Sittin’ on gold
A story of the Keyo Old Mals.
Each year when the month of March rolls around, we put down our tools and get ready to spectate some of the most impressive surfers go head-to-head during the Noosa Festival of Surfing. Since 1998, one of the most sought-after titles is The Old Mal Division: 36 Athletes, both men and women, take their positions in the heats atop ‘old-school’ mals.
Pictured: Onion Rings n’ All
Criteria
In order to be eligible to compete in the Old Mal Division, surfers must ride longboards that are strictly crafted in shaping’s ‘golden era’ of the late 1960s. Rich in history, these relic boards have an air of romanticism about them as they have survived decades of riders, most of them now younger than the board itself. Many of these boards have been restored with the original glassed-in fin and in some cases, a rare ‘registration sticker’ issued by Sydney beachside councils, now highly prized by collectors.
The then innovative shapes are still relevant in our current shaping landscape and are the inspiration for so many of the boards on our racks today.
During the Surf Festival, year after year many surfers (sponsors aside) would change it up and emerge with a Keyo under their arm for their Old Mal heat. So we have to ask the question:
Why after 50+ years, are Keyos so popular for this specific division?
We asked some of the athletes themselves for a few words on the topic. Bowie Pollards and Matt Chonjnacki, avid collectors and surfing history fanatics, have both competed on these boards in the past and shared their wisdom with us.
Talent in the Shaping Bays
“The specific reason you find a lot of Keyos at this event and people doing really well on them is mainly because there were a lot of really good boards coming out of that factory in '66 and '67.” notes Chonjnacki.
“The best surfers in Sydney who happen to be the best shapers were in the stables at Keyo at that very specific time. When Bob McTavish came back from Noosa, he brought these ideas of the involvement style with him and it influenced everyone around him faster than all the other labels. So the boards that came out from Keyo (from the likes of Kevin Platt, Neil Purchase Snr, Ted Spencer etc.) were very advanced.”
The Craft
“They were ahead of their time for Australian boards,” says Bowie Pollards, a proud owner of 2 Keyo Old Mals, taking out Second Place in this year's title. “With a good weight, making shapes that were well suited for our waves and are still relevant today.”
Chonjnacki adds: “Although these boards weren't necessarily balanced, they were radical. They combined the balanced element for marketing and for practicality for the consumer, that's why they ended up with so many good boards. Time moved really fast through that era- so some of the Keyos, although very rarely you'll see a mint one, you will see them in relatively good condition because they were probably only ridden for a year or two because they were shelved by good surfers in favour of the smaller boards.
I guess that's synonymous with a lot of brands at the time. Keyo were up there with production numbers and you could argue that there were better boards coming out of Keyo than the neighbouring brands in Brookvale and other areas in Australia at the time.
Keyo weren’t skimpy on materials, and quality that stood the test of time - the fins were always top notch and bottom contours and rails were sweet, whereas other labels had some monstrosities being popped out in that era. Some brands were cumbersome in nature with their boards, more so for production but it seems that most of the Keyos that came through were pretty impressive.”
Pictured: Johnny, Tom Payne and Chelsea Tingle with their vintage crafts.
Pictured: Sierra Lerback with a 1966 Platt model, Johnny Showing off the goods.
History Made
Last year during the 2022 Old Mal finals, an unprecedented achievement was made by Sierra Lerback as she became not just the first female competitor to make the finals, but the first ever woman to win the Old Mal Division. Taking out the trophy, Sierra proudly rode a vintage 1966 Keyo shaped by Kevin Platt straight into the history books. Up against six seemingly undefeatable male longboarders, Sierra served up a mind-blowing hang ten with the judges ultimately rewarding her with the highest point score on the day. A win for female surfers everywhere.
“Reflecting on last year’s win, the true honour was seeing how many women were in the old mal division this year at Noosa… it warms my heart. The Keyo was the perfect board for the day, it ended up being passed around by a few competitors for their heats- even this year that board had surfed so many heats by so many talented surfers. That board is a gem!” - Sierra
Pictured: Sierra Lerback 2022, first female winner of the Old Mal Final.
Community Love
“Each one has its own quirks and that’s where the fun lays”
- Byron Chadwick
“I have a 1967 Keyo which is 50/50 rails, it’s a beautiful board- probably the cleanest and best looking old mal I’ve ever seen and lots of people think the same. It rides like a modern log that you can get off the shelf from pretty much anywhere. Except for the weight- that’s what stands out with old mals, a feeling you can’t get anywhere else.”
- Gus O’Malley
Another stylish logger beyond her years is the young Chelsea Tingle. She shed some light on her experience with a similar board:
“It’s hard to put into words how it feels to ride a board that was made in 1966. It’s almost twice the weight, yet the same dimensions as my 2022 log. As far as the way it rides, I love the way it trims and nose rides, but it’s harder to turn. It definitely relies on good technique to navigate and control the thing!
I can imagine in another 50 years time,
I could be watching the next gen of loggers still riding these 1960 boards”- Chelsea Tingle
Skip ahead to 2023, and I sit in the office with Johnny and Vanessa, the heads of the operation at Keyo HQ to talk about the old mals or ‘old girls’ as Johnny likes to call them.
“To see the beautiful old Keyos come out onto the beach at Noosa First Point during the Noosa Festival of Surfing - Old Mal Division is the best. Under the arm of these incredible surfers. It brings all smiles to me. Seeing them being surfed by some of the best, who have nothing but kind words to say, they are stoked to be riding them. A bit of history under their feet. Its great! I couldn't be prouder that the Keyo brand was handed down to John and I and we get to make Keyo boards with the same passion for function and quality. Nothing would make me happier than knowing our kids and our extended Keyo family could sit back with the same sense of pride in another 60 years as we do today. I love that 3 generations are getting so much joy out of Keyo and the boards. It’s quite unique.” - Vanessa Gill
“Makes me feel emotional,” says John. “Super proud obviously- and just in awe of the legacy that was handed to us in particular. And I do love the fact that within the modern ‘Keyo’ world, I have all my connections, my family, and my existing customer base, but right at that moment when that Old Mal Division is on, my family is extended. I get so many messages and pictures from people, even when they ride for others. And for the boards, yes they’re an ‘old mal’, but there’ll always be something special about a Keyo Old Mal in particular.”
Future of the Old Girls - Sittin’ on Gold
As much as it is a rarity to come across a vintage longboard in rideable condition, there is certainly still a treasure trove of gems waiting to be discovered from this window in history. Many have been scored off second-hand market sites like Gumtree; yet other unlucky relics unknowingly lie dormant in a garage, a dusty back room or in a ceiling crawl space waiting to be found.
So you never know! Next time you’re visiting a mate’s old fibro-shack, take a peek under the house…a lost board sitting underneath there for 50+ years could win someone their next trophy.
Happy hunting…
Words By Sophie Turner
Photo Credit: Sam Stevenson, Beatriz Ryder (@be_ryder), (@ayasuchy), Alicia Tingle, S.Turner