Unlike today’s CT events, rooted to fixed locations by behemoth infrastructures, the Sydney-based 2SM/Coca-Cola was designed to be nimble; a mobile pro contest that reflected the way surfers actually surf – going to the spot where the best waves are found on any given day.

On finals day in 1979 that spot just happened to be hundreds of miles away and I was the nerve-wracked contest director under pressure from radio stations and TV networks to make a call… but more about that saga in a bit.

Founded in 1974, two years before the inaugural World Pro Tour, the Surfabout was the genius idea of newspaperman Graham Cassidy. The event married solid sponsorship from Coca-Cola with the media reach of popular radio station 2SM. Its airwaves were also host to the daily surf report from legendary surfboard builder and outsized personality Shane Stedman, who also served as the Surfabout’s on-site commentator.

Each morning surfers, judges and support crew would gather early at the North Narrabeen car park for the call. Often it was the always reliable North Narra that had the best waves on offer and the call would be stay and go. But if Shane’s network of surf report spotters up and down the Sydney coast suggested better waves elsewhere, it was rally time. The whole contingent would pile into cars and vans for a mad dash while 2SM announced the call on the air ensuring that a sizeable mob of spectators would be on hand to watch the action wherever the show took place.

Over the years Surfabout was held at beaches as far afield as Avalon, Warriewood and Manly, and the point breaks at Dee Why and Cronulla. It even ventured south to Sandon Point. On at least two occasions it was held way down south at …