Life and Career
He was born Shaun Tomson in Durban, South Africa. As a Jewish athlete, he was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. He learned to surf in the beachbreaks in and around Durban under the watchful eye of his father Ernie, and alongside older cousin Michael Tomson and brother Paul Tomson.
Shaun attended school in Durban - Clifton Preparatory, Carmel College and the University of Natal where he received a Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in Business Finance. Shaun went on to dominate amateur surfing competition in South Africa and began venturing over to Hawaii in the late 60's, courtesy of a barmitzvah present from his father. It was on one of these trips that an awestruck 14 year old Tomson eyewitnessed the so-called "Biggest Wave Ever Ridden" by Californian Greg Noll at Makaha in 1969. Hawaii's surf proved to be a daunting challenge for Shaun, but he continued to mature and train in South Africa's hollow waves, such as Cave Rock, the Bay Of Plenty, and Jeffrey's Bay.
Shaun Tomson has been listed as one of the 25 most influential surfers of the century and as one of the 10 greatest surfers of all time. During his career he was both the youngest and oldest surfer to win a pro event and is considered to be one of the architects of professional surfing.
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