Pearl Turton avoids eye contact with globe trotting surfer Rob August at Palm Beach in a grab from The Endless Summer, 1964.
According to her brother Ron, Pearl Turton’s reaction to seeing herself in The Endless Summer was to shrink ostrich-like under the cinema seats. All she did on screen was tumble around in the soup and disconcert the travellers. If Paul Witzig’s footage captured any good waves at all, they didn’t make the final cut.
photo of Pearl Turton, 1963 national titles at Avalon Sydney by Vic Joice, sourced at Surfit.com
Sixteen year old Sydney surfer Pearl Turton won the first ‘recognised’ national surf meet at Avalon in May 1963. Next thing she knew, Australian Women’s Weekly put her on their cover and even made a TV appearance wearing a bikini. Around the same time Jack Eden’s Surfabout mag got her to do the first surf column written by a woman.
Yeh, that is true the movie made her lookstupid! She was a fantastic rider and all they showed was a girl who looked like she was a learner not our first womens Australian Champion
Ron Turton
9 Dec 10 at 5:30 am
Yes Peral was an out and out superstar why they showed her falling off all the time was a joke. I guess it made the boys look good. Sort of made it look like pretty girl in a bikini was just having her first try at it rather than being Australias Champion rider!
Ron Turton
9 Dec 10 at 5:37 am
It’s a sad reality that this type of negative acknowledgement of women. Im so glad to have found this information on Pearl and other female surfers of those years and earlier. I’d love to share this moment and make it a positive part of Australian Surfing History.
Luciana Battel
8 Mar 13 at 12:56 am
thanks Luciana – I’ll pass this on to Ron for you if thats OK
Gary Crockett
14 Mar 13 at 5:09 am
I have a great photo of Pearl, Robert August and myself taken at Palmy during a Palm Beach Longboarders competition. Apparently it was the first time Pearl and Robert had caught up since Endless Summer. I have it hanging on my bedroom wall. She is a wonderful and beautiful person. It was such a thrill to meet her. Pearl, if you want a copy give me a cooee.
Tony Batten
6 Jul 19 at 1:02 am
Thanks Tony – unfortunately this blog is no longer active. Sounds like a great pic though!
garycrockett
9 Jul 19 at 1:51 am