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With the World Surf League (WSL) heading to Rio De Janeiro for the eighth leg of the Championship Tour, we thought it’d be cool to take it back to 1978 when an 18-year-old Cheyne Horan became the first person from outside of Brazilian nationality to win in Rio. The bondi-raised surfer capitalised on the beach break conditions which were similar to his home-break to take home $4,000 in front of 20,000 passionate Brazilian fans. This short but sweet archive is close to 45-years-old and featured in Tracks Magazine Issue no.97 (October, 1978).
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THE WAIMEA 5000- RIO DE JANEIRO
Around 20,000 Brazilians crowded the beach at Ipanema to see Cheyne Horan take out the top money and win his first world class contest. In 2-4 ft surf, the eighteen year old Bondi kid battled it out in the final with his mentor and fellow Bronzed Aussie, Peter Townend, Horan had beaten Hawaiian Mark Sedlack, Wollon- gong’s Critter Byrne and the Brazilian champ, Cauli Rodriguez, before winning against P.T. in the final. The split decision from the seven man judging panel had three in favour of Horan, one for Townend and three voting the match a tie. The contest was a good one for the Australians generally, with all surfers qualifying for the money although Jim Banks, Steve Jones and current IPS ratings leader, Rabbit Bartholomew, had to be content with equal ninth place and a paltry $100 each. Hawaiian surfer Hans Heiderman beat Rabbit in the first round of the final 16 and went as far as the semi finals before being beaten by P.T. Townend also had to knock out lan Cairns to qualify for the final against their understudy.
The Brazilian contest is earning something of a reputation for its electric excitement illustrated best this year by an incident which occurred after the quarter final heat, Horan vs Byrne. Continuing their year long mutual vendetta, the two young hot rats had been hassling the bag during their heat and when the result was announced that Horan had won, Byrne gave a gesture of disgust. The crowd, inflamed at his attitude, started to jeer Byrne and he was hit on the head by a bottle flung by one of the excitable Horan fans. Understandably reticent over these threats of personal violence, Byrne left the country almost immediately for New York.
RESULTS
1. Cheyne Horan (Aus) $4,000
2. Peter Townend (Aus) $2,000
3. Cauli Rodriguez (Bra) Hans Heiderman (Hi) $800 each
5. Ian Cairns (Aus) Buzzy Kerbox (Hi) Michael Ho (Hi) Critter Byrne (Aus) $400 each
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