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Q&A; with surfing icon Shaun Tomson
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World renowned South African surfing icon Shaun Tomson has arrived in Durban as an honorary guest at the ninth annual 6-Star ASP World Qualifying Series Mr Price Pro. The six times winner of the Gunston 500 (predecessor to the Mr Price Pro), will use the opportunity to promote the South African premiere of his surf documentary film ’Bustin Down the Door’, which opens in Nu Metro Cinema’s in July.
How are you feeling about returning to the Mr Price Pro (Gunston 500) since you won here 30 years ago?
I am very excited to be returning. The event has a lot of special memories for me. My father started and helped fund the first event way back in 1969 and my first win back in 1973 when I was 17 with him watching, was one of the best moments in my surfing career. Even though I now live in the USA, most of my life was spent on the beaches of Durban, so a big piece of my heart will always belong there.
What are you most looking forward to regarding your involvement at the Mr Price Pro this year?
I really like watching the hot new young guys on the pro tour. I am familiar with the way most of the top 45 seeded guys surf on the WCT tour so for me it is really exciting to see someone new make their first big move and explode on to the scene. New talent is what keeps the sport alive so I’m really looking forward to seeing some young unknown surfer shake things up. And I’m also looking forward to seeing if Sunny Garcia (who has been granted a wildcard into the event) can continue his charge to make it back on to the tour after overcoming all sorts of problems.
As one of the pioneers of professional surfing and six time winner of the Gunston 500. How important do you think an event of this stature is for Durban and South African surfing?
Durban has always been the nucleus of surfing in South Africa and to have an event where its top young surfers can watch and compete against the world’s best has an amazing effect on the entire standard of surfing in South Africa. For a young South African surfer to improve and possibly become number one he has to test himself in the fire of competition, and there is no better way to do that than in the Mr Price Pro, on the beach in Durban. 6-star World qualifying series events are just as important to the future of surfing as World Championship Tour Events, WCT events are the ultimate forum for a surfer and represent the now, WQS events represent the future.
How are you feeling about the screening of your surf documentary ’Bustin’ Down the Door’ in Durban for the first time?
The commercial world premiere is happening in my homeland so that is a real thrill for me.
I am looking forward to have the people see an untold story of a pivotal moment in surfing and to have kids see how powerful dreams can be. That no matter what the obstacles are, no matter what the danger, if you believe in yourself, you can make your dreams come true.
What has the response been like from the rest of the world?
The response has been overwhelming with many people calling it one of the best sports documentaries ever. What really stunned me was the reaction at the premiere at the Santa Barbara film festival where we repeatedly sold out a 2,200 seat theatre, one of the largest in California. We were up against all the Hollywood blockbusters and their superstars and I was told that our little film was the most popular film in the history of the festival. I was absolutely thrilled that a story on surfing could have such resonance with the whole community, not only surfers, I suppose because it is just a great story essentially about kids making their dreams come true.
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