Mark Richards, or MR as he is widely referred to, was introduced to the surf with a rubber surf-o-plane when he was 2 years old. He soon learned to paddle, catch waves and "stand-up" on his board.
Mark was on his first surfboard when he was 5, which he used on weekends. Mark remembers "it was red and six foot long...with white competition stripes on it". He didn't commence daily surfing until he was in High School.
His contest career commenced as an amateur at Merewether Surf Board Club. His first trophy was for winning the Newcastle under 14 schoolboys competition when he was 6. He then progressed through School Boys, Cadets, Juniors and seniors, and on to local and state competitions before he reached the Australian Championships.
Mark has had an illustrious professional surfing career which commenced in 1974 at Wiamea Bay, Hawaii in the Smirnoff Pro in a 30 foot surf where he made the semi-finals. His first professional win was in the same event at Wiamea Bay a year later when he was only 17 years old.
Some of the Highlights of Mark's career are:
4 times World Champion in consecutive years 1979-82
4 time winner of the Bells Beach Classic, Victoria
twice winner of Billabong Sunset Beach and Wiamea Bay, Hawaii
twice winner Stubbies, Queensland and Australian Coca-Cola Surfabout
twice winner Gunston 500, South Africa
twice winner World Cup, Hawaii
winner hang Ten, Mainstay and Renault, South Africa
winner Pipeline Masters, Hawaii
winner Duke Kahanamoku and Smirnoff Pro, Hawaii
winner Coke Surf Classic, Sydney
winner Japan Open
Mark has also been named three times winner Surfer of the Year and Readers Poll Winner "Surfing' Magazine, USA, Sun-Caltex Sportsman of the Year, Newcastle Sportsman of the Year 1980,1981 and 1982, and NSW Sun-Caltex Sportsman on the Year in 1982 and twice nominated for ABC Sportsman of the Year. He has appeared on television commercials for Kentucky Fried Chicken, Tooheys Breweries and Ford motor vehicles.
Mark was responsible for the re-introduction of the twin-fin in the late 1970's. For the Australian surf Mark uses 6'4" and 6'8" boards but goes up to 8'6" boards in Hawaii. He currently shapes and designs surfboards under the MR label which are produced in the Maddog factory at Byron Bay.
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