Beachcomber Bills Grand Prix
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Al Paterson (left) with Barry Kanaiaupuni, Red Thompson, Eddie Aikau; 1977 ad
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1977 Grand Prix winner Shaun Tomson. Photo: Dan Merkel / A-Frame
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Vintage Beachcomber Bills sandals
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Pro tour surfers in Australia, 1977. Photo: John Witzig
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See Also
History of Surfing
Above the Roar
Contributing To This Entry
Short-lived world tour pro circuit ratings system, launched in late 1976, almost simultaneously with the founding of the International Professional Surfers (IPS) tour. "It is my hope," tour cofounder and director Al Paterson wrote in a 1976 announcement, "that the Grand Prix will serve to provide an opportunity for the committed professional surfer to earn a decent wage for his efforts."
Beachcomber Bills sandals, a Central California-based company owned by Bill Marre and Jim Phillips, was b...