Ringing the bell at The Rip Curl Pro, formerly the Bells Beach Surf Classic, is the ultimate accolade for many surfboard riders across the world and one of these elite surfers now calls Rainbow Beach home.
During the Easter of 1963, 18-year-old surf lover, Doug Andrew, was living 150 metres from the beach at Dee Why on the New South Wales coast and together with a group of mates went for a drive to Bells Beach to have a crack at the Bells Beach Surf Classic.
Doug said they had never been there before and went just to have a good time like everyone else and compete in the surf competition.
Doug ended up winning the prestigious Bells Trophy, which was in its second year and didn’t achieve worldwide acclaim until Rip Curl became involved in 1973.
The inaugural event in 1962 was won by New South Wales surfer Glynn Ritchie
Doug said, “There were twelve competitors in the final and I knew half a dozen of the Sydney guys.”
“I didn’t think I’d win; it was just a surfing contest and not like it is now.”
“I’ve always had pretty good balance and just loved surfing and was not even desperate to win, I was more just there to have fun.”
Doug said he didn’t realise the enormity of the win and it only dawned on him in 2008 when he was invited back to Bells and was presented with the famous timber bell trophy.
He said the event became so famous that those who came after him fought hard to take home the trophy which is when he fully realised the enormity of the win.
“The reason there is such a highlight on Bells is that it is the longest running surf competition and plenty of people get to win surf competitions, but only about 40 surfers have got to ring the bell.”
While the classic has been running since 1962, surfers Mark Richards, Kelly Slater and Mick Fanning have won the event four times each and the event wasn’t held during 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid Pandemic.
Doug said, “I went back to Bells when I was 63 as I won in 1963 and it was fantastic.”
“All the guys from the sixties were there and we gave the pennant we were presented with after the competition back to Rip Curl who put it into the Torquay Museum based next to Rip Curl.”
At the fiftieth anniversary of the event Rip Curl paid all winners and their partners to return to the event and Doug said he and wife Lynne loved it.
“All the winners were acknowledged, and the sixties crew were all together and we all got to ring the bell which was very significant.”
“The young blokes stopped and shook hands with the older guys as they appreciated the challenge from way back then.”
“We are going back again for the sixtieth anniversary in April for a ten-day window which will include a trip to the Bells.”
Doug said his first board was a 9ft 6ins Bennett made of balsa wood which he bought from Barry Bennett surfboards.
“Riding in those days was different, there were no wetsuits, and it was all longboards, and we just wore ‘boardies’ and singlets.
He said there were no leg ropes and if you lost your board you swam.
“I was involved in the Dee Why surfing fraternity and Boardriders Club which is known as the best and oldest in the country – and ‘Midget’ Farrelly was our first president.” (Bernard ‘Midget’ Farrelly AM)
“Surfing was just something we all did because we lived by the beach in the 50’s and late 60’s.
“In those days everyone surfed the northern beaches, and everyone knew everyone.”
He said famous Australian surfers Glynn Ritchie and Robbie Lane surfed the ’Bower’ and the twenty-three beaches around Sydney.
Doug is a life member of the Dee-why surf club which he joined as a 14-year-old and following his win at Bells he returned to the surf club and was an integral member of the clubs’ competitions.
He competed until 1981 showing off his talent and determination by winning a swag of State and National titles and representing the country in Ironman, board, and ski.
Doug does not blow his own trumpet and while proud of his achievements he is distinctly uncomfortable being the centre of the conversation and talking about himself.
His wife Lynne is the record keeper and the garage of their home in Rainbow Beach has a collection of Australian surfing history memorabilia which he has been a vital part of.
Doug has won ‘about’ forty medals for Surf Life Saving Club Branch titles representing Dee Why where he is a life member and Maroochydore including gold in three branch Ironman and held three Australian titles.
In 1974 Doug decided to master surf ski’s and won a first with the Australian Team in 1974 in the South African Open for the World Surf Live saving titles where he captained the New South Wales
At 50 he paddled in the 32-mile Bankoh Kayak Challenge world championships from Molokai to Oahu coming second in the 50 year and over age group.
He said it was a hard race, “There is usually a swell and wind to help but that year there was nothing, it was very flat and very hot.”
Also of note was his second place in 1995 in the 20 Beaches Ocean Classic from Palm Beach to Manly on a single ski and his accolades continue with a long list of master competitions.
During his sporting career Doug was a member of the Police Force for fourteen years from 1967 for and a qualified tiler which he returned to when he came to Queensland.
He and Lynne have been married 55 years and have two sons Damien and Nathan and six grandchildren Dylan, Lilly, Noah, Isabell, Kaleb and Beaudie.
They moved to Rainbow Beach from the Sunshine Coast in 2021 where they had lived for forty years with Doug an active member of the Maroochydore surf club.
They are a great team, and both enjoy their coastal home and the quieter lifestyle and at 78 Doug continues to give back to the community.
This year he completed his Royal Life Saving Certificate to enable him to volunteer at the Rainbow Beach Aquatic Centre two days a week helping other volunteers keep the pool open to the public.
Doug has had an incredible life spent living and competing on the beach, and at 78 carries himself as a fit young man, enjoying surfing, bike riding, walking, coffee, and socialising as part of his day with Lynne.
He has spent sixty-four years volunteering and competing for Australia’s Surf Life Saving community and is a wonderful example of a great Australian.
