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Legendary Surfer Nat Young Tours Pepperdine Surfboard Collection
Surfing icon Nat Young visited Pepperdine while on the West Coast promoting his sixth book, The Complete History of Surfing: From Water to Snow. Mark Roosa, dean of libraries at Pepperdine, showed Young the University's collection of surfboards on loan from Malibu resident and collector, John Mazza.
"It was an honor to welcome Nat to Pepperdine as a world-renowned ambassador of surfing history and culture," said Dean Roosa.
The "The John Mazza Historic Surfboard Collection," part of the Malibu Special Collection at Pepperdine's Payson Library, spans nearly 100 years of surfing history. On display in the Library Loft located in the University's main library, the exhibit serves as a cornerstone of the larger collection that will eventually preserve the history of Malibu by telling stories that include the impact of twentieth century surfing culture within this community.
The superb sixteen-board collection includes the Chambered Hot Curl from 1939, Joe Quigg's "Semitar" Surfboard, and Pat Curren's "Sunset Gun." It was installed for the Reel Sessions Surf Film Festival benefiting Payson Library last spring.
Young has published three earlier books on the history of surfing and his new release is his most comprehensive. He divides his time between Sun Valley and his native Australia. He is dedicated to preserving the rich history of the sport of surfing and is arguably the most authoritative source on the history of the sport.
Young praised Pepperdine's display of surfboards and took time out to sign a poster from the Reel Sessions Surf Film Festival, which was signed previously by Malibu surfing legend and screenwriter, Denny Aaberg, and other notable Reel Sessions participants including Mickey Munoz and Steve Pezman, publisher of The Surfers Journal.
The "John Mazza Historic Surfboard Collection" is open to the public for viewing. Please call the Pepperdine Payson Library at (310) 506-4786 for information.
