The 1968 World Championship was Monumental for Surfing and 2018 Followed Suit.
The 1968 World Surfing Championships took place November 7-14, 1968. It was the first time that the short board was widely used in Championship Surfing. It also was the last time that Surfers represented their countries-until the 2020 Summer Olympics. Fred Hemmings was the Champion and went on to become a State Senator in Hawai’i. Over the years, other Champions and Legends like Nat Young, Reno Abellira and David Nuuhiva, have returned to Rincón to surf, look to the sunsets and recall the Golden Era of Surfing. They all met again in November 2018 to see young surfers compete at the WSL Longboard Competition and make their own History.
The 2019 Rincón Surf Fest will be the sequel to last year’s monumental 50th anniversary celebration of the 1968 World Championship contest held in Rincón, PR November 7-14, 1968. In the spirit of honoring generations of international professional surfing and following the aim to innovate, blending progressive maneuvers with classic style, the very same beaches that have given surfers memories for several decades will be full again with history in the making.
Since 1968, the waves at Rincón have been the scene of many surf competitions and the place where countless memories are made for the generations of surfers that have followed the Legends of 1968.
The world class waves of Domes Beach in Rincón Puerto Rico will be the primary event location in 2019, with Maria’s legendary right point breaks down the road as the backup. Swell forecast will be analyzed one week prior to the event to confirm the venue.
2018 Rincon Surf Fest 50 Years Later
Rincon Surf Festival Photo Gallery 1968 - 2018
