Rare surfing history goes on show in Newhaven (From The Argus)

Rare surfing history goes on show in Newhaven

11:20am Tuesday 5th March 2013 in News By Kimberly Middleton, Acting chief reporter

A passionate surfer has created the first collection of heritage boards in the south east in Newhaven.

Craig Lindfield-Butler, 42, has put his beloved collection of vintage and classic boards on public display at his Supernova Surfboards shop on Fort Road.

He said: “We have had them for several years. They are such rare examples of British surfing history.”

They include a Freedom Surfboard shaped by Steve Harewood in about 1969, one of the earliest British Shortboards.

It was designed to replicate the Egg which world champion Nat Young was riding in Australia at the time.

Other pieces in the collection include the Bing Maui Foil made famous when Rolf Arneses rode it to victory in 1970 and a rare example of one of the first Malibu boards in the UK.

Mr Lindfield-Butler, who has been surfing since he was nine, said: “I really wanted them all in a heritage centre which the public can look around and hopefully it will also help to regenerate Newhaven.

“We have already had a lot of interest.”

See www.supernovasurfboards.com.

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