DAVID "MEX" SUMPTER - ... Many surfers grew up virtually right on the beach, making their surfing life almost inevitable. David, and his brother Rodney, started life in England well away from any surfing scene that might have drawn them in. However due to their parents deciding to move to Australia and set up home on Sydney's northern beach suburbs, well within easy reach of the surf, they too quickly found surfing as if pre-ordained for them. Also, David was right there watching the first wave of visiting Americans riding malibu surfboards rather than the 16ft long hollow boards the Aussies were surfing. A day when modern surfboard riding was born in Australia back in the 1960's. With his father Merv working with Bob Evans to bring some structure to surfing's soon-fast growth, rubbing shoulders with Midget Farrelly, Bob McTavish, Nat Young and other emerging 'stars,' working with Tracks magazine and making the surf film "On Any Morning," David has seen the vast popularity of Australian surfing explode from the inside over the decades. Now, well into his 80's, he's still stoked on surfing and getting amongst the waves whenever he can.…

THE AUDACIOUS SURF TALES OF VLADIMIR BORIS WAXANOV ... Story 4 - SEX WAX SAGA - While the current whereabouts of Vladimir B. Waxanov remains a mystery and a concern, Keith decided to upload one of Vladimir's cheekiest short stories to keep his fun-loving spirit to the fore. As there is next to no Woke emphasis in Russia, especially Vladimir's traditional home village, he was shocked at how easily some of us Aussies are offended. Especially over what he considers to be something trivial and of no great importance. He had heard of an incident in a surf shop where a mother was angered over the surfboard wax brand name "Sex Wax", so he asked Keith to help him write up the story. During the collaboration, Vladimir lit up like a naughty schoolboy.…

DISCUSSION TABLE 101. Topic: John "JC" Charlton's favourite surfers. ... JC mentioned, when he was in the studio previously, that he'd like to record an episode concerning his list of favourite surfers. So Keith invited him back to sit down for another session on SURF TOWN to discuss his list along with the question, "What is style?" - and a few other observations. It certainly was interesting. Of course, any such list is subjective. Most surfers can easily name their favourite surfers - which would swing wildly across the decades, the eras and the names. JC though has a keen eye for what is good surfing drawn from a wealth of experience as a lifetime surfer and a professional commentator on the wide world of surfing. So here he is ... JC Part 2.…

JOHN 'JC' CHARLTON JC doesn't need too big an introduction to Queensland surfers as he has been a familiar face talking about surfing on their TV screens for a very long time. But what they may not know is some of his rich back story. JC has been a surfboard maker, worked in the surfwear industry with Billabong, a radio surf reporter, chief reporter and editor of TV's ch 7 Coastalwatch in Queensland for 20 years and a surf commentator at Noosa's Festival of Surfing. With a long life of surfing behind him rubbing shoulders with some of our sport's greats, JC was a fascinating guest to interview on SURF TOWN.…

DIAN HADIANI ... Phoning in from Bali, East Java local Dian Hadiani chats with Keith concerning her book, "The Chronicles of G'land" which focuses on Java's fabled surf spot Grajagan, known affectionately across the surfing world as G/land. With, the following introduction on her web page, "Bobby's Surf Camp; Behind the Legendary Tales - describes how feral surfers discovered this magical place ..." it promised to be an interesting interview. And it was. Covering the economic and environmental changes brought about with the ongoing presence of the surfers, Mike Boyum's bold initiative establishing the surf camp to the emergence of an unknown Aussie surfer named Barry Middleton who claims (with good reason) to be the one who "discovered" G/land. Dian's book is well-researched with revealing tales, some of which have sparked controversy.…

DISCUSSION TABLE 101. Topic: SURFING WORLD Magazine's 50 Most Interesting Surfers ... Richard Wallace joins Keith in the studio to discuss SURFING WORLD'S lastest edition featuring their pick for surfing's fifty most interesting surfers. It's by no means definitive as there would be any number of people who could qualify. So who to include and who to exclude? It's a tough call. Still, SURFING WORLD bravely laid it down, and it is quite an impressive list. Certainly one open for discussion and one Richard, a long-time Noosa surfer, was happy to chat with Keith about - and more. Much was unpacked and plenty said for listeners to chew on.…

CHANNA SENARATNE - ... It's not every day you get to chat with a man who is a restauranteur, a chef, a commercial fisherman, a surf charter boat operator and skipper, a manager of a surf camp, overseer of surf holidays that gave something back to the island locals, an importer, an exporter and owner of a private catering service - and all the while surfing some of the world's best waves along the way. Keith's SURF TOWN guest, Channa Senaratne for this episode is and has done all of the above - and more. He has not only done much - but has seen much. Including the chance to surf alongside some of his Hawaiian surf heroes as he chartered them to some of Indonesia's most remote and perfect waves. As Keith holds a great deal of admiration and respect for Channa, it was a pleasure for Keith to interview him.…

RICHARD von WILDEMANN - ... It was a pleasure for Keith to welcome Richard onto SURF TOWN as his first international phone-in guest. Richard is an all-round waterman who has thrived on the wild beaches and coastline of South Africa. His story is a surprisingly similar one to the overwhelming majority of Australian surfers whose first introduction to the surf was via their family and the local Surf Life Saving movement. From Nippers (very junior Life Saving training and competition) to board-riding, to riding all manner of surf craft, to wave ski and open ocean ski paddling, Richard has done it all. Including the famed Hawaiian inter-island Molokai paddleboard race. What was also surprising, at least to Keith, was his connection to Keith's family and Australian surfing history.…

JOHN FINLAY - NOOSA FESTIVAL OF SURFING ... - John Finlay, Chairman of Noosa's Festival of Surfing, certainly has an unusual story concerning how he came to pick up the running of this premier surfing event. It all started when he semi-retired to the Sunshine Coast an hour's drive south of Noosa. Semi-retirement generally means you reduce your busy life with the view to gradually fade out of full-time work. However, it didn't work out that way for John. An opportunity came along that was too good to refuse. Famous last words, indeed. After enjoying a surfing holiday with World Surfaris, John decided to buy half the business and two and a half years later he purchased the other half. As if that wasn't enough to "ruin" your retirement plans, John took over the running of Noosa's Festival of Surfing - and The Byron Bay Surf Festival! There's a lot of logistics overseeing all that, no wonder he's The Chairman, and an interesting guest on Surf Town discussing this year's Noosa Festival of Surfing. https://www.noosafestivalofsurfing.com worldsurfaris.com…

DAMIEN KING - ... Three-time World Bodyboarding Champion Damien King had an unusual introduction to surfing. It's quite common for surfing champions to grow up close to the beach and thrive amongst mates who all surfed and hung together at their local surf spot. But not Damien (known far and wide as "Kingy"). Sure he eventually found his place in the local line-up, but even then he forged a different path marked with fierce, competitive determination to be the best he could be. Fuelled by deep personal motivation Kingy went on to win the World Bodyboarding Championship in 2004, 2005 and then the World Drop Knee (bodyboarding) Championship in 2011. His competitiveness and talent took him to the top of international bodyboarding where he established himself as a global superstar of the sport. Sponsorships, Damien King DVD's and magazine coverage soon followed. As did the broadening of his surfing as Kingy just loved riding waves - surfboards, body boards, it didn't matter. Just as long as he was out there in the line-up.…

THE AUDACIOUS SURF TALES OF VLADIMIR BORIS WAXANOV ... Story 3 - THE MERMAID'S DREAM ... A few friends had contacted Keith stating they weren't so sure about this Vladimir Boris Waxanov bloke. Geopolitics aside, they express skepticism as to his actual existence. And then, right on cue, as if Vladimir willed it into being, his girlfriend Tatianna Lovesalotavic paid Keith a visit. Which, meant of course, he had a chance to speak with her on this SURF TOWN episode featuring another of Vladimir's stories. Being the gentleman that he is Keith wanted Tatianna to choose which particular short story from Vladimir's book, "The Wayward Surfer" she'd like him to read. Not surprising, as Tatianna is herself a classy lady, she nominated, "The Mermaid's Dream," - one of the more sensitive tales. It was a pleasure for Keith to oblige her.…

PHIL JARRATT - Part 1 ... Phil Jarratt has probably lived the surfing life as fully and richly as humanly possible. With a working life as an author, a journalist, a publisher, surf shop owner and filmmaker - all inspired by surfing, he still managed to keep riding waves throughout his decades - and the world. Reading his CV alone almost makes you tired ... and he's still going! After 50 years of experience in international and Australian media encompassing a stint as editor of Tracks magazine, associate editor of Surfer, publisher and editor of the Australian Surfers Journal, having served on the executive ranks of Quiksilver and Rip Curl and written 40 books, Phil is currently (2024) writing another surf related book. And, paddling out as much as he can at his local breaks around Noosa. That's a lot of living, working and surfing to draw from when interviewed. Oh, and he's a great rancounteur.…

PHIL JARRATT - Part 2 ... One interview with Phil Jarratt left this interviewer with a desire to hear more of his wide-ranging surfing life and stories. Certain that others would as well I pressed Phil for another round. Graciously he came into the studio for a second interview, which proved to be every bit as fascinating as his first one. How could it not be? One could easily pick a single period of his life - say, for example, his four-year stint as editor of Tracks magazine and there would likely be enough stories for quite a few interviews. Well, a few did come tumbling out but discretion is indeed the better part of valour - and as one of the wise elders of our surfing tribe, Phil was a gentleman to the tee. Besides, who needs to embellish when you have lived, seen, heard and done it all?…

THE AUDACIOUS SURF TALES OF VLADIMIR BORIS WAXANOV ... Story 2 - CHINESE BUSINESSMAN PROPOSES ALTERNATE WORLD PROFESSIONAL SURFING WAVE POOL CIRCUIT TARGETING INDIA, AFRICA, CHINA AND RUSSIA ... The title says it all. Somewhat surprising as the title may be, so are the comments from national surfing bodies revealed in this unusual tale. But then again Vladimir does get around, certainly well off the beaten surfing track and mixes with some interesting people. And some very surprising people too it must be said. Currently, it's spoken in some circles that he plans to visit, or already has, North Korea to introduce his wave-pool surfing. Well good luck to him, why not? No doubt it will do the place good if he succeeds. But then again he may not - for North Korea does have a coastline, so who knows what quality of surf may be up there.…

Peter Hudson ... With three Australian shortboard and three Australian longboard titles, three New South Wales State shortboard and six New South Wales State longboard titles, a twenty-five-year surf shop ownership, a decades-long surfboard coaching and surf school record behind him, it's fair to say that Peter (Huddo) Hudson has lived a life soaked with surfing. Growing up virtually right on the beach where he discovered a discarded surfboard at the age of nine certainly got him off to a good start that's for sure. And once he started Peter never looked back. Like so many countless others across the globe, he was hooked right from the first wave he rode towards the beach. With such a rich surf-related life behind him, Peter certainly is an interesting guest on this Surf Town episode.…