The King of Surfing

Nobody in Australia had ever seen anything like it. One day in late December 1914, Duke Kahanamoku put his surfboard, freshly carved from a hunk of wood, into the water on a beach outside Sydney and paddled into the ocean. When he zoomed back into view, he was standing tall on top of the waves.

The people gathered on shore to watch Kahanamoku (kah-hah-nah-MOH-ku) were in awe. “So lightning like was the movement that all one could see was [a figure] flying through space,” a reporter wrote.

And he was just getting started. Kahanamoku gave the crowd a show. He rode wave after wave, facing forward, backward—and even standing on his head!

It was a wow moment. There were a few surfers in Australia at the time, but none who were capable of such feats. 

Nobody in Australia had ever seen anything like it. One day in late December 1914, Duke Kahanamoku grabbed his surfboard. It was freshly carved from a hunk of wood. He put it into the water on a beach outside Sydney and paddled into the ocean. When he zoomed back into view, he was standing tall on top of the waves.

People had gathered on shore to watch Kahanamoku (kah-hah-nah-MOH-ku). They were in awe. “So lightning like was the movement that all one could see was [a figure] flying through space,” a reporter wrote.

And he was just getting started. Kahanamoku gave the crowd a show. He rode wave after wave. He faced forward, backward, and even stood on his head!

It was a wow moment. There were a few surfers in Australia at the time. But none were able to do such feats.

Kahanamoku had originally come from his native Hawaii to take part in exhibitions as a world champion swimmer. Two years earlier, he had won a gold medal in swimming at the Olympics. There, he had set a record in the 100-meter freestyle.

But surfers in Australia had heard about his skill on a surfboard. They wanted to see him in action. Once they did, news spread quickly. Over the next several weeks, huge crowds came to be dazzled by Kahanamoku “walking on the water,” as it was described.

History was being made. When Kahanamoku went home, he left behind a core group of Australians who began to make surfing a national obsession. Gradually, his influence would spread the Hawaiian sport far and wide. The legendary Johnny Appleseed had planted apple trees. Like him, the athlete was “seeding the ancient pastime of surfing in distant locales,” writes biographer David Davis.

By the end of Kahanamoku’s life, the sport had become far more popular. He was known as the father of modern surfing—and among the best there ever was.

In his teens, Kahanamoku began to make a name for himself as an all-around athlete. But being dark-skinned, he found some places closed to him. Waikiki’s most prestigious sports clubs were reserved for haole, light-skinned people not of Polynesian heritage.

Yet leaders of those clubs recognized his potential as a competitive swimmer. They encouraged him. In August 1911, the mainland American Athletic Union (AAU) held a swim meet in Honolulu Harbor. Kahanamoku won the 100-yard freestyle—and shattered the world record by 4.6 seconds.

Doubtful AAU officials would not officially acknowledge his record. Outraged, Hawaiians held a series of dances and other fundraisers. They used the money to send Kahanamoku to the mainland to prove himself.

He did that and more. The Hawaiian won a national swimming title. He also qualified for the U.S. Olympic team and went to the 1912 Games in Stockholm, Sweden. He won both a gold and a silver medal. He returned home a hero.

Now, as an Olympic champion, Kahanamoku was invited to swim in faraway places, including Europe. While swimming was what he was known for, he snuck in time for surfing whenever he could. During the summer of 1912, he amazed locals in New York and New Jersey with his skills. Many of them had never even heard about surfing before. 

His visit to Australia in 1914 was especially significant in spreading the sport. On that same trip, Kahanamoku also traveled to New Zealand, where thousands turned up to see him surf. The island’s native Māori, also of Polynesian descent, greeted him like one of their own. 

The Māori were “seeing someone who is just like them, as this incredibly heroic figure,” New Zealand surfer Alan Te Moananui has said. “I think it just instilled a massive amount of pride.”

As an Olympic champion, Kahanamoku was invited to swim in faraway places, including Europe. Swimming was what he was known for. But he snuck in time for surfing whenever he could. During the summer of 1912, he amazed people in New York and New Jersey with his skills. Many of them had never even heard about surfing before.

His visit to Australia in 1914 was especially important in spreading the sport. On that trip, Kahanamoku traveled to New Zealand too. There, thousands of people turned up to see him surf. The island’s native Māori are also of Polynesian descent. They greeted him like one of their own.

The Māori were “seeing someone who is just like them as this incredibly heroic figure,” New Zealand surfer Alan Te Moananui has said. “I think it just instilled a massive amount of pride.”

Kahanamoku continued to swim in events all over the U.S. At the 1920 Olympics in Belgium, he won two more gold medals and broke his own world record. 

But it was never easy for him to make a living. He had dropped out of high school, which made it tough to find a job. Kahanamoku tried his luck in Hollywood for several years, but roles for non-White actors were limited. And despite the athlete’s fame, says biographer Davis, he still encountered racism. Back then, some beaches in California were closed to dark-skinned people. 

Still, Kahanamoku’s abilities in the ocean were unmatched. In June 1925, he was surfing at Newport Beach, California, when a fishing boat capsized offshore. The sea was so rough, it was impossible for a boat to get out to the fishermen. But Kahanamoku could—on his surfboard. In multiple trips, he saved eight people. His rescue inspired lifeguards to begin using surfboards.

Kahanamoku continued to swim in events all over the U.S. At the 1920 Olympics in Belgium, he won two more gold medals. He also broke his own world record.

But it was never easy for him to make a living. He had dropped out of high school. That made it tough to find a job. For several years, he tried his luck in Hollywood. But roles for non-White actors were limited. And even though the athlete was famous, he still faced racism, says biographer Davis. Back then, some beaches in California were closed to dark-skinned people.

Still, Kahanamoku’s abilities in the ocean were unmatched. In June 1925, he was surfing at Newport Beach, California, when a fishing boat capsized offshore. The sea was very rough. That made it impossible for a boat to reach the fishermen. But Kahanamoku could—on his surfboard. In multiple trips, he saved eight people. His rescue inspired lifeguards to begin using surfboards.

Kahanamoku died in 1968 at age 77. By then, surfing—often called Hawaii’s gift to the world—had become hugely popular. Today there are at least four statues of the man who helped make that so, one of them at Waikiki. “To us, he is the king of surfing,” world champion surfer Kelly Slater has said.

During his Olympic days, Kahanamoku proposed that surfing be made an official Olympic sport. A century later, that happened at the 2020 Games in Tokyo, Japan. The first female gold medalist was Carissa Moore, a Hawaiian who, like Kahanamoku, surfed her first waves at Waikiki. Now a huge mural of Moore and Kahanamoku overlooks downtown Honolulu.

“His relationship with surfing was eternal,” says Davis. Above all other things in life, Kahanamoku loved being in the water. “You are rewarded with a feeling of complete freedom and independence while rocketing across the face of a wave,” he would say.

Kahanamoku died in 1968 at age 77. By then, surfing had become hugely popular. It is often called Hawaii’s gift to the world. Today there are at least four statues of the man who helped make that so. One is at Waikiki. “To us, he is the king of surfing,” world champion surfer Kelly Slater has said.

During his Olympic days, Kahanamoku proposed that surfing be made an official Olympic sport. A century later, that happened at the 2020 Games in Tokyo, Japan. The first female gold medalist was Carissa Moore. She is a Hawaiian. Like Kahanamoku, she had surfed her first waves at Waikiki. Now a huge mural of Moore and Kahanamoku overlooks downtown Honolulu.

“His relationship with surfing was eternal,” says Davis. Above all other things in life, Kahanamoku loved being in the water. “You are rewarded with a feeling of complete freedom and independence while rocketing across the face of a wave,” he would say.