The Inertia's Visual History of the ASP

When competitions first burst onto the surfing scene in the '60s, the men and women who participated competed for passion and pride. Not so much in the way of cash as sponsorship wasn't yet a thing. There was no “surf industry.”

It was the amateur era indeed. Early greats like Bob McTavish, Joey Cabell, Midget Farrelly and Mike Doyle won their respective National Championships and various international events, but beyond that, surfing didn't have much else to offer.

While surfing's camaraderie was rich, the surfers themselves were not. There was very little money flowing through the sport. Surfers were rewarded with personal achievement, and much like other amateur sports of the '60s, any reign at the top was short-lived.

For the full article and photo gallery log on to The Inertia