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Positivity is the basis for Tomson's empowering business philosophy based on his "Surfer's Code – 12 Simple
Lessons for Riding through Life". He has spoken internationally and inspired and touched the hearts of audiences as large as 3,000 people, has shared the stage with well-known personalities, including Sir
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On a performance level, Tomson completely changed the way the tube section of the wave was ridden, using a unique style of pumping and weaving through and around collapsing sections of the barrel. Even today, his electrifying performances at Off the Wall and
Backdoor Pipeline stand the test of time.
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with a style, aggression, and raw courage unseen prior to their arrival. Collectively, these surfers changed the face of surfing and were the first to really apply themselves as serious professional surfers. With his good looks, eloquence, and undeniable athleticism, Tomson served by default as the
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Tomson won 19 major professional surf events, 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
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He is currently an inspirational speaker for some of the world's largest companies and talks about the influence of positive values on success in life and business based on his own experiences of overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges, in and out of the surf. An attitude of
Commitment and
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A memorable quote of his from the period was, "Time is expanded inside the tube." A very underrated aspect of Tomson's inventiveness was his in the tube punch throughs where he escaped unscathed from hideous closeout sections over a shallow reef.
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774:"Shaun Tomson - Surf Creatures - Surf Creatures iPhone App Learning about surf creatures is awesomely awesome fun, with rhymes that will make kids laugh and imagine themselves in the surf"
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face and voice of this movement and he is still viewed as the prototype blueprint for today's pro surfer, with legions of fans throughout the world. Tomson won the highly coveted
394:(1998), the South African Sports Hall of Fame (1977), and received the SIMA Environmentalist of the Year Award (2002) and the Surfrider Lifetime Achievement Award (2009).
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with a Master of
Science in Leadership with a focus on social change. Tomson went on to dominate amateur surfing competition in South Africa and began venturing over to
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present from his father. It was on one of these trips that an awestruck 14-year-old Tomson witnessed first hand the so-called "Biggest Wave Ever Ridden" by
Californian
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in 1969. Hawaii's surf proved to be a daunting challenge for Tomson, but he continued to mature and train in South Africa's hollow waves, such as
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The
Tomsons' son Mathew died at 15 years of age on 24 April 2006 in Durban, South Africa, from an accidental death caused by playing the "
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Tomson founded, managed, and sold two multi-million market-leading clothing brands – Instinct in the 1980s, and
Solitude in the 1990s.
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in and around Durban under the watchful eye of his father Ernie, and alongside older cousin
Michael Tomson and brother Paul Tomson.
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331:, a collection of illustrated rhymes for children. In 2022, he released The Surfer and the Sage with Familius Publishing.
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810:"A Conversation w/ Project Save Our Surf's Co-Founder—Actress & Surfer Tanna Frederick"
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In 1975, Tomson was an integral part of the "Free Ride" generation. Along with
Australians
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390:. He has also been inducted into the Huntington Beach Surfing Walk of Fame (1997), the
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501:"WATCH Surf Legend Shaun Tomson: 'SA Trip Was Greatest Thing I've Done in My Life'"
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670:"Surfing gracefully: 1977 World Champion Shaun Tomson | Talking Heads"
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724:"World-champion surfer Shaun Tomson shares his inspiration in 'The Code'"
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706:"Pro Surfer: Shaun Tomson - 1977 Men's Championship Tour event results"
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and the #1 Amazon teen bestseller: The Code - The Power of
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Surfer's Code – 12 Simple lessons for riding through life
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Surfer's Code: 12 Simple Lessons for Riding Through Life
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International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame - Shaun Tomson
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degree majoring in Business Finance. He graduated from
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143:(born 21 August 1955) is a South African professional
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International Professional Surfers World Championship
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1081:Sportspeople from Santa Barbara County, California
1026:International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame inductees
334:Tomson has released 3 iPhone/iPad applications –
881:"Shaun Tomson loses his son, MATHEW TOMSON: RIP"
327:, a companion to the film of the same name and
840:Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
388:Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
742:"Shaun Tomson; The Code; The Power of I Will"
275:Tomson has appeared in many films, including
8:
354:Tomson is a board member and ambassador for
344:Surf Creatures, animated rhymes for children
336:Surfboards, a reference guide for surfboards
855:"Surfing star mourns son killed in 'prank'"
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478:"Shaun Tomson surfs into SA Hall of Fame"
325:Bustin' Down the Door – Revolution of '75
315:Tomson is the author of the best-selling
392:International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
340:Surfer – a digital form of Surfer's Code
169:International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
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556:"Shaun Tomson: In the shadow of sharks"
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386:In 2014 Tomson was inducted into the
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636:UCSB's Technology Management Program
230:Surfing and the Free Ride generation
970:Tomson profile page on BigSpeak.com
178:Tomson attended school in Durban -
171:in 1995. He learned to surf in the
792:"Shaun Tomson Launches iPhone App"
649:Patrick Flanagan (8 August 2017).
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1076:People from Montecito, California
1061:Jewish South African sportspeople
688:"The Legend That Is Shaun Tomson"
576:Taylor, Brenda (21 August 2017).
198:in the late 1960s, courtesy of a
668:Craig Jarvis (26 October 2015).
578:"Happy Birthday, Shaun Tomson!"
1071:Northeastern University alumni
836:"SHAUN TOMSON; Surfing - 2014"
409:Tomson lives with his wife in
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536:Warshaw, Matt (10 May 2012).
447:"Surfer Fighting a Wipe-Out"
853:Barbara Cole (3 May 2006).
519:"Interview: Michael Tomson"
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1066:University of Natal alumni
1051:White South African people
182:, Carmel College, and the
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945:Surfhistory.com biography
415:Santa Barbara, California
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1036:Sportspeople from Durban
655:Zigzag’s Legends Journal
609:"Shaun Tomson interview"
133:https://shauntomson.com/
960:learnfrommylife feature
311:Books and digital media
192:Northeastern University
111:1977 IPS World Champion
940:Surfline.com biography
427:List of Jewish surfers
226:professional surfing.
186:, where he received a
124:Regular (natural foot)
116:Surfing specifications
1046:South African writers
1041:South African surfers
758:Shaun Tomson (2011).
411:Montecito, California
296:Bustin' Down the Door
950:Surfrider Foundation
356:Surfrider Foundation
285:Many Classic Moments
188:Bachelor of Commerce
38:Personal information
16:South African surfer
955:Tomson on Channel24
814:National Geographic
746:The New Man Podcast
694:. 11 November 2018.
638:. 30 November 2016.
523:The Surfers Journal
417:, and surfs daily.
323:. He also authored
184:University of Natal
180:Clifton Preparatory
159:Tomson was born in
859:Independent Online
816:. 19 November 2013
562:. 2 December 2016.
108:Major achievements
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1003:Wayne Bartholomew
1000:Succeeded by
930:World Surf League
748:. 3 January 2014.
730:. 12 August 2013.
710:World Surf League
615:. 22 August 2012.
560:Swellnet Dispatch
538:"Tomson, Michael"
236:Wayne Bartholomew
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651:"Shaun Tomson"
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507:. 13 May 2018.
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92:Years active
63:South Africa
24:Shaun Tomson
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1021:1955 births
305:A Pure Line
256:North Shore
200:bar mitzvah
173:beachbreaks
147:and former
1015:Categories
482:Berea Mail
433:References
254:legendary
244:Ian Cairns
77:California
49:1955-08-21
796:Wavescape
382:Accolades
277:Free Ride
263:in 1977.
212:Cave Rock
204:Greg Noll
100:Best year
73:Montecito
69:Residence
885:Surfline
674:Swellnet
542:eos.surf
421:See also
362:Business
281:Fantasea
928:at the
865:21 June
820:21 June
457:21 June
451:The Age
303:called
271:In film
129:Website
917:
582:People
321:I Will
287:, and
252:Oahu's
218:, and
214:, the
208:Mākaha
196:Hawaii
161:Durban
145:surfer
121:Stance
59:Durban
997:1977
728:TODAY
692:Surfd
413:, in
915:IMDb
867:2018
822:2018
459:2018
374:and
342:and
103:1977
81:U.S.
43:Born
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