official international contest of surfers took place on Manly’s North Steyne, in May 1964. Some said it was 65,000 people on the beach, although this aerial shot taken of the big event by Ron Perrott for American Surfer magazine shows a smaller crowd. The photo caption reads… In a helicopter view of the World Contest, surfer-photographer Ron Perrott captures the colour of the spectacle. The crowd on the beach watches participants (left, center), while surfers on the right work out in the “free surf” area.
I was there in 1964 (think I can see myself on the beach in that photo, lol) It was a great event back then – not as commercial as now but for those times it really was a big deal. Cheers……
fiona murphy
14 Feb 12 at 3:15 am