"This is amazing,'' said Townend, still a member of Sandshoes Boardriding Club and long-time friend of Cronulla resident Graham ``Sid'' Cassidy, the former world pro surfing president.

"It is great to see so many out there catching waves. It was never like this in my time.''

PT's time was more than 30 years ago. Professional surfing's first world champion; the first Cronulla surfer (via Queensland) to win a world title.

Townend lived in Cronulla in the late 1970s and early 80s, working for Gordon and Smith and going hard with the Bronzed Aussie team campaign.

He won the world title at Waimea Bay in 1976, the first year of the tour under the IPS (the ASP took over in 1983). He also racked up a still standing record of 29 second placings during a decade on the pro tour.

But Pete Townend did so much more for the sport. He helped form the Australian Professional Surfing Association in 1977.

Having first-mastered the Soul Arch manoeuvre, Townend was the first surfer to ride purpose-built coloured (pink) boards and then pioneered the sport's first team the Bronzed Aussies.

Having moved to the US, Townend led the campaign to gain traction for Australian surfers on the north shore of Oahu a massive breakthrough that still prevails (Taj Burrow won the Pipeline Masters last December).

He also introduced real surfers into stand-in roles in Hollywood movies about the sport, like Big Wednesday and Point Break.

After flying in from Huntington Beach, California on business, Townend spent the weekend at Cronulla before taking a surfing safari up the north coast to Queensland, and staying with friends like former world champion Mark Richards.

"PT is a bit of a forgotten legend around these parts,'' Cassidy said.

"When you think about what he has done, he is a true pioneer of the sport, in every sense.''

Townend, whose son Tosh is one of the world's best rated skateboard riders, might be bigger in stature these days but he hasn't lost his grommet energy and enthusiasm, and still surfs short boards and still rides big waves.

"It was great to surf the [Cronulla] Point again, after all these years,'' said Townend.

"But really, it was better reuniting with Sid and all the boys from Sandshoes, seeing their kids and hanging out.

"It has been too long.''