Phyllis O'Donnell

Phyllis O'Donnell was an Australian surfer who became the first Women's World Surfing Champion, winning the title in 1964 at the age of 27 at a time when the sport was dominated by men. She also won the women's division of the Australian National Titles in 1963, 1964 and 1965. She took up longboard surfing around her late teens after borrowing a board left at the family home in Drummoyne, and was taught at Harbord by Snowy McAlister, the first inductee of the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame, who stayed her mentor until his death in 1987. Her later results included sixth at the 1966 world titles in California, third at Makaha in Hawaii and third in Puerto Rico in 1968, and second at Bells Beach in 1969, riding shortboards from 1968. She worked for the surfboard maker Dewey Weber in California in the late 1960s, retired from competition in 1974, was inducted into the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame in 1976 and the Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach in 2014. She died on 6 November 2024 aged 87.