International Surfing Association Turns 50: Surfing’s History from 1964-2014

From Midget Farrelly’s groundbreaking win at the first World Surfing Championship in 1964 to Tatiania Weston-Webb’s unbridled Gold Medal performance at the 2014 VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship, the International Surfing Association (ISA) has led the evolution and development of surfing for 50 years. Photo: Jack Eden | ISA

Even surfers in ’64 had groupies. Midget Farrelly and Nat Young mingle with the fans at the historic inaugural World Surfing Championship held at Manly Beach, Australia. The contest was significant in that it was the first time in history that all of the world’s surfing countries came together and competed against one another in a sanctioned, sponsored forum. Photo: Jack Eden | ISA

While it was Farrelly that topped the podium in ’64, there was no shortage of notable talent on hand. California hot-dogger Mike Doyle (left) would finish runner-up and Hawaiian stylist Joey Cabell finished third. Photo: Jack Eden | ISA

In ’65 the World Surfing Championship moved to Lima, Peru, where eventual winner Felipe Pomar (picture on the left), who had become somewhat of a celebrity in his native country, hosted the festivities at Club Waikiki. Australians like Farrelly and adventurer Peter Troy enjoyed the nightlife almost as much as the surf. The picture on the right includes (from right to left) ISA founder Eduardo Arena, Midget Farrelly, Nat Young, Peter Troy, and unidentified. Photo: ISA Archive

As the sport of surfing grew in popularity, the World Surfing Championship, also known as the World Contest, landed at Ocean Beach in San Diego. Amidst the fanfare and drama (like David Nuuhiwa’s board being hung in effigy from the Ocean Beach Pier), Nat Young unfurled “Magic Sam,” a sleek 9’4” featuring Bob McTavish’s vee-bottom concept and a George Greenough-designed fin. He would runaway with the win, and shortly thereafter the “Shortboard Revolution” would kick into overdrive. Photo: Ron Stoner | Surfer Magazine Archive

In the last vestige of the longboard era, Fred Hemmings eked out a win in Puerto Rico in ’68. While guys like Mike Hynson and Reno Abellira gave the surf a going over on their shorter, more maneuverable down-railers, Hemmings’ more traditional lines ultimately prevailed. Photo: Singletary

By the time California’s Rolf Arness won the World Surfing Championship at Johanna, Australia, in ‘70 and Hawaii’s Jimmy Blears (pictured with George Downing and ISA founder Eduardo Arena) won in ’72, competitive surfing was on the decline. For numerous reasons, the World Surfing Championship wouldn’t be held again until ‘78. Photo: ISA Archive

In 1980 a skinny, shy kid from Santa Barbara landed in Biarritz, France, and won the first-ever ISA World Junior Surfing Championship (left). Two years later he would shock the world by beating the Australians on their home turf at Duranbah for the World Surfing (Open) Championship. And thus, the legend of Tom Curren was born. A few years down the track, in 2011 he won the ISA Masters title. He’s the only surfer in history to hold an ISA Junior, Open, and Masters World Championships.Photo: Peter Townend

1984 United States Gold Medal Team from the ISA World Surfing Championship in Huntington Beach: Back row (left to right): Coach Peter “PT” Townend, Brad Gerlach, Chris Burke, Mike Parsons, Dave Oates, Coach Chuck Allen. Middle row: Doug Silva, Scott Farnsworth, Bill Johnson, Jeff Booth, Randy Wright, unidentified, Sean McGriff. Front row: Tricia Gill, Craig Comen, Todd Holland, Richard Woolcott, Phil Fein, Janice Aragon. Photo: Peter Townend

Arriving in San Diego by way of Argentina, in ‘85 Fernando Aguerre (above) and his brother, Santiago, opened a fledgling sandal company called Reef. After selling their stake in the business in 2005, Fernando’s involvement in the ISA kicked into overdrive. Since ‘94 he’s served as the organization’s president. In that time the ISA has grown from 32 to 84 countries strong and is working very hard to seeing the sport gain entrance into the Olympic Games. Photo: ISA Archive

In its 50-year history the ISA has been instrumental in ushering in progressive young talent. In ‘90 the New School crew, including Kelly Slater (right), Taylor Knox, Rob Machado (left), Pat O’Connell and Shane Dorian, all landed in Japan for what O’Connell remembers as “the best trip ever.” Slater did not make the finals of the event. The ISA title is still one of the only trophies that’s eluded him throughout his distinguished career. Photo: John Seaton Callahan

In the early 1990s when he was just exploding on the scene, Kalani Robb was one of the most feared competitors. In ‘94, back when Ruffles sponsored surf contests and wearing denim shorts on the podium was acceptable, Robb won the ISA World Junior title in Rio, Brazil. Photo: John Seaton Callahan

In ’98 the ISA organized a history making specialty big-wave contest, The Reef@Todos, the inaugural ISA Big Wave World Championship, held at Todos Santos in Baja, Mexico. With huge, El Niño-fueled surf punishing most competitors, Knox would catch a beast of a wave that would kick off what’s now the annual Billabong XXL Awards, and the Big Wave World Tour. Photo courtesy of Aguerre Collection

With a new century came a new crop of exceptionally talented surfers. 2006 was an especially telling year for the ISA. Julian Wilson (pictured) won the World Junior Surfing Championship in the Under 16 Division and Owen Wright won the Under 18 Division in Maresias, Brazil. Later that year Jordy Smith won the Open Men’s, and Stephanie Gilmore won the Open Women’s at the World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach. Today all four of those surfers remain at the pinnacle of the sport. Photo courtesy of ISA

ISA World Championships are held annually at some of the more idyllic locations around the world. Case in point, Santa Catalina, Panama, 2013 ISA World Surfing Games. Photo courtesy of ISA Archive

In 2010 Gabriel Medina took the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship at Piha, New Zealand, by storm. Combining impossible tube rides with an even more progressive repertoire, it was the first time the world took notice of Medina’s remarkable natural ability...and they wouldn’t soon forget what they saw. Photo courtesy of ISA Archive

Providing a springboard for their professional careers, every one of the 17 surfers on the 2014 ASP Women’s World Tour are former ISA competitors, with seven of them Gold Medalists, including America’s Courtney Conlogue (pictured), France’s Pauline Ado, and Australia’s Stephanie Gilmore, Sally Fitzgibbons, Tyler Wright, Dimity Stoyle, and Laura Enever. Photo courtesy of ISA Archive

Anchored by the likes of Cory Lopez, Ben Bourgeois, Nat Young, Courtney Conlogue and Sage Erickson, Team USA showed up at the 2009 ISA World Surfing Games in Costa Rica with something to prove, winning the overall Team Gold Medal. It was the last time the U.S. has won Team Gold. Photo courtesy of ISA Archive

In ’08 Florida journeyman CJ Hobgood took gold at the World Surfing Games. He’s the only surfer on the 2014 ASP World Tour that owns both ISA and ASP world titles. Ever the team player, Hobgood remarked, “It would have been the ultimate to win a team gold, but we had the second best team and it was all good. It was a sick team (including Ben Bourgeoise, Dillon Perrillo, and Nat Young) and everyone got along so good. Everyone laid it all out there and that’s how the cards fell.” Photo courtesy of ISA Archive

Today the ISA calendar includes several events such as longboarding, bodyboarding, kneeboarding, SUP Racing and SUP Surfing, as well as a specialty event on China’s Hainan Island. The 2014 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship in Nicaragua (above on Lake Nicaragua, Granada) showcased the reach and size of the international paddle community with 244 entrants from 27 countries. Photo courtesy of ISA

ISA President Fernando Aguerre has been a leading advocate for the sport all his life. For the last seven years he has devoted most of his energy to it and has made a lot of headway. Pictured above is Fernando and IOC President Thomas Bach, as the ISA President expresses his support to the IOC President's innovative “Agenda 2020.” This presents an opportunity for surfing to be included in the Olympic Summer Games. Photo courtesy of Aguerre Collection

Since 2007, the ISA has awarded 192 scholarships worth $172,500 to aspiring under 18 year old surfers. This year, the organization will award 25 $1,000 and 50 $500 scholarships. India’s Jyothi M. Bangera (left) has only been surfing since January of 2012, but is quickly catching on and helping grow the sport at home, while Juninho Urcia (right) hails from the small fishing village of Huanchaco, Peru, and in 2007, at age 11, he became the recipient of an ISA Scholarship. Remaining an ISA Scholarship recipient for five consecutive years, in 2011 he became the youngest-ever Peruvian Open Men’s National Champion. Photo courtesy of ISA Archive

Proving that surfing is a truly international sport, France’s Pauline Ado captured the first gold for a French women in 2006. In 2009 Jeremy Flores (pictured) won the World Surfing Games, giving France its first ISA Open Men’s Gold Medal. Photo courtesy of ISA Archive

A gathering of surfing nations, the Opening Ceremony for any ISA World Championship is a spectacle to behold. ISA President Fernando Aguerre (pictured) declaring the event officially open, after all nations have poured their sands in the Sands of the World Ceremony, symbolizing the peaceful union of the world through surfing. Photo courtesy of ISA Archive

In Duke we trust. The great Duke Kahanamoku, father of modern surfing, receiving a Gold Medal in swimming at the 1912 Olympic Games. From Duke’s autobiography from 1966: “Even as early as that date, I was already thinking of surfing in terms of how it could someday become one of the events in the Olympic Games. Why Not? I still believe surfing will one day be recognized, voted and accepted.” As the ISA looks towards realizing the dream of surfing as an Olympic sport, there is inspiration to be found in what Duke accomplished more than a hundred years ago. Photo courtesy of ISA