Born in Sydney 1974 Mick started surfing at age 6.
Son of Mark Rabbidge and one of the best surfers out on any given day at the best wave in the world right now...Snappergreenmountkirra. Mick won Kirra boardriders club champion twice. Not that easy considering he was competing against world leading surfers like Mick Fanning.
Before moving to Queensland Mick also held the North Narrabeen title for two years. Probably one of the most naturally talented surfers going around. He rides a variety of surfboards depending on the conditions. He still has the 5'6" fish twin fin that gets a run in up to 8' surf at the points (surfed legropeless and without incident) Other times he will be on the mainstream 6'4" or when mellowing out for the high tide arvo session he can be seen fine tuning his longboard act on Dad's borrowed ninefooter.
Mick pushes the designs to the limit and has been a wealth of feedback for fine tuning boards over his long surfing career.
Gray by name not by nature.
“I could just hang here all day” Says the board short clad surfer as he surveys the scene. Blue skies over a competitively blue water with waist high waves peeling off on a reasonable bank. He stands ankle deep in the lapping shore break, board slung crucifix fashion behind the back upon which the sun beats down, deepening a tan that sets the Cancer Council’s Slip, Slop, Slap campaign back ten years (it just looks so good).
“Just hang, chat to anyone who happens by, go out, catch a few more waves. Just do it all day” Indeed, who wouldn’t. Such activity tempered by sheer sun drenched idleness is straight out of the holiday pamphlets. Very attractive indeed. Some of us are born into such a life. Cameron Gray, our tanned chatty bloke above, would fit this destiny perfectly. In another life, another time and place, he would have been a Waikiki beachboy. Giving surf lessons (among other things) to Hollywood starlets out front of the Royal Hawaiian when it was the lone man made landmark at the birthplace of surfing. An archetype-the beachboy.
Not you’re crooning variety but the waterman. The ambassador of goodwill and good times. The surfer. The life of a beach is not the same without them.
Cameron of course, despite the similarities, is not a beachboy. He is a surfer, gifted bodysurfer and waterman but also is completing an apprenticeship (not your lay about surf bum) and has ambitions to go far in surfing and in life.
Gray has a modest surfing heritage of his own. Born in the summer of ‘79 at Manly Hospital, first child to Debbie and Ken Gray. Surfer dad Ken probably even stopped for a surf check at his local spot, Mid Steyne, on the way up the hill to Manly Hospital to collect mother and new born son.
Encouraged to swim from an early age and by he age of 8 a snowy haired Cameron was on his first foamie surfing after Nippers at Manly corner. As a grom he got a fright at one stage and went back to bodyboarding for about 3 months but was soon up and riding again on surfboards and hasn’t looked back since.
A 6’11” Wilderness pulled from under the Seaforth family home served as a first “real” board and instilled a savvy for single fins but, like most kids in the early 90’s Cam ended up riding a regular shortboard thruster. However, a couple of years later, at he age of 14, he borrowed an 8 footer, enjoyed it immensely and took the opportunity to join Manly Malibu Club. So began a tendency to ride long or shortboard - whatever looked like the most fun at the time.
Manly’s Mid Steyne has a strong history of long boarding. The images of the 1964 World Titles cementing it’s place in the psyche of surfing. Manly Mal Club has been going strong since 1984 (??) and some fine long boarding has been practised in the waves off that pine tree lined promenade for decades. Cameron has, no doubt benefited from exposure to these influences and can been seen in his pure long boarding style that has been likened to Joel Tudor - one of Cam’s favourite surfers.
Cameron’s natural style fits best to his favourite 9’6”- shaped for him by former world # 2 longboarder Mark Rabbidge - but he can change his tempo to suit the board and conditions.
Manly surfer Mario Lofaro sums it up “ When Cam first started surfing for Mark and Retro - Mark told him bluntly that he would have to mix it up more if he wanted to do well in comps. Surfing with us old blokes he tends to cruise and hang ten. So, the next surf we go for after Mark gave him this advice is at Green Island. About 5 feet. Paddling out he strokes past me and before I know it he is out the back. (So fit - the bastard!) and he’s taking off on a set. Drops down to the bottom, drives onto the pitching lip, up into a floater, walks to the nose while travelling on the lip, comes down still on the nose into a ten, drops back down again, turns up through the pitching lip this time, again onto the roof of the section, walks to the nose comes down again. By now he is coming at me and flies past. God only knows what he did on the rest of the wave. Next thing he’s caught me on the way out and I said “THAT’S IT!” and he goes “ohhh!!.” Like he thought that was easy but never pushed it before. He can dial it up when he needs to.”
High praise from a surfing buddy but don’t worry, it won’t go to his head because the crew at Manly Malibu Club don’t go in for that sort of thing. In fact the club has been a finishing school of sorts for young blokes like Cameron. Sort of surfing tribal elders. Age old problems like....how to party and drink without getting stupid, what to do with money, work, etc. They pull you up and tease you if you’re getting out of control. Just heaps of stuff you don’t know ‘cause you’re young.
Rising to the top of the Manly longboarding scene happened pretty quickly (he won A grade in December 1999). Not surprising considering the early start and ample influences available to a talented young surfer. Winning at his local beach at club level lit the competitive fuse and since then Cameron has built a strong background in competitive surfing. Beginning with being selected to represent NSW at an elite camp for junior longboarders and on to his first national win at the Australian Longboard Titles Junior under 18’s held, far from home, in Yallingup Western Australia. Success followed in junior events around the country.
All this travel to competitions generally only comes with support of some kind. In Cam’s case the benefactors are mum and dad who will often travel to events and have a sort of holiday of their own. Cam will end up staying with them rather than the usual back of the Kombi program. In fact the Gray’s are quite the surfing family. We mentioned dad Kenny, then there’s Cameron’s younger sister Lauren (18) who can be seen lining up for heats in the Longboard division and is developing a pretty cool act of her own. And let’s not forget surf widow mum Deb (who tried learning to surf one time but prefers to leave it for the other family members) so there is plenty of support and shared good times. Lauren and Cameron fought like cats and dogs for a few years until harmony was restored with the common bond of surfing.
Cameron went to Balgowlah Boys high school where he completed his occupational HSC in preparation for his apprenticeship in carpentry (which he hopes to finish this year). Always the sportsman at school, Cam competed in swimming and water polo often spiriting his team on to victory, not for the victory itself but the opportunity to have another legitimate day off school. “ Come on, we get two days off if we make it to State! Go, go, go!”
The same work hard so you can play hard ethic runs through Cameron’s life. Any day off is bound to be filled with lots of surfing or training for surfing. When the surf is going to be good, Cameron is the one praying for rain and an opportune day off from banging in nails with his employer Precision Decking. During the floods this March Cam was caught up the coast and just couldn’t get back to work. Oh shame he just had to stop and surf while the water abated.. (hang on... didn‘t you fly up there?) Sounds reasonable but we’ll leave that for him to explain to the boss.
All this focus on surfing and training is a good foundation for a the life of Professional Surfer which is where Cam hopes to be in a few years time. He recently successfully defended his Reefriders Malibu Classic 2000 title (9ft open division) with another victory in 2001. Good practice for competing under the pressure of “favourite”. Aggressive is not a word you would use to describe Cameron as far as his personality goes and that may hold him back in the cut throat world of professional surfing. But with more confidence gained from wins like the one at Long Reef he may tap into the hunger necessary to win consistently. Currently he’s clocking up experience and having a good time surfing in the Longboard events in Australia when time off work permits but once the apprenticeship is out of the way he hopes to travel overseas and compete internationally.
Until then he will be riding one of his many favourite surfboards. Not content to be labelled longboarder or shortboarder, Cameron is always riding some new equipment. His shaper - Mark Rabbidge is a complementary match in this regard because he is always developing new designs of various length and needs keen, open minded surfers to put them through their paces His current quiver consists of a 9’6”, several trusty 9’0’s, a 7’0” fatboy single fin, and a 5’8” fish.
On a recent boat trip to Indonesia along with his longboards, Gray took the 7’0” fatboy and got more barrel time than anyone could hope for. (At risk of being cited for self promotion -Rabbidge is this writer’s spouse) Gray proved the fatboy design in waves that surfers tend to - excuse me - “stick to their guns.”
Developing a perfect style that suits each board is a real driving force behind his surfing. Commitment to being an all round surfer a common thread to his life. To complement the skills training done on these various boards, Cameron backs up for running and swimming with the Clubbies, swim training for water polo and water polo games and plenty of surf time gives him great overall fitness and, ask his older pals at the Mal club, too much energy. When reading his contest resume you can’t help being astounded at all the various events he has been in. A number of paddle race wins sprinkled with assorted glory in Old Mal and 8 foot divisions paints a fair picture of the guy.
Cameron is only 23 so there is no doubt you’ll be seeing more of his surfing as his travels widen and career progresses (or you’ll need a carpenter). A few words of warning ... don’t strike up a conversation if you are in a hurry. He is ready to go the distance affably chatting all day between catching waves. More importantly, if you happen to have your teenage daughters with you...lock them up.
Father and son team riders based in the Byron Bay area. Can be seen out at the Pass anytime it is working and various spots around hime at Suffolk Park and Broken Head.
Young Rob is a super keen longboarder and competes in local and state competitions. He aims to take his surfing to the highest level. Dave, on the other hand, is working on his fourth decade of surfings wild trip. A craggy old character who is never short of a word, you are not likely to miss him in the line-up.
The Fergos give valuable feedback on designs that are made for those classic point breaks they are lucky enough to inhabit and are a valued part of the Retro team family.
Dave rides a 9'6" single fin. Rob rides 9'1" and the occasional Fish.
Younger sister of Cameron. Grew up in Seaforth and surfs regularly at Manly, Freshie and Curly. Styles out on a longboard and is always riding a positive vibe. Competes locally and travels to the big festival events making lots of friends and having a good time while impressing all with her poised surfing.
Travelled overseas with longboard gal pals and is loving her surfing life. Rides a 9'1" longboard.
Manyana teenager. Showing lots of promise. Surfing well. Recently travelled to the west coast on a family holiday and had a taste of some power down south. Really good kid with personality. Keeping us in touch with the kids and what they want to do on waves today. Rides 6' shortboard.
Mark Roughley is a bone fide card carrying surf addict. He is probably the only surfer (over 12) who has can claim to have surfed every day for a full year. Never missed a day. I believe him. Not only has he surfed every day, he has documented it in a surf diary he's been working on for many years. I will attempt to get some extracts for you dear web readers to enjoy. It is truly extraordinary!
Mark is a strong Goofy Footer who prefers his backhand attack but will ride anything especially if it is ridiculously big. A paddle in effort at a local monster wave spot while the others surfers were enjoying motorised tow assists goes down as one of the heaviest waves ridden this year. It may not be a Dungeons or Jaws but big is big and if he fell he'd have been history. They tell me he was riding a 6'3"!!
Mark makes regular trips to Indo and has surfed all over the world. A local charger and great bloke. Rides 6'1"-6'4" shortboards.
Muzza! Mario is a lifelong surfer who has had his share of obstacles to overcome to keep in the water. The first hurdle is that home is a tad inland in the Sydney suburb of Ryde. So what is now an hour of traffic jams and road rage to get to the beach, was for a grommet just starting out surfing with no car and limited travel options, it was the full mission. It could take anything up to 3 hours to hitch a ride to Manly beach. If Muzza and his 9 mates got lucky they all piled into the back of The Dodge Fargo or for a small fortune entry fee of 50 cents each, literally paid at the door of an older guys FC Holden, the groms could rely on swift passage to the waves.
The next obstacle for Mario was recurring knee problems. For whatever reason the old knees would not keep up with those six hour sessions and Muzza's power squat surfing style. Despite all this Mario has logged more water time than most of his beach side mates and will take every opportunity to duck down the coast to his getaway near Green Island.
He has surfed many contests over the years travelling up and down the coast and has a box full of trophies to prove it. Claiming the Club Champion title at Manly Malibu Club not once but twice against solid competition like our dear departed Longboard World Champ Stuart Entwistle and lots of other Manly hotties was very satisfying for Mario. He has won the 8' longboard divisions at Crescent and also on the old Mal. Muzza will ride most boards well and is currently loving his 9'1" and his hot dogging 8 footer. If the waves get solid he will take out the 7' Fatboy for a fling. An all round surfer who will put those 46 year old knees to the test.
A young surfer from down south who is very talented on both longboard and short board.
More coming.......A young ripper from the mid north coast. Grew up surfing Hat head and Crescent Head. As good as the hot young crew in the pros. Doing the responsible education thing and in Uni at Coffs Harbour. Would love to have her Blue Crush moment and kick it at Pipe. Could be on the cards when the study is in the bag. Good girl!