Who is Mark Richards?
Mark Richards is an Australian surfer who won four consecutive professional world surfing titles from 1979 to 1982. He popularized the twin-fin surfboard, which he designed and shaped himself.
Richards was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, in 1957. His parents ran a surf shop, and he began surfing at an early age.
Known as MR, he became one of the leading surfers of the 1970s and was famous for his wide stance and flowing style, which earned him the nickname the Wounded Gull.
The twin fin
Richards developed a twin-fin surfboard design that was faster and looser than single-fin boards. He used it to dominate competitive surfing in the early 1980s.
He won four world titles in a row, from 1979 to 1982, a remarkable achievement at the time. He also won major events in Hawaii, including the Pipeline Masters.
After retiring from full-time competition, Richards continued shaping surfboards in Newcastle, where his surf shop remains well known. He remains one of the most respected figures in Australian surfing.
Did You Know?
Richards was inducted into the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame.