Peter Crawford Dies

Peter Crawford was the most well known exponent on "the slab" kneeboard in Australia in the 70's. These boards started the move towards wider boards from the normal 20" or so. Peter's boards had very rounded noses and wide tails and large racked back single fins with Greenough influence.

His home break was Dee Why Point, a sucking, barrelling wave on Sydney's North Shore and Peter was always doing the biggest bottom turns and getting the deepest tubes. He was well known for popping 360's and for landing El Rollo's.

The news filtered through on 10 January

This from Guy Finlay

Bad news has come through from Bali. Peter Crawford has died . Apparently he was bitten by a spider on Xmas eve. His girlfriend has said that he was feeling a bit ill beforehand and then the spider bite and hospital were too much for him to cope with.

I've confirmed this with a number of sources here in Sydney. His son, Scott, is pretty upset. They are having problems getting his body back to Australia and the Australian Foreign Affairs Department are helping with the situation.

And this from the January WAKA (Wollongong Area Kneelos Assn) Newsletter

Word has just come through that one of kneeboards greats has just passed away suffering a heart attack.

Peter Crawford, 48 years old from D-Why Sydney, died while overseas after climbing to the top of a Bungi tower to take pictures of the sunset, Apparently Peter has been bitten by a spider the day before and was admitted to hospital but signed himself out, no news as to whether this has anything to do with his subsequent heart attack

A paddle out will be held on January 17th at D-Why at 3.00 o'clock, and all kneelos who want to pay their respects are asked to attend this memorial service, for one of kneeboarding and surfing's well known identities.