Forever A Gumby – QBC Memorial

Formerly known as the Adam Baker Memorial…

The June Memorial Contest holds a sacred place in our QBC history as we honor those who have made a lasting impact on our club and community. This is a special point-scoring club contest where QBC pays tribute to some of our unforgettable lost Gumbys.

In the QBC spirit, the Memorial Contest is dedicated to honoring the lives and legacies of the following Gumbys:

 

Adam Baker

Adam was one of the boys down at Queeny. He’d be at the bench most afternoons with a can of coke and a flake. He loved surfing with his mates and was always keen for a beer down the Steyne. He competed in B Grade and wasn’t the best surfer but a great bloke who just loved it. In the surf, he was known as the Penguin if you’ve seen a Penguin surf you’d understand.

 

David ‘Horse’ Young

Why the horse – not what you think – he had a long face. First surfed in QBC contest #2 January 1979 – he was a real “Smooth Operator” and he grooved stylishly to that song. Was the organiser and promoter of many QBC “Gentleman’s” functions that somehow seemed to last all night. Always the life and centre of any QBC function he was involved in.

 

Duane Heketa

Duane, a mad surfer and skateboarder! He joined as a junior in 1980/81 and his talent was quickly recognised. He already had a skateboarding reputation. He was in the QBC Junior team that thrashed Maroubra Juniors in clean 6’ rights at Queenie. A stylish and powerful natural foot, he seemed to get better each week and surfed well in the Pro Junior, making the quarter-finals. In about 1982/83 he was on the QBC expedition that surfed the Opera House (a little reef in front of it that the wake from the old Manly ferries broke on – see Tracks article).

 

John ‘El Marlon’ Brandau

First QBC event was the 1979 QBC Man on Man contest. A unique individual and an acquired taste – he was usually involved in the more “interesting” QBC misadventures with Squid being a worthy partner in crime – his greatest (?) public QBC achievement was as the co-centerfold (along with Skell) in the 1980 QBC magazine.

 

Rick Cale

 

Shun Yamamoto

Shun, our much-loved Gumby from Japan. Shun became one of our earliest sponsors, supporting our club through his surf shop and brand in Japan, Holiday Surf/Cheers. Shun loved coming out to Australia, traveling up and down the coast, and kicking off the QBC calendar year with his sponsored club contest, ‘The Holiday Cup.’ It was such a great event for those who remember it. Shun time in Aus was also spent with Gumby’s drinking tequila on the pokies at the Civos while having a ciggi!

 

Steve ‘Teary’ Garth

Teary was a founding member of QBC, QBC President, A Grade Champion, and the original QBC Grom attending the inaugural meeting at the Steyne where the club was formed as a 15-year-old. His signature move was a massive cutback known as the “Garthback”. Teary was a regular member of our victorious interclub team. Out of the surf, he was a true champion and family man. Teary was the surfer everyone wished they could surf like.

 

 

 

Forever A Gumby