From left are Benny Hutchings (71), John Gisby (64), Ross Moodie (69) and Chris Ransley (67). Their combined ages comes to the impressive figure of 271. Picture by Paul Rickard
ACCLAIMED sports columnist Bruce Jenkins wrote in the introduction to his book North Shore Chronicles: Big Wave Surfing In Hawaii that “surfing is for life”.
While he was referring in some part to the dangers of taking on Hawaii’s famous (and infamous) Shore, the quote could easily transfer to this
group of ocean lovers, who duked it out in an all-local heat in the over-60s age division at the national championships at Makorori Beach yesterday.
Benny Hutchings (71), John Gisby (64), Ross Moodie (69) and Chris Ransley (67) are respected identities in the surfing community, with Hutchings and Gisby regarded as legends of the sport.
Aussie import Hutchings won the open title in Gisborne in 1975, and that same year won the open ironman at the surf lifesaving nationals, and was a renowned big wave rider.
He became a successful kayaking coach at the highest level, including the famous 1984 Olympic Games multiple medal-winning New Zealand team featuring Gisborne’s own Alan Thompson and Grant Bramwell, before shifting to Australia where he continued a distinguished coaching career that won him the Order of Australia Medal in 2015.
