Ricky Gath – surfing safety pioneer, inventor of the surf helmet, regional surf champion in his homeland of Western Australia – has died.
For 20 months, Gath put up a valiant fight against stage four gastric cancer before succumbing to the illness and passing away on December 12th, 2023.
He was 67 years old.
On account of his significant influence on surfing with Gath helmets, a pioneering invention which lives on in heavy lineups today, the tributes poured in.
From Gath Sports:
“Devastating News
“RIP
“Ric Gath, the inventor of the world first surfing helmet and the founder of Gath Sports, passed away on 12 Dec 2023 after putting up an almighty fight against stage 4 gastric cancer for the last 20 months.
“Ric’s funeral will be held and broadcast on 21 Dec 2023. To whoever would like to pay your tribute to this legendary Surfer, gath helmet designer and kindest human being on earth, you are invited to join us via this webcast link.”
From Surfing Western Australia:
“The WA Surfing community is mourning the loss of surfer and surf industry innovator Ricky Gath, who sadly passed away after a long battle with illness last week.
“Ricky was one of the original group of young surfers in Western Australia, pushing the boundaries of big wave riding, particularly in Margaret River.
“He was WA State Surfing Champion in the 1970’s and won the Margaret River Classic twice. Ricky also revolutionized the sport with the invention of the Gath Sports Helmet in 1989, which gained popularity amongst surfers worldwide!
“RIP Ricky 🙏”
Rest easy, Ricky.
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