Tomson, Ernie
Surf contest organizer from Durban, South Africa; cofounder of the Gunston 500 competition in 1969; father of 1977 world champion Shaun Tomson. Ernie Tomson was born (1923) and raised in Durban and was a tail gunner in the South African Air Force during World War II. A lifeguard and top-ranked competitive swimmer, Tomson was bellyboarding at Durban's South Beach in early 1946 when he was hit by ...
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Shaun and Ernie Tomson, around 1970Subscribe to view
Ernie Tomson. Photo: Patrick FlanaganSubscribe to view
Wayne Bartholomew, 1981 Gunston 500. Photo: Paul NaudeSubscribe to view
(L to R) Michael Tomson, Ernie Tomson, Shaun Tomson, 1971Subscribe to view
Ernie Tomson, around 1940Subscribe to view
Ernie Tomson, Durban, around 1977Subscribe to view
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/f1hjpcr4/production/52ba8a05669a4ace595b1f4ac07491a4fb5f847d-900x729.jpg?rect=0,0,900,506&w=640&h=360&q=65&auto=format)
Shaun and Ernie Tomson, around 1970
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/f1hjpcr4/production/fd06ee7d15b57f5bb46997945f5bb9810f528953-900x717.jpg?rect=0,0,900,506&w=640&h=360&q=65&auto=format)
Ernie Tomson. Photo: Patrick Flanagan
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/f1hjpcr4/production/fb141fbd74093eb7208d52eb1cf4da42fcdf8475-900x637.jpg?rect=0,0,900,506&w=640&h=360&q=65&auto=format)
Wayne Bartholomew, 1981 Gunston 500. Photo: Paul Naude
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/f1hjpcr4/production/014290e5d758c4f98ab180045c3a8e7e635eb822-900x835.jpg?rect=0,0,900,506&w=640&h=360&q=65&auto=format)
(L to R) Michael Tomson, Ernie Tomson, Shaun Tomson, 1971
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/f1hjpcr4/production/45be41df03ae111a0d104b0917a32113eb2b2562-838x900.jpg?rect=0,0,838,471&w=640&h=360&q=65&auto=format)
Ernie Tomson, around 1940
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/f1hjpcr4/production/ef9d8009092a9cb25b65d39c7573ee9ee8cf19c1-900x802.jpg?rect=0,192,900,506&w=640&h=360&q=65&auto=format)
Ernie Tomson, Durban, around 1977