Stubbies Open Surf Classic Perpetual Trophy

The Stubbies Open Surf Classic was first staged in March 1977 at Queensland’s Burleigh Heads as the world professional tour's opening competition that year. Backed by mass market clothing (shorts) company "Stubbies" and run by contest director Peter Drouyn, it was the first pro event to feature the "man-on-man" contest format (used almost universally in all events on the pro tour ever since). In great pointbreak surf and in front of a huge crowd, the inaugural event was won by local Michael Peterson from Newcastle’s Mark Richards. The initial event’s luck with quality surf was never repeated in its 11-year history. This is the perpetual trophy from the contest, recording the wins of Peterson, Wayne Bartholomew (‘78), Mark Richards (’79 and ’81), Peter Harris (’80), Cheyne Horan (’82), Martin Potter (’83), Tom Carroll (’84), Tom Curren (’85 and ’86), Damien Hardman (’86*) and Hans Hedemann (’87). * In one of pro surfing’s oddities, during the mid-1980s, the tour started in May of one year and ended in April of the following year. So, in 1986 there were two Stubbies events – in March (in the '85/'86 season) and again in November (in the '86/'87 season).