Derek Hynd, Wayne Lynch (unidentified), Simon Anderson Bells Beach carpark, Victoria Easter 1981

Derek Hynd, Wayne Lynch (unidentified), Simon Anderson
Bells Beach carpark, Victoria
Easter 1981

Simon Anderson celebrates his 1981 win with a tinnie out of the boot of the renowned Falcon whilst Derek Hynd - who had Simon roundly beaten in the semis before a five-minute charity extension changed the result - takes solace in the champers. Wayne Lynch might be laughing at something Hynd has said, but Simon could well be thinking about the poetry of it all, "Beer mate, only beer".

Derek Hynd 2026

Note the thrusters on the roof of Simon’s car. The 1981 Easter Swell at Bells Beach, famously known as "Big Saturday," stands as the most iconic day in the history of the Rip Curl Pro. Occurring on Easter Saturday, April 18, 1981, the event featured massive, clean waves reaching 15 to 20 feet, generated by an intense low-pressure system in the Southern Ocean. This historic swell served as the proving ground for Simon Anderson and his revolutionary thruster surfboard design. While most competitors arrived expecting small waves and brought twin-fins, Anderson debuted his new three-fin setup. His victory in the contest legitimised the thruster design, which quickly became the global standard for high-performance surfing. Big Saturday occurred at a unique moment in surfboard design, with single fins, twins and thrusters all being ridden by various finalists. From this point on thrusters would rapidly become the dominant mainstream fin set-up for years to come.

Amac 2026