The Long Paddle: How South Africans Found Their Place in Hawaiian Surfing

Every surfer knows the legend: Hawaii is the ultimate test. It’s the sacred ground where reputations are made, dreams are broken, and surfing’s best measure themselves against the most powerful waves on Earth.

For South Africans, that challenge runs even deeper. The North Shore of Oʻahu isn’t just half a world away, it’s an economic, cultural, and competitive mountain to climb. Yet for over fifty years, surfers from South Africa have made that journey, chasing the waves that define the sport, and proving that talent and grit can overcome any exchange rate.

The Pioneer: Shaun Tomson and the First South African Breakthrough

In the 1970s, Shaun Tomson was a young surfer from Durban with a smooth style and fearless drive. Back then, South Africa was isolated under apartheid, and international travel was rare. But Tomson made the pilgrimage to Hawaii, the “Mecca” of surfing, to see if he could hang with the world’s best at Pipeline.

He did more than that. Tomson’s calm precision and revolutionary tube-riding technique at Pipe earned him a place among legends like Gerry Lopez. By 1975, he had cemented himself as part of the “Free Ride Generation” and went on to claim the 1977 World Title.

His success showed South Africans that the journey from Durban’s piers to Pipeline’s reef was possible. That courage, to travel halfway around the world and take on one of the heaviest waves known to man, became part of South African surfing’s DNA.

The Modern Contender: Jordy Smith and the New Generation

Decades later, Jordy Smith carried that torch into a new era. The powerful Durban regular-footer grew up idolising Tomson, and by his 20s, he was leading South Africa’s charge on the World Surf League Championship Tour.

Hawaii became his benchmark. In 2016, he claimed one of the biggest victories of his career: the Vans World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach. The win confirmed that South Africans could still rise to the top on surfing’s biggest stage.

“I’ve always looked up to Hawaii as the ultimate test,” Smith said. “When you win there, it’s different. You’ve proven yourself where it matters most.”

From Haleiwa to Pipeline, Smith has built a reputation for power and precision, embodying the modern South African approach, confident, hard-working, and quietly determined.

The Big-Wave Maverick: Grant “Twiggy” Baker

Where Jordy rules in performance surfing, Grant “Twiggy” Baker reigns in the realm of giants. The Durban-born big-wave legend has built a career chasing monster swells from Nazare to Mavericks, but his spiritual home remains Hawaii.

At Jaws (Peʻahi) on Maui, Twiggy has dropped into waves the size of small buildings, feats that have earned him multiple World Surf League Big Wave World Titles and Ride of the Year awards. His approach is fearless but deeply respectful, embodying the soul of what it means to be a waterman.

“Hawaii tests everything,” he’s said. “It’s not just about skill, it’s about humility, courage, and understanding the ocean. You can’t fake it out there.”

Twiggy’s success reminds the world that South Africans don’t just visit the proving grounds, they help redefine them.

The Price of the Dream

For every South African who makes it to the North Shore, there are dozens more saving and hustling just to afford the ticket. The rand-to-dollar exchange rate makes each trip a monumental investment.

Flights, car rentals, contest entries, and surfboard baggage fees can easily cost more than a year’s salary back home. Many young surfers rely on small sponsors, crowdfunding, or community fundraisers. Once they arrive, they sleep in shared rooms, stretch groceries to the limit, and surf every chance they get.

“It’s survival,” says one South African pro. “But every minute in Hawaii is worth it. One good wave can change everything.”

The Next Wave: A New Generation Takes Flight

Today, a new generation of South African surfers is stepping up to take on the Hawaiian challenge, young talents who grew up inspired by Shaun, Jordy, and Twiggy, and are now carving their own paths into the sport’s most prestigious arena.

Names like Luke Thompson, James Ribbink, Surprise Maphumulo, and Luke Slijpen have already had their first tastes of the North Shore. They’ve paddled out at Pipeline, and tested themselves in conditions that separate the good from the great.

Each of them brings a unique story, Thompson’s smooth precision, Ribbink’s fearlessness in heavy water, Maphumulo’s electric energy, and Slijpen’s explosive flair from the Cape Peninsula.

They are not yet household names in Hawaii, but that’s exactly how every legend starts. South Africans watch eagerly as these young surfers take their first swings at the proving grounds, knowing that one of them might be the next to etch their name into surfing history.

For them, Hawaii remains the ultimate dream, and the ultimate test.

More Than a Destination

For surfers, Hawaii isn’t just a place on the map, it’s a rite of passage. From Shaun Tomson pioneering courage to Jordy Smith’s victories and Twiggy Baker’s giant-slaying feats, each South African generation has used the North Shore as a mirror, reflecting who they are and what they’re capable of.

And now, as Luke Thompson, James Ribbink, Surprise Maphumulo, Luke Slijpen and others take their turns in the lineup, the legacy continues.

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