New Zealand surfing changed radically when two young Americans, Bing Copeland (left) and Rick Stoner brought their American-made Malibu boards to New Zealand in 1958–59. These light, manoeuvrable boards were made of a shaped balsa core covered with a fibreglass mat. They were a vast improvement on the old-style solid or hollow wooden boards. Riders could surf across the face of a wave instead of simply following the breaker to the beach in a straight line. Soon Malibu boards were being manufactured locally, and many more people took up surfing.
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Private collection, Bing Copeland
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