About Duke

Considered by many to be the father of modern day surfing, Duke Kahanamoku epitomized the essence of the Aloha spirit and touched the lives of so many during his international travels. Named after his father, a humble police officer given the name Duke after the Duke of Edinburgh visited Hawaii early in the 20^th century, he dropped out of high school to live his youth as a beach boy. Growing up on the beaches of Waikiki, it was in those waters that sculpted him into a gifted athlete, being the first person to be inducted into both the Swimming Hall of Fame and Surfing Hall of Fame. Winning a total of 5 Olympic medals in swimming for the 100m and relay races between 1912 and 1924, Duke's success became internationally recognized and undeniably credited as the man who introduced surfing and the then isolated Hawaii islands to the world.

Between Olympic competition and his retirement from the Olympics, Duke traveled the world to give swimming exhibitions and demonstrations. His 1914 surfing exhibition in Sydney is widely considered to be the most significant day in the development of surfing in Australia. Duke also caught the eye of Hollywood, being asked to play roles opposite actors like John Wayne. While living in Southern California, Duke ripped through the waves of Balboa Beach and Corona Del Mar. He pioneered East Coast surfing in New Jersey and popularized the sport in mainland America.

Though his rise to fame occurred years before our time, his influence on modern day surfing has had a long lasting impact. Named the most influential surfer in Surfer magazine's 1999 collectors edition, Duke Kahanamoku's spirit lives in the mists of the waves he once conquered.