Surfing Walk of Fame inductees reflect on their journey
Jesse Billauer is the world’s only three-time adaptive surfing champion.
The Pacific Palisades native definitely had to adapt after he was knocked off his surfboard by a wave and hit his head on a sandbar in March 1996. He broke his neck and severed his sixth vertebrae (C6), instantly becoming a quadriplegic at the age of 17.
Yet Billauer’s story today is one of triumph. He’s the executive director and chief executive of the Life Rolls On Foundation, and he is the father of twin boys.
Billauer was one of seven surf industry standouts honored Thursday morning at the 29th annual Surfing Walk of Fame induction ceremony, on Main Street in Huntington Beach in front of Jack’s Surfboards.
“Today I’m going to call it the Roll of Fame,†Billauer joked during his induction speech. “I guess it’s only fitting that I’m on the Honor Roll, because I do roll.â€
Billauer and Don Hansen indeed were inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame in the Honor Roll category. Laguna Beach native Dick Metz (Surf Pioneer), Pauline Menczer (Woman of the Year), Robert “Chuy†Madrigal (Local Hero), Yvon Chouinard (Surf Culture) and Cheyne Horan (Surf Champion) were the other inductees.
State Sen. Janet Nguyen and Huntington Beach Mayor Tony Strickland were among those who gave remarks at the ceremony.
Horan, a native Australian, finished as world title runner-up four times between 1978 and 1982. Though he never finished first in the world, he did have 14 Championship Tour event wins to his credit. They included the inaugural OP Pro in Huntington Beach in 1982, and he described how his backside-360 move helped win the crowd over and top South Africa’s Shaun Tomson in the final.
Horan said he learned to drink coffee in Surf City.
“I know this sort of sounds a bit weird, but in Australia, I don’t even know if we had coffee,†he said. “There’s this surfer and he goes, ‘I have four coffees before I go surfing.’ I’m like, ‘Whoa.’ This guy was so revved up, and I knew nothing about coffee. That was sort of my intro to Huntington.â€
Madrigal, whose granddaughters are Laguna Beach native and current UCLA women’s soccer star Reilyn Turner and her older sister and recent Columbia University graduate Blake Turner, is known as an underground surf and skateboarding legend.
“I’m glad to have been a local at the pier, and I’m glad to have been friends of all of the mayors who have come in since I’ve been in Huntington,†Madrigal said. “They’ve always been friendly to the surf community.â€
Metz, now 93, and Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, couldn’t attend and had others speak on their behalf. Menczer sent a video message that was played.
Huntington Beach High graduate Cameron Youngsma was also honored with a scholarship and trophy in honor of local legend Don MacAllister, the “Mayor of H.B.†who died in December 2022.
Youngsma, who competed for the Oilers’ acclaimed surf team, is the first recipient of “The MacAllister.†Peter “PT†Townend said a 10-person panel voted on the candidates.
Youngsma said he will be continuing to surf in college at Cal State San Marcos.
The ceremony was emceed by Townend and John Etheridge.
The Surfers’ Hall of Fame ceremony takes place Friday at 9 a.m. across Main Street, in front of Huntington Surf & Sport. This year’s inductees include Ãtalo Ferreira, Laylan Connelly and Fernando Aguerre.
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