Paul Neilsen – Biography
Adding to the list of hot surfers hailing from Queensland, Australia; Paul Neilsen was a natural talent who utilized his powerful surfing style and business savvy to scrawl his name firmly across the pages of surf history. Capped with a momentous win at the 1975 Smirnoff Pro/Am and a mega-successful run as part owner of the Brothers Neilsen chain of surf shops, the Aussie regular foot’s career hit highs at both the amateur and professional levels. Neilsen competed in some 8 international events over a 14 year span to clear a trail for countless Aussie competitors to follow.
In 1981 Paul was approached to be the National ASA Coach. Paul took the reins as Born 1951 into the fertile, wave rich environment of the aptly named Surfer’s Paradise, Neilsen had plenty of room to practice and plenty of guidance in the water at an early age. By 10 years old, he and his brothers spent days at the beach with their father, the area’s first full-time lifeguard. Paul was a regular at the stellar local surf zones of the Gold Coast, including Kirra and Burleigh Heads.
Neilsen amassed an impressive competitive career which included several amateur division wins in the Australian Surfing Association, first taking top honors in the cadet division in 1963. He won again as a junior in 1967 and also finished first as an ASA open surfer in both 1967 and 1968. This is most impressive seeing that his local contemporaries included Aussie surf legends like Mark Warren, Michael Peterson, and Peter Drouyn. He also won the Australian national title in 1971.
Professionally, Neilsen went on a hot streak in Hawaii. He was a finalist in both the Hang Ten Pro and the Duke Kahanamoku contests in 1972, but it was the Smirnoff Pro/Am held at Haleiwa that same year where Neilsen would leave his biggest mark on competitive surfing. With the World Contest gasping its last breath in San Diego, 1972, the Smirnoff was poised to become surfing’s main event by default. Neilsen took the contest by dispatching some of the sport’s greatest names like Eddie Aikau, Jeff Hakman, Sam Hawk, and Gerry Lopez. The 6 foot regular footer was built perfectly for the grinding lines at Haleiwa. He won the final and pulled in a hefty $5,000 for first place, a sum unheard of at that point in surfing.
By all reports, Neilsen was an unpretentious and gregarious character. Known for his smooth albeit aggressive style at Sunset in particular, Neilsen regularly put his narrow 8 foot gun through the paces and made a name for himself on the international stage that is the North Shore.
While his surfing performance was spiking, Neilsen simultaneously made time to secure his financial future by shaping and selling surfboards. He founded Brothers Neilsen in 1971 along with siblings Rick and Len in their home stomping grounds of Surfers Paradise. By the late 70’s the family business was in full swing and the brothers soon expanded from surfboards to clothing and other retail items. By 2002, there were reportedly two dozen Brothers Neilsen surf shops in Australia valued collectively at 30 million dollars. Throughout the business’ 30 year history, Brothers Neilsen was a vigorous participant in sponsoring Australian surfers and contests, making it an integral piece of Australian surfing.
Unfortunately, in response to the precipitous economy and growing influence of big money surf entities, Brothers Neilsen closed all its doors in 2008, reportedly entering liquidation owing creditors some 10 million dollars.
However, a precedent had been set. As an athlete, competitor and businessman; Paul Neilsen’s success covered the gamut of the surfing experience, so his next step will likely be a great one.
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