Despite the small surf conditions early, the HIF NSW Surfmasters titles saw some real battles as waves pumped for the finals as competitors tried to earn a NSW age title at the Great Lakes region.
The event saw more than 150 competitors aged 35 and above battle it out in an attempt to secure a NSW shortboard title and a spot in the national titles at the 2018 Australian Surf Festival at Tweed Heads.
Cronulla Boardriders’ Ricky Marshall put the exclamation mark on his over-45 men’s campaign, nailing a massive 15.56 two-wave heat total in his quarter-final.
Marshall’s backhand suited the left-handers at Boomerang Beach as he posted the day’s highest score and sealed himself a position in the Australian titles.
A third place in the semi left the 2017 Cronulla Boardriders champion the highest-placed local surfer at the event and fifth in the over-45s.
In a world first, Surfing Australia’s national squad has trained at the World Surf League’s Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California for two Olympic Readiness Camps.
Many of the Australian national squad group have already tested the man-made wave at WSL Surf Ranch and they were joined by new teammates, Cronulla’s 2017 WSL men’s rookie of the year Connor O’Leary and 2018 WSL men’s tour rookie Wade Carmichael.
Another week with everything at the Nulla-dead flat on the weekend and 6ft and howling southerly yesterday left surfers looking for protected corners.
The Point was about the only safe haven yesterday and this morning and this is where I took todays pics-Swellnet says this swell will be solid and windy short term but with excellent waves to finish the week.
The best days should be Wednesday afternoon hopefully and Thursday with improving winds, this solid, easing S/SE tending Sou-East swell should start to clean up and by Friday we should see solid, clean E/SE groundswell with light winds slowly fading into 3/4ft on Saturday and smaller Sunday.
Despite some horrific weather on the NSW coastline, longboard competitors were greeted with punchy two-foot peaks for the Australian Skin Cancer Clinics NSW Longboard Titles at One Mile Beach as part of the opening day at the Port Stephens Surf Festival.
All the old names were there,Danny Bond in the over 70’s ,Charlie O’Sullivan,Johnny Skinner and multiple Australian title holder Jason Livingston .
The Port Stephens Surf Festival comprises of the 2018 ECS Boards SUP State Titles and the 2018 Australian Skin Cancer Clinics NSW Longboard Titles pres. by HIF and will decide the NSW Teams for the upcoming Australian SUP Titles in Currumbin and the Australian Longboard Titles at Tweed Heads.
Finally a level 1 Coaching Course will be held 11-12th August 2018 @ Cronulla Beach - If you have any enquiries about upcoming educational courses or are interested in completing one please email mat@surfingnsw.com.au
