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World Champion Shaun Tomson 1979 Personal Surfboard
$6,768
£5,153.69
€5,934.34
CA$9,590.85
A$10,316.33
CHF 5,513.35
MX$121,600.17
NOK 69,510.40
SEK 63,545.70
DKK 44,339.51
About the Item
Presented here is an extraordinary piece of surf history: Shaun Tomson’s personal surfboard, custom-shaped by legendary Lightning Bolt shaper Bill Barnfield. Measuring 7'0", this board was built four inches longer than a comparable 1978 example and carries added volume through the nose to improve bottom turns and generate the speed needed to set up and exit the tube—design refinements that supported Tomson during his dominant competitive years, including his 1977 World Championship campaign.
The board is finished in a warm yellow tint and features Shaun Tomson’s unmistakable green, blue, and red racing stripes flowing across both the deck and bottom. A nearly identical board appears in Jim Winniman’s The Ultimate Guide to Vintage Surfboards (page 203). While both share a rounded tail, this example stands apart for its longer length and custom dimensions. It bears Tomson’s Instinct logo on the nose, along with Bill Barnfield’s “BB” initials on the foam above the stringer and beneath the glass, confirming it as a true custom built specifically for Tomson.
Bill Barnfield is regarded as one of Lightning Bolt’s premier shapers, producing boards and guns ridden by the world’s elite surfers on the North Shore. This board was shaped to Tomson’s specifications following his 1975 Pipeline Masters victory at Banzai Pipeline, during a period when Lightning Bolt boards defined high-performance surfing.
Further enhancing its provenance, Shaun Tomson was reunited with this very board at the New Jersey Surfing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on June 1, 2025, where he personally signed it (see attached photos). Upon seeing it, Tomson remarked, “I remember riding this board. Where did you get it? Wow.” INSTINCT later captured the emotion of the moment on social media: “It doesn’t matter if you are a World Champion or just some average bloke—there’s a special feeling you get when reunited with a stick from your past.”
The board remains all original and has been professionally re-glossed and polished to revive its original luster. Light browning is visible on portions of the deck, as shown in the photos, but the board is structurally solid and completely watertight.
- Dimensions:Height: 84 in (213.36 cm)Width: 23 in (58.42 cm)Depth: 3 in (7.62 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1979
- Condition:Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use. Professionally re-glossed and polished to restore its shine.
- Seller Location:Haleiwa, HI
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU5290248260142
About the Seller
5.0
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Established in 2014
1stDibs seller since 2020
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- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Lavallette, NJ
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