Now that I have everyone’s attention-this is not today (unluckily) this is on Sunday where the swell and winds were perfect for this little beach break a little south of Sydney. I was just passing by and did a massive U turn in the middle of the road when I saw this scene unfolding in front of me-Nth Narrabeen would have been proud!
But back to todays reality and after a week of good /almost great waves in the Nulla, the schoolboys(and girls) are confronted with 2 ft screamers at the Alley where the left rip bowl has been ticking over for almost a week.
There was so much colour in the water this morning you couldn’t see the wave faces, orange, yellow, green etc. is the new black! Wetsuit companies must be loving it, a different colour for a different surfboard-almost time to give it away.
Swellnet doesn’t fill us with joy either, with these 2ft conditions expected to last all week. There is a small spike on Saturday but it’s really much of the same. It mightn’t bother the contest kids but it would have been good for the jnr regional titles on the weekend to have a bit more grunt.
I took todays pics at the Alley where I think it’s the only bank on the beach-I just hope they don’t backfill the erosion in the corner because that’s giving us the rip. Just like the good old days!
Some of Southern Sydney’s most promising surfers will receive tutorage from Surfing Australia National Coach and Cronulla local Andy King and renowned Hawaiian surfboard shaper Eric Arakawa as part of the Tradies Surfstars program.
The Tradies Surfstars program will coincide with the Southern Beaches NRMA Junior Regional Titles at Cronulla, which takes place from 9 – 10 May 2015.
Over the 300 kids will take part in the Southern Beaches NRMA Junior Regional Titles, as well as the 2015 NRMA Sydney Schools Regional Titles, which will run from 6 - 8 May, 2015.
Over the course of the two days Andy will facilitate discussions with surfers and their parents about heat tactics, career breakdown and basic surf coaching, while also focusing on self-belief, education, equipment and a supportive environment.
Meanwhile at Keramas, Taj Burrow had to call on all his competitive experience to take a close final at the World Surf League QS1000 Komune Bali Pro presented by The Mad Hueys to defeat emerging 16-year-old Queensland surfer Ethan Ewing (AUS) in a high super close final held in high performance 3 to 4 feet surf at Keramas river mouth.
“ Such a fun event but that was a serious final with Ethan really pushing me all the way and I really had to try my hardest to take the win” said Burrow in the pool after the final.
“I love it here at the Komune and we’ve scored great waves and had a fun time with some great mates so it’s just been an awesome few days between CT (Championship Tour) events for me and I’m feeling good” said Burrow who headed straight back to Australia and will now head to Brazil for his next major event in a weeks’ time.
Learn to speak Portuguese because Brazilian Filipe Toledo (BRA) has won the Oakley Lowers Pro, the first World Surf League (WSL) QS10000 of the 2015 season, after defeating Jeremy Flores (FRA) in a hard-fought 35 minute Final in building 3-to-5 foot surf.
The event saw an array of Championship Tour (CT) surfers battling to protect their place in the Top 34 and going head-to-head against up-and-coming Qualifying Series (QS) talent fighting hard to join the elite tour.
Dynamic standout Toledo becomes the third consecutive Brazilian to win the event, after Gabriel Medina (BRA) and Miguel Pupo (BRA) claimed victory in 2012 and 2011 respectively. 2014 QS winner Toledo is currently in third place on the CT rankings following his maiden CT win on the Gold Coast and the result today at Lower Trestles sees him move to second place on the QS rankings.
Connor didn’t get through his heat which was extremely hard, but he is still sitting at 49th place on the QS circuit.
Makua Rothman started where he finished last year by winning the Quiksilver Ceremonial big wave contest in pumping 20-foot-plus surf at Punta de Lobos, Chile .
Quiksilver Ceremonial is the opening event of the 2015 World Surf League Big Wave World Tour Season. The 24-man field is comprised of the BWT Top 10 as well as six WSL wildcards, six event wildcards and two qualifiers from the 2014/2015 season. The 2015/2016 BWT includes potential contests in Chile, Peru, Mainland Mexico, Baja California, Hawaii, the Basque Country and the Pacific Northwest and features big wave icons such as Grant Baker (ZAF), Greg Long (USA) and Rothman, among others, as they battle one another in the biggest surf on the planet.
Mark Mathews from Maroubra had a good contest and managed to finish 6th.
Finally ,the future of female Australian surfing is in safe hands according to World Surf League competitor Laura Enever who has hosted 13 of the country’s top female juniors at the Subway® Summer Surf Camp at Casuarina in northern New South Wales.
The 13 surfers won the Under 18 divisions during the Subway® Summer Surf Series held across Australia last summer and were invited to an all-expenses paid training camp at the Hurley Surfing Australia High Performance Centre (HPC) at Casuarina.
Enever, a Subway® Summer Surf Series ambassador, is spending time and surfing with the participants and conducting video analysis of their surf sessions plus hosting question and answer sessions.
“There are so many girls surfing now and there are some days when I go out and there are more girls than men surfing, which is great to see,” Enever said.
I believe her because when I surf at the Alley there are always more big girls out there then men!
Till next week ladies-keep your hair wet!
