more meet stuff

Here's me in my element at the surf meet surrounded by some favourite boards, photo by Graham Looker. I have learnt a few things about this board since I bought it . Although a Graham Nile it was probably shaped by Aussie John Hall, who also did a lot of shaping at Tiki in Devon. This particular board was owned by Steve Daniel, one of the top British surfers of the late 70s/ early 80s and was his Porthleven stick in the mid -late 70s. Bet it could tell a few stories.

1973, Surf Insight

Some of the illustrious visitors to the meet included Rod Sumpter, Chris Jones, Roger Mansfield, Gwynedd Haslock, Rob Hendy of Hendy&Harber, and this lady, Yvonne Bickers, wife of the late cabinet maker and creator of legendary 60s longboards Fred Bickers. She is holding a Bickers longboard from around 1965, owned by Skelly and one of his coveted collection of Bickers boards. Where he finds them I don't know - right place at right time must have alot to do with it.
This board is actually the one Brian Schofield is holding in this Bickers publicity photo from around 1965/6. It was taken at the island in Newquay, not a million miles away from where Yvonne is standing. The board came home for a few precious hours before returning to the foreign lands of Devon. Weird thing is it looks exactly the same now as it did in 1965 - built to last in them days son !

Here's my old mate Sean, glad he could make it along with his radical bright 80s collection. Everyone needed to wear shades in this area.