2014 Surfers’ Hall of Famer: Rusty Preisendorfer
Rusty Preisendorfer, legendary surfer and shaper, is among the 2014 inductees to the Surfers' Hall of Fame.
Rusty was born on June 13, 1953 in Los Angeles to a research mathematician father and an occupational therapist mother. He spent his early years in inland San Diego. His interests were baseball and snake hunting. He already practiced fixing digs back in junior high school - he has not even surfed then. He was fascinated by building things, he claims. It was just in 1966, when he was in eighth grade, when he first attempted to surf. He then finished second in the 1969 Southern California High School Championships.
He started shaping in 1971 and tens of thousands of boards later, his interest turned into one of the largest surfboard and surf apparel lines in the industry.
When he was attending the University of California, he was shaping for Gordon and Smith. In Australia in 1974, Rabbit Bartholomew purchased one of his 8-foot guns. And as he started to gain a reputation in shaping, he launched his own company, Music Surfboards. Rusty also shaped for a growing San Diego-based manufacturer called Canyon Surfboards.
He made boards for the 1976 world champion, Peter Townend, and the 1978 world champion, Shaun Tomson. In 1983, he then shaped a plain-looking tri-fin for world pro tour rookie, Mark Occhilupo of Australia, and that earned him utmost respect and praise in the surfing world.
By 1985, he left Canyon Surfboards and started his very own Rusty Surfboards. He launched his full line of clothing as well in 1988. He was basically an in demand shaper anywhere. Rusty's business became one of the largest grossing in surfing and was able to help launch careers of the likes of Serena Brooke, Jamie O'Brien and Josh Kerr.
For 25 years, he made exceptional shortboards and most especially, longboards for large surfers like himself. The simple "R." script logo he designed have then been a worldwide surf icon.
His further achievements include: being named as the second best shaper in the world by Australia's Surfing Life magazine poll in 1993, ranked fifth on the 25 Most Powerful People in Surfing list by Surfer in 2002, and named as one of 10 Best Shapers of All Time by Surfing Magazine in 2004.
In 2007, he sold the clothing side of Rusty to an Australian firm and focused on making unique and remarkable surfboards. With that, he became the Surfing Magazine's 2008 Shaper of the Year.
Rusty was married since 1984 to his wife, Angela, and they have two kids. He and his family live in La Jolla. His son, Clint, and his daughter, Avalon, seem to follow his footsteps as they both shape boards and engage in creating artwork for Rusty as well.
The newest Surfers' Hall of Fame inductee will have his hand and footprints immortalized in cement on Friday, August 1, 2014 at 10:00 AM in front of Huntington Surf & Sport. Former World Champion Mark €Occy€ Occhilupo will be the one to present the award to Rusty.
Rusty was born on June 13, 1953 in Los Angeles to a research mathematician father and an occupational therapist mother. He spent his early years in inland San Diego. His interests were baseball and snake hunting. He already practiced fixing digs back in junior high school - he has not even surfed then. He was fascinated by building things, he claims. It was just in 1966, when he was in eighth grade, when he first attempted to surf. He then finished second in the 1969 Southern California High School Championships.
He started shaping in 1971 and tens of thousands of boards later, his interest turned into one of the largest surfboard and surf apparel lines in the industry.
When he was attending the University of California, he was shaping for Gordon and Smith. In Australia in 1974, Rabbit Bartholomew purchased one of his 8-foot guns. And as he started to gain a reputation in shaping, he launched his own company, Music Surfboards. Rusty also shaped for a growing San Diego-based manufacturer called Canyon Surfboards.
He made boards for the 1976 world champion, Peter Townend, and the 1978 world champion, Shaun Tomson. In 1983, he then shaped a plain-looking tri-fin for world pro tour rookie, Mark Occhilupo of Australia, and that earned him utmost respect and praise in the surfing world.
By 1985, he left Canyon Surfboards and started his very own Rusty Surfboards. He launched his full line of clothing as well in 1988. He was basically an in demand shaper anywhere. Rusty's business became one of the largest grossing in surfing and was able to help launch careers of the likes of Serena Brooke, Jamie O'Brien and Josh Kerr.
For 25 years, he made exceptional shortboards and most especially, longboards for large surfers like himself. The simple "R." script logo he designed have then been a worldwide surf icon.
His further achievements include: being named as the second best shaper in the world by Australia's Surfing Life magazine poll in 1993, ranked fifth on the 25 Most Powerful People in Surfing list by Surfer in 2002, and named as one of 10 Best Shapers of All Time by Surfing Magazine in 2004.
In 2007, he sold the clothing side of Rusty to an Australian firm and focused on making unique and remarkable surfboards. With that, he became the Surfing Magazine's 2008 Shaper of the Year.
Rusty was married since 1984 to his wife, Angela, and they have two kids. He and his family live in La Jolla. His son, Clint, and his daughter, Avalon, seem to follow his footsteps as they both shape boards and engage in creating artwork for Rusty as well.
The newest Surfers' Hall of Fame inductee will have his hand and footprints immortalized in cement on Friday, August 1, 2014 at 10:00 AM in front of Huntington Surf & Sport. Former World Champion Mark €Occy€ Occhilupo will be the one to present the award to Rusty.
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