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American surfer (1926?2017)
Marge Calhoun
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Born
| March 20, 1926
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Died
| September 2, 2017
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Citizenship
| United States
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Occupation
| Surfer
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Marge Calhoun
(20 March 1926 ? 2 September 2017) was an American surfer. She was the first woman world champion surfer when she won the Makaha International competition on the Hawaiian island of
Oahu
.
[1]
[2]
[3]
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Early life
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Calhoun was born in
Hollywood
in 1924. She spent her childhood weekends with her family on
Venice Beach
and
Santa Monica
, practicing swimming and diving. Calhoun was a competitive swimmer, having trained for the
1940 Summer Olympics
, before the event was cancelled due to World War II.
[5]
She also worked as a stunt performer.
Surfing
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In the 1950 decade, Calhoun got her first surfboard from her husband, Tom. She got into the sport and started riding the waves. In 1958 she and her friend
Eve Fletcher
spent a month in Hawaii, where Calhoun competed in and won the Makaha Invitational tournament.
[6]
In 1961 she was a co-founder of the
United States Surfing Association
, being their first secretary and first woman surfing judge.
Personal life
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Calhoun was married to Tom Calhoun. Her daughters
Candy
and
Robin
are also surfers.
[7]
References
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