Billabong

The weather map chose your direction for you, so ex-Maroubra surfer, Gordon Merchant was renowned for his innate ability to turn up at the right beach, at the right time. Merchant also contributed an innovative (for the time) surfboard that helped Michael Peterson and Rabbit Bartholowmew in their ascent to the top. Then he turned his attention to making tough as teak boardshorts, able to withstand the elements and a grueling surf schedule. And that was the beginning of Billabong.