WHO WON? TOM CURREN vs. MARK RICHARDS SUNSET BEACH 1985

The 1985 Billabong Pro Sunset Beach was held in a solid mix of north and west swells colliding onto the famous bowl of Paumalu.
It was a time of change, with the old guard of Mark Richards, Rabbit and Shaun Tomson, getting taken out by the new guard of Tom Curren, Occy and Barton Lynch amongst others.
But Hawaii, and Sunset beach in particular, favors experience over flamboyance, and on this day M.R. won an epic final, taking out Tom Curren, Barton Lynch and Tony Moniz.
Also featuring Micheal Ho, Mitch Thorson, Brock Little.
Music: The Rescue (Germany), Gravity Pirates (Australia), Altar Ego (Australia)
cover photo: Gordinho
#surfhistory #realskatestories #markrichards

[@mattbellina5485]

So killer to see heroes from my youth and awesome music. Thanks for posting!

[@johnanthonycafe2993]

Tim Curren was the most stylish surfer of the 80’s. Very graceful and good to watch. Rode waves perfectly.

[@JulienSorelEatsSabras]

of the 80's? I don't think we've anyone as smooth since. He was just one with every single wave.

[@josephreilly6328]

Wes Laine West Virginia. Ha funny. Wheeling best shedstack! Va Beach more like it.

[@twiginindo3041]

Was Tim Curren around in the 80's ? :)

[@BarbarraBay]

Its the 1980s, with multiple scoring wave count and points for maneuvre. Richards followed his same formula from the 1970s but Curren by far drew the better lines in the final. 9:18 great wipeout 9:36 great take-off Curren but not a scorer 9:49 Richards first wave polished i guess four standard scoring turns 10:07 Curren video shows one very good tight turn 11:01 Curren nice fade two great turns on messier wave 11:16 MR takes off behind the peak then classy turn down the very clean large peak then just one/two turn. I guess MR won because the waves weren't the best and MR got the best looking cleaner larger waves doing more (standard) turns but Curren was the more dynamic surfer doing tighter heavier more risky turns.

[@JulienSorelEatsSabras]

Something wonderful in the world of shaping since then. Those boards were so squirrely!

[@RealSurfStories]

Seemed like a lot of guys were riding pretty wide boards for sunset!

[@seanyuke3249]

Great clip. Hey! Anyone else notice how much the BL in those days sounds like the Russell Coight of these days...?

[@Collin-ic9ct]

Wave pitches over Curren, comes out unphased. Unreal moment. Underrated in big waves.

[@carmanho--_]

Very good

[@twiginindo3041]

Cool clip, footage I vaguely remember , I gotta say it's weird seeing Tom Curren claim barrels haha, he must have been very young there and getting to know Sunset.

[@jasongardiner2955]

MR made the fewest mistakes and got the best waves. He was uncanny in linking the whole wave together.

[@Animalchin777]

Epic!!

[@iancook7109]

The seagull in full flight there

[@jiblet-on2bs]

the wounded gull.

[@iancook7109]

@@jiblet-on2bs yes now i remember. I remember surfing around newcastle at that time and it was very wierd. Many were imitating his style

[@jiblet-on2bs]

@@iancook7109 and I think it was him that said it was possible to hit the lip three times in as many seconds and Slater proved him right.

[@iancook7109]

@@jiblet-on2bs occy used to be like that in cronulla. His bottom turns were super sharp and he could squeeze a few extra in more than anyone else

[@jiblet-on2bs]

@@iancook7109 Occy was killing it in this contest. I love watching old footage of him.

[@michaelminer150]

MR definitely won, back dooring the peak, looking loose,.

[@BarbarraBay]

which peak did MR backdoor? MR backdooring a peak to get tubed would be a miracle.

[@tlb3855]

Chicks on the beach on the north shore in 1985 looked hot 😂🤙🏼

[@AlcoholiCSurfeR]

golden age of surfing

[@alexandreverdan1324]

That was a honest result. MR was ripping!

[@MarcioRipper]

Occy n Curren🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@artsurfliteratura]

GOAT X GOAT

[@ichorousmedia]

seems like MR doesn't dare take the risk of going father off the bottom to attack the lip until halfway through his rides. I'm sure this is sunset experience at play, but it really is the difference between the best back then and how they approach it today.

[@michaelfarar4232]

So funny When double overhead waves brought out the Rhino 🦏 chasers

[@noelchojnacki3728]

Whats the last song?? So Good!

[@RealSurfStories]

band is Altar Ego..no sure or the track name...

[@noelchojnacki3728]

@@RealSurfStories Are you sure? I can´t find it.

[@holch7730]

More voice over. Wanna know what it was like

[@BarbarraBay]

it would have been good to cut the Shaun Tomson interview out. Occy amazing barrel. 2:36 Curren sick tube stall.

[@RealSurfStories]

Cut out? Actually, it was edited in.

[@user-uf7fn1qm6d]

Do you know what they like most ? kissis at the end.

[@paultarbotton4051]

Occy and Wes lane got the best waves in the video but didn't make the finals. Judging?????

[@Randsurfer]

Wes Laine from West Virginia? God, tv sports has always been idiots.

[@RealSurfStories]

😂 was wondering about that!

[@surferdude8086]

Back when judges judge a wave correctly.

[@srantoniomatos]

You kidding...they would give the heats away to who they wanted...its still tricky difficult subjectiv job, but now its much better. And one can replay waves endlessly...its just another world.

[@rerei68]

Occy surfou melhor e perdeu a bateria ?Tá lembrando a wsl😂😂😂😂

[@ichorousmedia]

LOL cant wait to see my generation be the next slew of WSL commentators