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Rolf Aurness

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Best year  1970
Stance  Goofy foot

Name  Rolf Aurness
Uncles  Peter Graves
Rolf Aurness with a towel on his neck (a black and white photo)

Major achievements  World Surfing Champion, 1970
Siblings  Craig Aurness, Jenny Lee Aurness
Parents  Virginia Chapman, James Arness
Cousins  Amanda Graves, Claudia Graves, Kelly Graves
Grandparents  Rolf Cirkler Aurness, Ruth Aurness
Similar People  James Arness, Jenny Lee Aurness, Virginia Chapman, Peter Graves, Thordis Brandt

Bells Beach, 1970 ISF World Surfing Championship.


Rolf Aurness was born on February 18, 1952 in Santa Monica, California. He won the 1970 World Surfing Championships held at Johanna in Victoria, Australia, beating Midget Farrelly in the finals.

Contents

Rolf Aurness while on the beach

The Severson Files | Pacific Vibrations Part Three (alternative soundtrack)


Surfing career

Rolf Aurness while smoking cigarette

When he was nine Aurness suffered a skull fracture after falling from a tree. His father, reported to be an enthusiastic surfer, used surfing to help his son recover. He implemented a strict training regime of dawn sessions at beaches, long distance swimming and weekend beach trips, including the Hollister Ranch.

Rolf Aurness "Interview: Wayne Lynch on Rolf Aurness"

Several times a year they visited Hawaii, renting accommodation on Mākaha beach.

Personal life

James Arness and his son, Rolf

Aurness is the son of Gunsmoke actor James Arness and nephew of Mission Impossible actor Peter Graves.

In the decade following his World Surfing Championship win Aurness fell out of surfing as his wife, mother and sister all died. His wife died in 1978 from cancer, his mother Virginia (née Chapman) died in 1976,and his sister Jenny Lee Aurness committed suicide on May 12, 1975.

His half-brother Craig founded the stock photography agency Westlight and also was a photographer for National Geographic.

His father, well known Western and Gunsmoke television show actor James Arness, died on June 3, 2011.

References

Rolf Aurness Wikipedia