Tigger circa 1970
Surf Insight with Tigger on the cover 1972
M P in 1969 with egg.Nice shape by Tigger Newling from the '69/'70 transition period. During this time board lengths were cut dramatically; as in this board volume was kept up with an S or domed deck. The board dimensions are 6ft x 21 1/2 x 2 3/4. When I got this board it was in a bad state, fin chewed up and hanging off and many repairs needed; I also added a leash plug which I now regret as I should have kept it in the original state. It's signed Tigger 3270 which I'm thinking may mean it was made in 1970 as I'm sure he hadn't shaped thousands of boards at this early stage. The board also has down rails which shows the 69/ 70 Australian influence.
The Newlings were a popular and successful surfing family in the Treyarnon and Constantine area through the 70s. Tigger was a lifeguard, shaper and competition surfer who wasn't afraid of tackling local heavy reefs , including Porthleven and the Cribbar. He was influenced by Australian surfing and shaping after competing in the worlds at Bells Beach in 1970, and surfed in a radical but smooth style. He won the British champs in 1973 in 6-8 ft surf at Freshwater west.
He started Tig surfboards at age 17 from a greehouse, and in 1975 was working under Gerry Lopez at Lightening Bolt in Hawaii, before returning to Cornwall to start his Jolly Good label. He moved to Australia in 1980. Tigger said ' During that trip to Australia in 1970, I saw the boards Michael Peterson, Wayne Lynch and Nat Young were riding- those really wide egg shapes with big Greenough style single fins. I liked the design, so I built some of those when I got home, and they worked pretty well for me' ( from The Surfing Tribe p. 86 ).
