George Greenough

George Greenough was a Santa Barbara-based surfer and designer who pioneered two transformative innovations in the 1960s: a swept-back fin modeled on a tuna's dorsal fin that replaced the massive fixed fins of the era, and spoon-shaped kneeboards that enabled high-performance maneuvers. His surf films, especially "Crystal Voyager" (which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes), introduced tube riding footage and inspired the shortboard revolution; his fin design directly enabled Nat Young's 1966 World Championship victory.