| Rolf Aurness | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1952-02-18)February 18, 1952 (age 73) Santa Monica, California, US |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Surfing career | |
| Best year | 1970 |
| Major achievements | World Surfing Champion, 1970 |
| Surfing specifications | |
| Stance | Goofy foot |
Rolf Aurness (born February 18, 1952,Santa Monica, California) is anAmericansurfer who won the 1970World Surfing Championships held atJohanna inVictoria, Australia, beatingMidget Farrelly in the finals.[1][2]
He is the son of the famousGunsmoke actorJames Arness.
When he was nine Aurness suffered a skull fracture after falling from a tree. His father, reported to be an enthusiastic surfer,[3] used surfing to help his son recover. He implemented a strict training regimen of dawn sessions at beaches, long distance swimming and weekend beach trips, including theHollister Ranch.[1]
Several times a year they visited Hawaii, renting accommodation onMākaha beach.[3]
Aurness is the son ofGunsmoke actorJames Arness (who died on June 3, 2011[4]) and nephew ofMission Impossible actorPeter Graves.[1][2]
In the decade following his World Surfing Championship win Aurness fell out of surfing due to the deaths of his wife, mother, and sister.[1][2] His wife died in 1978 from cancer, his mother Virginia (née Chapman) died in 1977 of an accidental drug overdose,[5] and his sister Jenny Lee Aurness died of an apparently deliberate drug overdose in 1975.[6] His adopted brother, Craig, founded the stock photography agency Westlight and also was a photographer forNational Geographic.[7]
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | ISF World Surfing Champion (men's) 1970 | Succeeded by |
