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08/08/2005: "RON TAYLOR ...... 1965"

Ron Taylor portrait - illustrates his arrival back in Australia with his World (spear fishing) Championship trophies.
Ron was being interviewed by radio station 2SM for their news bulletin. Australia's first and only world champion of free diving spear fishing.
To get the team to Tahiti, (at the time Boeing707 air tickets cost almost ten times more than today) Ron Taylor made a 16mm documentary which acknowledged QANTAS airways.
The skindivers magazine gave display advertising space, and others raffled a giant lobster (that story will appear later) and ran dances and film nights. A lot of fund-raising occured, and it paid-off.
The welcome home dinner was held at the Associated Motor Club (Australia's answer to Las Vegas at the time).
Ron Taylor quit two years later, then what was the point?
The 'Australian Champion' title suddenly lost it's glow with most of the main competition gone elsewhere to become profesional abalone divers.
Then scuba diving began it's phenomenal run pushed by PADI, NAUI arriving in Australia.


