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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MALFUNCTION

WOULDN’T IT BE NICE?...

… if you could have a surfing contest that has a record of having waves every single time it is scheduled? … if low tide didn’t offer complete closeouts?... the prevailing winds is offshore ?…the wave is one of the most perfectly shaped point surfs on the planet?... a place where many waves offer the surfer the opportunity of performing every trick in his repertoire at least once?...and in the case of the hang ten, usually three or four such perfect opportunities and a couple of disappearing barrel rides as well? Well it’s true!!! Such a contest exists. It’s called the ‘MALFUNCTION’

“The ‘MALFUNCTION’ has proven to be the premier event for longboarding Down Under” – Mike Davis, former assistant director ‘Surfers Journal’

The ‘MALFUNCTION’ started off in 1984 as an excuse to get together with likeminded surfers. The contest was designed for those that wanted to get back to having fun in the waves. The inaugural contest was the brainchild of Steve McInerney, Peter ‘Stickman’ Stiklen and Marty Tullemans. Marty described the contest thus, “it’s a celebration of longboard riding involving the ‘Riders of the Lost Art’ as well as being a historical prelude”

The first event was won by surfing legend Jeff Hakman from the USA. There is no doubt that this was the start of something really big when it happened the first time. The ‘MALFUNCTION’ brought legions of ‘legends from the 50’s and 60’s out of retirement and back into the limelight. The quality of the surfing was surprising, even from the first event. Many of the inaugural surfers still compete in the event and figure prominently in the outcome of the contest.

No one had any idea that this seed would grow from 90 interested Mal riders to the event it is today, which runs for over four days and attracts contestants from all over the planet. The surfing, the venue, the stoke, but most of all the synergy of all these surfers getting together and just having ‘one hell of a good time’ was enough to do it again after the success of the first one.

Reprinted thanks to Pacific Longboard Magazine

Past Malfunction Champions

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