The history of modern surfing, as seen from the perspective of Hermosa Beach, was on exhibit at the 21st Annual Hermosa Beach Surfers Walk of Fame inductions on Pier Plaza on Saturday, April 26.
The first and oldest of this year’s four inductees was the underrecognized, hugely influential Tak Kawahara. Kawahara grew up in Santa Monica and owned CHP (California and Hawaiian Promotions) Surf Shop in Redondo Beach in the late ‘90s.
Kawahara began shaping boards for Con in Santa Monica and for Dewey Weber in Hermosa in the late ‘50s.
In 1963, he went to Japan because, “I knew it was an island and had to have waves. I wanted to be the first to build surfboards there,” he said.
His trip introduced surfing to Japan.
Inductee Shannon Aikman was the first professional woman’s tour in 1975 by co-founding the Women’s International Surfing Association (WISA).
Former pro surfer Jericho Poppler, who introduced Aikman, said of Aikman, “She was our CEO. She held WISA together.”
Inductee Rocky Sabo was a pro surfer in the early ‘70s, a transitional and often overlooked between the Golden Era of longboarding in the ‘60s and the full ascendency of shortboard pyrotechnics in the late ‘70s.
After his professional surfing career, Sabo went to work for Becker Surf, and in 1984 opened Becker’s second store, in Mission Viejo. Two years later, he and his wife Linda opened Rock’s Surf City in San Clemente, one of the largest, most successful surf shops in California for two decades.
The fourth 2025 inductee was Ronnie Meistrell, whose father Bob and uncle Bill are credited with inventing the modern wetsuit, which increased surfing’s popularity exponentially.
Eleven time World Surfing Champion Kelly Slater said of Meistrell,“There are a lot of unsung heroes in every sport. Ronnie is a huge piece of that in American surfing.”
Meistrell competed in amateur surfing competitions. But he made his mark in surfing history as contest director of the PSSA (Professional Surfing Association of America) Tour, from 1987 until 1994. His older brother Robbie was the tour president.
Under their stewardship the domestic Bud Pro Surfing Tour, as the PSSA tour came to be known, served as a pathway to the international World Surf League. The high school age Slater, Rob Machado, and other Momentum Generation surfers turned professional on the Bud Pro Surfing Tour.
The inductions ceremony concluded with a remembrance of Greg Browning, who was inducted last year. The filmmaker and former pro surfer passed away on April 11 from ALS. A paddleout out in Browning’s memory will be held Saturday May 17, at 16th Street in Hermosa Beach, where Browning grew up surfing. ER
