Surf Retrospect went big last weekend with the culmination of the first ever MOB Store Cronulla Big Wave Awards that showcase our world class waves, the people who ride them and those that capture the action.
The biggest winner was Jared Hickel whose perfect bomb at Voodoo Reef was captured by Craig Stroh. Water photographer Shannon Glasson won best picture of Sally Fitzgibbon surfing at Cape Solander.
The MOB charity tag team event was also run with all proceeds($5000) from the eight local business teams raised going to Headspace, a Government-established national youth mental health foundation providing mental health well-being support, information and services.
In small but contestable surf at the Wall all teams surfed twice with an accumulative points system seeing the favorites and semi-pro team Carve do just enough to take home the trophy with team LJHooker Commercial runners-up.
MOB store also held Cronulla’s biggest board demo day at Dunningham Park with JS’ Industries Craig Pitchers saying “we presented all the new Hyfi epoxy tech models to ride before you buy-the response was good and well worth the experience”
This weekend the carnival rolls along with the third round of the Wahoo Surf Groms and next week the Triple Bull “King of the Beach” to be held at North Cronulla, with super grom Jarvis Earle in hot form after winning last weekend’s under-14s Northern Beaches Wahoo round.
Surf Retrospect couldn’t happen without the support of Rydges Hotel, The Flight Centre and Olsens Funerals with Hyland property agents and Purnell Motors also chipping in to help.
The waves started off with a bang this week with good sized swell Thursday,Friday and Saturday morning was as good as its been with 3-4ft of clean South swell-everywhere was good-Since then hardly a wave has broken and Swellnet predicts small waves all week with a pulse on Saturday and a southerly change that could very well deliver a sizeable, windy 6ft south swell for Sunday.
The Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal, the final European stop of the 2016 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour, got underway today and ran through Round 1 in clean three-to-four foot surf at Supertubos. The world’s best surfers fought to avoid elimination Round 2 and advance directly to Round 3.
"It's really fun out there, we have four foot peaks up and down the beach with little barrels and the guys are ripping," Travis Logie, Deputy Commissioner said.
Jadson Andre (BRA) delivered a shock upset in Heat 6 of Round 1 by defeating No. 1 on Jeep Leaderboard John John Florence (HAW) and sending him to elimination Round 2.
Top seeds Adriano De Souza (BRA), Joel Parkinson (AUS) and Italo Ferreira (BRA)all won their opening round encounters with solid scores to make their way into the third round.
Four airports and 35-odd hours after Tyler Wright woke up from her celebrations in France, the newest WSL World Champion finally landed back home in Australia.
“I always knew I would win a World Title. It was just a matter of deciding I was ready to do it. I’ve grown up a lot in the last year, and because of that I decided that it was time to put my mind to it, to really throw everything into it – and now that I’m here, I feel like it’s right where I should be. It hasn’t come too soon and it hasn’t come too late.”
On the men's side Keanu Asing took down defending event winner and 2014 WSL ChampionGabriel Medina (BRA) in the Quiksilver Pro France Final to claim his maiden Championship Tour win and leap up thirteen places to 21st on the Jeep Leaderboard.
The young Hawaiian unleashed forceful backhand maneuvers to put pressure on the Brazilian powerhouse and help his chances to re-qualify next year.
Locally the Wahu Surfer Groms Comp was graced by nice three-foot peaks at Dee Why on Saturday for event two of the nine event series.
Cronulla’s Jarvis Earle ensured a title would be heading south of the Sydney Harbor Bridge claiming the Under-14 Boys title. The talented goofy-footer continued his highlight reel performance in the final, locking in a 14.83 heat total (out of a possible 20 points). Runner-up Benny Wilson (Narrabeen, NSW) put up a valiant effort, but was unable to find the 8.74 wave score needed to take away Earle’s top spot.
This weekend the Wahoo action comes to Cronulla for more Surf Retrospect surf action.
Finally on a personal level-after making a bet 15 years ago with LMS(Last Man Standing) I said I would ride a Mal when Cronulla won the comp-well it all came true-Up Up!