People have described former World Champion Margo Oberg as a surfing legend, a teacher and an innovator. It’s time to add Hall of Famer to the list, as well. The Kaua’i resident, who teaches surfing at the Margo Oberg Surfing
People have described former World Champion Margo Oberg as a surfing legend, a teacher and an innovator.
It’s time to add Hall of Famer to the list, as well.
The Kaua’i resident, who teaches surfing at the Margo Oberg Surfing School in Poipu, was recently added to Hawaii’s extensive list of Hall of Fame Athletes.
It wasn’t her greatest honor. Oberg was already Sports Illustrated’s 99th greatest woman athelete of the century.
In 1953, she became the first big-wave surfer.
At age 11, she was the youngest competitor in the women’s no-age limit class at a San Diego event and won it.
At 12, when she won her first national event, she was the only girl competing against a beach full of boys.
Three years later, she won her first World Championship.
At age 18, after having captured three world championships and more than 100 first-place trophies at other events, she retired from competition.
In 1975, when she was 22, Oberg returned to surfing when it became a professional sport.
She won the circuit’s first three pro world titles, and another – her last – in 1981.
Today, she offers lessons at the The Margo Oberg Surf School, which operates year-round from Poipu Beach in Kauai, Hawaii.
