Biography

Peter Drouyn

photographer

Peter Drouyn is a surfer from Queensland, one of the early surfing legends from Kirra point and Burleigh Heads who was a big player in the development of modern surfing with his flamboyant style and also his intellect and entrepreneurial nature.

After Peter Drouyn won the Australian Junior surfing title in 1965 in Sydney, where he was beaten up and hospitalised for his perceived arrogance, he went on to win several Australian Junior titles and the senior title 5 years later. Peter Drouyn was not liked though, he was the tall poppy, the creative genius who was belittled, he was good looking and intelligent, he created new surfboards that later became accepted, he revolutionized power surfing and shorter lightweight boards, concave noseriders, and later explored finless surfing and asymmetric designs which he has worked on to this day. Peter Drouyn posed nude for Cleo magazine, the first surfer to do so, Drouyn introduced surfing to China in the early eighties and travelled the World spreading the aloha spirit.

Coming second at Bells Beach and second often obviously motivated Drouyn to attempt to eradicate bias judging from surfing, and his first stage in the overhaul of professional surfing came in 1977, with the introduction of the man-on -man system, quite simply having two surfers in the water not 6 or 8 as was common in the early 1970s. Drouyn had a whole future for professional surfing that was even more intense than most can imagine, with stadiums on land, half time with bands and cheerleaders and surfers controlling their own destiny rather than being at the mercy of the clothing manufacturers that sponsor them.

Peter Drouyn is a controversial character, not liked by everyone, yet idolised by a core that could see his vision.

Tall Poppy Syndrome (TPS) is a pejorative term used in Australia, New Zealand and Canada to describe what is seen as a populist, levelling social attitude. Someone is said to be a target of tall poppy syndrome when his or her assumption of a higher economic, social, or political position is criticised as being presumptuous, attention seeking, or without merit. Alternatively, it is seen as a societal phenomenon in which people of genuine merit are criticised or resented because their talents or achievements elevate them above or distinguish them from their peers.

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Peter Drouyn

Rabbit: “Drouyn was the first real super star out of Queensland, he was just so good, and so flamboyant, I don’t think history has really done him justice in many ways.”

PT: “Drouyn was probably one of the most under-rated surfers of that generation, because he lived in Queensland and the Queenslanders were not given due credit for how good they were surfing… and their surfing had evolved (because of the quality of the waves) and Drouyn was the frontrunner.”

Bob McTavish: “I must admit, I could have overlooked a few things with Drouyn in my recall of history, but I do know for sure that in 1966, that is pre-revolution, Drouyn was pushing for change. I shaped him the board he won the Aussie juniors on in 1966 and he wanted it light light light, which we did, we only did a single glass job. He wanted to be able to bottom turn like you wouldn’t believe and I made the mistake of making the tail too wide, still thinking Malibu style then you know. So…Drouyn was pushing hard in 66’, he was the best surfer in the water, Nat was second best.”

DROUYN: “I wasn’t aware of any of that back then. I mean obviously now in hindsight yeah. Look, I struggled to the surface of the ground like some ah frustrated rat, who was trying to get to the top of the ground to breathe air (for some reason) and the hole that I made and struggled with was left there for others I guess…”

More on Drouyn, with excerpts from the switch-foot books here

To enquire about these images as photographic paper or canvas prints, signed prints, please email ac@switch-foot.com

Selected Work