ASB MAGAZINE:The Australian surfing community will gather next Tuesday, April 2nd on the Gold Coast to honour four-time Women’s World Champion Wendy Botha who will be inducted into the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame.
Botha becomes the 41st inductee into the Hall of Fame next Tuesday (April 2nd) at the Australian Surfing Awards on the Gold Coast. Powerful and relentless in competition, friendly and warm in person, Wendy Botha defined an era in women’s pro surfing competition. At a time when women were struggling to be recognised in the sport next to an all-consuming men’s roster, Wendy stepped in to assert her rights — both to world titles and to the attention women truly deserved in the sport.
Wendy was born and raised in East London, South Africa, where she grew up surfing Nahoon Reef. Her determination can be gauged by the fact that Nahoon Reef was around ten kilometres from her home. She would set out walking to the beach, hoping for a ride, and often finding one from the local crew who would see her hiking along the road.
Like her fellow countryman Martin Potter, Wendy began travelling to surf early in life and moved to Australia soon after turning full-time pro in 1985. This gave her a base from which she was able to fully develop the power surfing approach that became a hallmark of her career, and inspired future champs like Lisa Andersen and Layne Beachley. (It also led to a series of complex knee surgeries, the bane of top pros in the 1980s.) She won her first world title in 1987, became an Australian citizen soon afterwards, and went on to crush three more titles in magnificently fierce style. Her seven tour victories in 1989 is a women’s CT record that may never be matched.
Botha’s induction will be one of a number of presentations as part of the 2019 Australian Surfing Awards, hosted by QT Gold Coast.
Finalists in other awards to presented on the night include:
Male Surfer
- Ryan Callinan
- Julian Wilson
- Mikey Wright
Female Surfer
- Samantha Bloom
- Sally Fitzgibbons
- Stephanie Gilmore
Rising Star – Male
- Grayson Hinrichs
- Micah Margieson
- Caleb Tancred
Rising Star – Female
- Zahli Kelly
- Pacha Luque-Light
- Molly Picklum
ASB Greater Good Award
- Patagonia & Fight For the Bight Alliance
- Surfrider Foundation Australia
- Victorian Indigenous Surfing Program
Heavy Water Award
- Laura Enever
- Russell Bierke
- Ross Clarke-Jones
Peter Troy Lifestyle
- Sam Egan
- Al Hunt
- Terry Richardson
Simon Anderson Club Award
- Noosa Boardriders Club (Qld)
- North Steyne Boardriders (NSW)
- Seaview Boardriders Club (SA)
Surf Culture Award
- Sean Doherty, “Never Town”
- Simon Baker, “Breath”
- Rob Reynolds & Terry Richardson, “Richo”
The winner of the Nikon Surf Video of the Year Award will receive the new Nikon Z 6 kit while the winner of the Nikon Surf Photo of the Year Award will take home the new Nikon Z 7. Each will come with the new Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S and FTZ adapter.
World-renowned Surf Journalist Nick Carroll continues in the role of Curator of the Australian Surfing Awards incorporating the Hall of Fame.
Operated with the support of Tourism and Events Queensland, the Australian Surfing Awards is renowned for recognising the best in surfing talent.
The Australian Surfing Awards incorporating the Hall of Fame is proudly supported by Tourism and Events Queensland, QT Gold Coast, Nikon, nudie, Hyundai, Australasian Surf Business Magazine, 2XP, XXXX Summer Bright Lager and DrinkWise.
VIA PRESS RELEASE
