96 Billabong Challenge – July 1996
The Billabong Challenge was a small, elite, mobile professional surf event, held from 1995 to 1998, designed as an alternative to the often-bloated world championship tour contests. It was conceived and planned by Billabong founder Gordon Merchant, filmmaker Jack McCoy, and former world tour champion Wayne Bartholomew. This story by John Charlton in July 1996 covered part of the contest held in Gnaraloo in WA. The competitors were Aussies Mark Occhilupo, Luke Egan and Paul Patterson, Britain’s Martin Potter, Hawaiian’s Kalani Robb, Ross Williams and Shane Dorian and from mainland USA Rob Machado. The finalists were Occy, Rob Machado, Luke Egan and Kalani Robb, but unfortunately the final was never held due to lack of time and no good surf.
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