Dru Harrison

Champion surfer Dru Steven Harrison was born on June 25, 1950 in Hawthorne, California. The youngest in a family of four boys, Harrison grew up in Hermosa Beach, California and was a varsity wrestler while a student at Mira Costa High School. Dru first started surfing at age ten and won his first professional surfing contest at age fifteen at the Swami's Pro-Am in San Diego, California (he won five hundred dollars in prize money). In 1968 Harrison went on to win the Smirnoff Pro Surfing Championship at Santa Cruz, California. Besides being honored with his own line of surfboards, Dru's other notable achievements include placing eighth in the 1966 World Surfing Championships, winning the juniors division of the 1967 United States Surfing Championships, and placing second in the men's division after fellow champion surfer Corky Carroll in the 1969 United States Surfing Championships. In addition, he wrote half a dozen articles for both Surfer and Surfing magazines. Harrison moved to Hawaii in the mid-1970's and competed in his last surfing contest in 1996. While living in Hawaii Dru worked as an airline baggage handler. Harrison died at age 52 from alcohol-related causes on February 14, 2003. He was survived by his wife Kate, son Tyler, daughters Breanna and Kaili, and his three older brothers Derek, Drake, and Dane.