Rolf Aurness
{{Short description|American surfer}}
{{Infobox surfer
| name =Rolf Aurness
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|2|18}}
| birth_place =Santa Monica, California, US
| death_date =
| death_place =
| residence =
| nickname =
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=7}}
| weight =
| best_year = 1970
| career_earnings =
| sponsors =
| major_achievements = World Surfing Champion, 1970
| stance = Goofy foot
}}
Rolf Aurness (born February 18, 1952, Santa Monica, California) is an American surfer who won the 1970 World Surfing Championships held at Johanna in Victoria, Australia, beating Midget Farrelly in the finals.
He is the son of the famous Gunsmoke actor James Arness.
Surfing career
When he was nine Aurness suffered a skull fracture after falling from a tree. His father, reported to be an enthusiastic surfer,{{cite news |last1=Carroll|first1=Corky|title='Gunsmoke' star never met a wave he didn't like |url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/jim-304142-one-surf.html|accessdate=August 24, 2014 |work=Orange County Register |orig-date=June 11, 2011 |date=August 21, 2013 }} used surfing to help his son recover. He implemented a strict training regimen of dawn sessions at beaches, long distance swimming and weekend beach trips, including the Hollister Ranch.
Several times a year they visited Hawaii, renting accommodation on Mākaha beach.
Personal life
Aurness is the son of Gunsmoke actor James Arness (who died on June 3, 2011{{cite web|url=http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43269981/ns/today-entertainment/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606062239/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43269981/ns/today-entertainment/|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 6, 2011|title='Gunsmoke' star James Arness dies at 88 |publisher=today.msnbc.com|date=June 3, 2011|accessdate=June 5, 2011}}) and nephew of Mission Impossible actor Peter Graves.Kampion, Drew (December 2000) [http://www.surfline.com/surfing-a-to-z/rolf-aurness-biography-and-photos_751/ "Rolf Aurness Biography"]. Surf Line. Accessed June 5, 2011.[http://www.worldchampionsofsurfing.com/rolf-aurness-biography/ "Rolf Aurness Biography"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320205844/http://www.worldchampionsofsurfing.com/rolf-aurness-biography/ |date=2012-03-20 }}. www.worldchampionsofsurfing.com Profile], worldchampionsofsurfing.com. Accessed June 5, 2011
In the decade following his World Surfing Championship win Aurness fell out of surfing due to the deaths of his wife, mother, and sister. His wife died in 1978 from cancer, his mother Virginia (née Chapman) died in 1977 of an accidental drug overdose,{{cite web |date=August 1, 1977 |title=Actor's ex-wife overdoses |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29049014/actors_exwife_overdoses/ |website=The Pocono Record |page=2}} and his sister Jenny Lee Aurness died of an apparently deliberate drug overdose in 1975.{{cite news |date=June 3, 2011 |title=Remembering James Arness, 1923–2011 |work=Orange County Register |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2011/06/03/remembering-james-arness-1923-2011/ |access-date=March 2, 2019}} His adopted brother, Craig, founded the stock photography agency Westlight and also was a photographer for National Geographic.Walker, David (December 16, 2004) [http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4451562-1.html "In Memoriam: Craig Aurness, 58"]. Photo District News. Accessed June 5, 2011.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.surfline.com/surfing-a-to-z/the-ranch-history_927/ The Ranch] www.surfline.com. Greg Heller, November 2000
- [http://www.ocregister.com/articles/jim-281900-time-guy.html Carroll: Swimming with Marshal Dillon] Orange County Register. December 28, 2010
- {{cite book |last=Boyd |first=Duke |title=Legends of Surfing: The Greatest Surfriders from Duke Kahanamoku to Kelly Slater |year=2009|publisher=MVP Books |location=Minneapolis |isbn=978-0-7603-3599-4 |page=81 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gc54QCRCypIC&q=%22Rolf+Aurness%22&pg=PA81 |edition=1st |editor=Dregni, Michael |accessdate=22 June 2013 |format=hardback}}
- {{cite book|last=Warshaw|first=Matt|title=The Encyclopedia of Surfing|year=2005|publisher=Harcourt|location=Orlando, FL.|isbn=978-0-15-603251-3|pages=25–26|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-DWQSYRx4MUC&q=%22Rolf+Aurness%22&pg=PA715|edition=1st|accessdate=22 June 2013}}
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{{Succession box
| title = ISF World Surfing Champion (men's)
| years = 1970
| before = Fred Hemmings
| after = Jimmy Blears
}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aurness, Rolf}}
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