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just heard about this around 4:00 pm today, Bobby ''Challenger'' Thomas just died of a stroke. This from a staff member at California Surf Museum.
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Bobby Challenger Thomas has designed, shaped and manufactured thousands upon thousands of surfboards since 1957.
Bobby is a surfing pioneer, 60′s surfboard industry icon, surfing champion and a living legend. Bobby’s aggressive attitude, designs, models, higher standard of quality, coupled with his colorful Surfer advertising campaign made Challenger Surfboards of San Diego California known world wide.
Today, surfboards personally designed, shaped or manufactured by Bobby are collectibles valued at thousands of US Dollars.
for you guys that still smoke cig’s, Bobby smoked a gazillion of them a day, 2 days ago my sister in law checked out, smoked non stop, so did her husband, my little brother, he’s gone too, I’m waiting for Bill Bahne to go next. Quit F’n smoking you guys. Donald has had heart attacks and stroke, don’t smoke, leading cause of stroke and heart attack
Bummer. I’m just glad I had the pleasure and honor to meet him. He told some good story and shared his knowledge of surfboard history. He was a true innovator and a classic surfboard builder in every sense. RIP my friend. Barry Snyder
I was on the PTO site searching active trademarks, Shitehead has given up Challenger ( registered to Thomas) and Challenger Eastern ( Tinker is regaining control of it)
Bummer, on Bobby, isn’t someone on the east coast bring in phonies?
Jim hate to hear you saying that about Bill, I love that guy; he’s a true surfing super-hero, guru legend, albeit a bit cynical at times. Getting in Bill’s car totally reminds me of the smell of my Grandfather’s car when I was a kid; it wreaked of smoke, and he died of lung cancer.