Sam Christianson

Sam Christianson is a 21 year old waterman from Durban, South Africa. He is currently in his third year studying for a bachelor of commerce degree at a university in Durban. Sam surfed his first contest at age 13. By the time he was 15 he was competing for his provincial shortboarding team in the South African national championships.
Sam started surfing longboards in 2013 on a surf trip to Anakao, Madagascar with his father. He says he only rode a longboard because his arms were too tired to paddle a shortboard, but this was the start of his love for longboard surfing.

Back in South Africa, Sam started surfing longboard contests and in 2014 was crowned the South African u16 longboard champion. In 2018 Sam received his South African surfing colours and went on to represent his country at the ISA World Longboard Champs in Hainan, China. Currently Sam is about to commence his second year competing in the WSL World Longboard Championship.

Sam’s longboards are shaped by renowned Durban-based surfboard shaper, Spider Murphy, and he is also learning to shape his own boards under Spider’s watchful eye. Sam is also a qualified lifeguard having competed in various lifesaving competitions for the Durban Surf Lifesaving Club. When asked what his favourite watercraft is, Sam unhesitatingly says it has to be the longboard surfboard – which to him is like ballroom dancing on water.