Surfing Pioneer Mark Warren Inducted into Hall of Fame - Press Release - 26th February 2008 - Surfline

Surfing pioneer Mark Warren (Avalon, NSW) was honoured as the 2008 Hall of Fame Inductee at the 23rd annual Australian Surfing Awards at Twin Town Services Club in Coolangatta last night.

Warren's varied and successful careers within surfing span three decades. A 70s pro surfer - a media sports personality in the '80's - National Coach and ASP Tour Representative in the '90's.

Warren the 1970 NSW Junior Champion from Narrabeen went onto become one of the worlds first pro surfers winning numerous contests including the 1976 Smirnoff World Pro-Am at Sunset Beach, Hawaii and The Duke Kahanamoku Classic at Waimea Bay, Hawaii in 1980.

To this day Warren remains at the forefront of the sport, responsible for the live web streaming of the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro tournaments around the globe.

"If surfing is Hawaii's gift to the world then I'm amazed how, for me, surfing is the gift that keeps on giving," said Warren.

"I get just as big a thrill now out of a half decent wave as I did when I first started surfing over 40 years ago.

"And equally it's a thrill for me to be acknowledged by Surfing Australia in this way, in fact it's a privilege," added Warren.

Warren adds his name to a list of surfing luminaries that includes four time world champion Mark "MR" Richards OAM, seven time world champion Layne Beachley, 1976 world champion Peter Townend, 1998 world champion Mark Occhilupo 1990 world champion Pam Burridge, legends Nat Young, Wayne Lynch, Michael Peterson, Wayne Deane and surfing historian Peter Troy OAM .

Reigning ASP world champions Mick Fanning (Tweed Head, NSW) and Stephanie Gilmore (Kingscliff, NSW) claimed the coveted 2008 'Male and Female Surfer of the Year Awards'.

Gilmore's sensational 2007 performance saw her become the only male or female surfer to win an ASP World Title in their rookie year. A bumper 2007 for Fanning saw him bring the world crown back to Australian shores for the first time in a decade.

"It's another great honour for me. An Australian award has that extra special meaning too," said Gilmore.

In all, 11 awards were presented on the night before 2007 Hall of Fame Inductee Cheyne Horan (Gold Coast) honoured Mark Warren as this year's Inductee in the nights crowning moment.

ASP world junior champion Sally Fitzgibbons (Gerroa, NSW) broke the gender barrier by taking out the inaugural 'Rising Star Award' for her enormous promise and potential. The 17 year-old 'Super-Grom' has again proved unstoppable this year currently leading both the World Qualifying Series (WQS) and the Australasian junior rankings.

Joining the elite on stage was Jon Frank for the 'The Best Photo of the Year Award' and Sunny Abberton accepted the 'The Surf Movie of the Year Award' on behalf of the Bra Boys.

"The movie has won a few international awards but this is the first one in Australia and to receive in front of the surfing community is fantastic, " said Abberton.

Former USA surfing champion Rusty Miller - who has recently been in the media spotlight as Elle MacPherson's surfing coach - took back home to Byron Bay 'The Surfing Australia Lifestyle Award'.

"I am very excited to be recognized by the Australian Surfing Awards and that there is a category for me after all. At the Lennox Head surfing reserve dedication I got to really feel again what an amazing tribe we are a part of and that, at my vintage, savour the diversity in style, generation and walks of life represented," said Miller.

Highly respected surfing journalist and author Tim Baker (Currumbin, Qld) was the 'Surf Culture Award' recipient for his latest book High Surf, which profiles inspirational surfers.

Australasian Surf Business (ASB) magazine claimed the 'Pioneer Award' and in doing so acknowledged publisher Keith Curtain's dedication to surfing and hard work in founding the surf industry trade title. ASB magazine has established a strong and proudly independent niche within the surf publishing market in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.

Billabong Australasian Brand Manager Andrew Flitton accepted the inaugural 'Surf Industry Award' on behalf of surf label Billabong.

LE BA Boardriders claimed the Simon Anderson Premiere Club Award as the club that excelled across a variety of levels in 2007.

Leon Norris (Geraldton, WA) was honoured with the Duke Kahanamoku Award for his enormous services to Surfing Australia and the sport of surfing.

The introduction of Team Australia who will contest the 2008 ISA World Junior Championship in France, May 24 till June 1st, 2008 added to the night's festivities.

Both Owen Wright (Culburra, NSW) and Laura Enever (Narrabeen, NSW) feature in arguably one of the strongest U/19 national sides ever assembled.

The night also set a new benchmark for Award presentations by emitting 'Zero C', - no carbons - thanks to the work of Balance Carbon.

The Australian Surfing Hall of Fame would like to acknowledge Surfing Australia, the Australian Sports Commission, Domain Casuarina Beach Resort, ASB , Balance Carbon and Urchins Artwork for their support in staging the Australian Surfing Awards.

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Coolangatta

Lay day for Quiksilver Pro & Roxy Pro on the Gold Coast - Global Surf News - 25th Feb 2008

Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast
Roxy Pro Gold Coast

ASP Men's WCT Event #1
ASP Women's WCT Event #1
Coolangatta, Qld Australia
23 February - 5 March 2008

Live Coverage | Results/Photos/Videos etc


Lay Day for Quiksilver and Roxy Pro presented by LG

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 25 February, 2008 : - - Event organizers for the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro presented by LG have called for a lay day today due to small surf on offer at the main site at Snapper Rocks and nearby Duranbah Beach.

"While there are a few small waves on offer at Snapper and D'Bah this morning, we've decided to call a lay day for both the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro today," Brooke Farris, ASP Women's World Tour Manager, said. "We've just completed two full days of action for the men and the women, and with the swell looking like it will stay consistent throughout the week before filling in on the weekend, we'll wait until better conditions present themselves before we restart competition."

Saturday's action saw the ASP Top 45 take on Round 1 of the Quiksilver Pro presented by LG in punchy waves at nearby DuranbahBeach. Highlights included the domination of Coolangatta kids Mick Fanning (AUS), Joel Parkinson (AUS), Dean Morrison (AUS), Bede Durbidge (AUS) and Luke Munro (AUS). Munro in particular surfed brilliantly to hold off highly-touted rookie Dane Reynolds (USA) in their Round 1 clash.

Yesterday saw the girls take on clean three-foot (1 metre) waves at Duranbah for the opening two rounds of the Roxy Pro presented by LG, and reigning ASP Women's World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) took top honors for the day with Hawaiians Melanie Bartels and Megan Abubo also impressing the hundreds on the beach.

When Quiksilver Pro competition resumes, former three-time ASP World Champion Andy Irons (HAW) will be up against lethal Komunity Project Trials Winner Tamaroa McComb (PYF) in the opening heat of the elimination Round 2 competition.

Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast pres. by LG Round 2 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Andy Irons (HAW) vs. Tamaroa McComb (PYF)
Heat 2: Pancho Sullivan (HAW) vs. Julian Wilson (AUS)
Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF)
Heat 4: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Nic Muscroft (AUS)
Heat 5: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 6: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Roy Powers (HAW)
Heat 7: Michael Campbell (AUS) vs. Kieren Perrow (AUS)
Heat 8: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Jihad Khodr (BRA)
Heat 9: Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) vs. Ben Bourgeois (USA)
Heat 10: Neco Padaratz (BRA) vs. Aritz Aranburu (EUK)
Heat 11: Leonardo Neves (BRA) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 12: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Jay Thompson (AUS)
Heat 13: Ricky Basnett (ZAF) vs. Dane Reynolds (USA)
Heat 14: Daniel Wills (AUS) vs. Jordy Smith (ZAF)
Heat 15: Royden Bryson (ZAF) vs. Tim Reyes (USA)
Heat 16: Travis Logie (ZAF) vs. Ben Dunn (AUS)

When Roxy Pro competition resumes, Australians Samantha Cornish and Nicola Atherton will compete in the opening heat of Round 3.

Roxy Pro Gold Coast pres. by LG Round 3 Match-Ups
Heat 1: Samantha Cornish (AUS) vs. Nicola Atherton (AUS)
Heat 2: Layne Beachley (AUS) vs. Serena Brooke (AUS)
Heat 3: Melanie Bartels (HAW) vs. Megan Abubo (HAW)
Heat 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs. Carissa Moore (HAW)
Heat 5: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) vs. Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)
Heat 6: Rebecca Woods (AUS) vs. Rosanne Hodge (ZAF
Heat 7: Amee Donohoe (AUS) vs. Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
Heat 8: Silvana Lima (BRA) vs. Julia De La Rosa Toro (PER)

Websites

Global Surf News

Quiksilver Pro

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Surfing websites coming off the Gold Coast campaign

Media Man Australia Coolangatta Diary

We have just returned from a succesful campaign in the Gold Coast, Tweed and Coolangatta region.

The Quiksilver Pro is currently on. Sunny Abberton pointed out the Rip Curl shop out and we bought some cool gear.

There was a great cafe which is also a surf photography gallery - Slide Cafe - Coolangatta Gallery - Ocean Art Photography

Picked up a copy of radical surfing / surfling lifestyle magazine, Gold Coast Surf

Checked out the view at the Coolangatta Surf Club and Greenmount Beach Club

Breakfast at Outback Jacks Bar & Grill

Taxi back to Gold Coast Airport and flights with Virgin Blue

Home to North Bondi, Sydney

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Public thank you to Sunny Abberton and Neal Cameron

Public thank you to Sunny Abberton and Neal Cameron for their assistance in helping make the grand opening of the Universal Peace Centre Retreat so successful and enjoyable.

Monster ride to surfing stardom - The West Australian - 17th February 2008

WA big wave surfer Alex “Alfy” Carter has ridden away with the top prize in the Oakley Surfing Life biggest wave award after an electrifying trip on a 14m-plus wave during an extreme surfing session in the South-West.

The $20,000 prize was presented to Carter at the Bondi Pavilion in Sydney on Thursday night after judges deemed his monster wave was bigger than those ridden by Queenslander Mark Visser and Hawaiians Ian Walsh and Jamie Sterling. It was a sweet victory for Carter who was runner-up last year.

His monster moment was in September at Cow Bombie, a break 6km offshore at Margaret River.

Carter said the win was a major relief.

“Now I can pay the taxman all the money I’ve owed him for the past few years,” he said.

The award opens doors for Carter to compete in other big wave events around the globe that don’t often attract the major money and sponsorship of the regular world surfing tour.

Carter said the award might change some things for him but it would not change the way he surfed.

He also received a new jetski which should come in handy after the same break that won him the award also claimed his old one.

“The ski conked out about 3m from the worst possible spot,” Carter said.

“We got three waves on the head and that was it for the ski.”

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Surfing

WA's Cater wins big wave award - The Age - 13th Feb 2008

The argument is finally settled, West Australian Alex Cater rode the biggest wave during the remarkable surfing session off the WA coast late last year.

But not only can Cater brag to his peers that he caught the wave of the day, his 14m plus ride won the $20,000 Oakley Surfing Life biggest wave award at a presentation in Sydney.

Cater's monster wave was one of several nominations from the extreme surfing session held by some of the world's best big wave junkies at `Cow Bombie', a break 6km off the south coast of WA, in September last year.

Judges, however, decided Cater's bomb was bigger than entries from Queenslander Mark Visser and world-renowned Hawaiian chargers Ian Walsh and Jamie Sterling.

For his effort Cater received a hefty cheque, international recognition and a new jet ski - a timely gift considering the dangerous offshore break recently killed his previous tow-in machine.

"The ski conked out about three metres from the worst possible spot," Cater recalled.

"We got three waves on the head and that was it for the ski."

Cater, who'd been runner-up to Damon Eastaugh last year, said he would shout the other finalists drinks then put the leftover prizemoney to good use.

"Now I can pay the taxman all the money I've owed him for the past few years," he said.

"In a way this award might change some things for me but it won't change why I go surfing."

Tasmanian Marti Paradisis may not have claimed the biggest wave, but he at least took consolation in receiving the best overall performance for his insane surfing session at the Apple Isle's remote Shipstern Bluff.

Monster ride to surfing stardom, by Michael Bennett - The West Australian - 17th February 2008

WA big wave surfer Alex “Alfy” Carter has ridden away with the top prize in the Oakley Surfing Life biggest wave award after an electrifying trip on a 14m-plus wave during an extreme surfing session in the South-West.

The $20,000 prize was presented to Carter at the Bondi Pavilion in Sydney on Thursday night after judges deemed his monster wave was bigger than those ridden by Queenslander Mark Visser and Hawaiians Ian Walsh and Jamie Sterling. It was a sweet victory for Carter who was runner-up last year.

His monster moment was in September at Cow Bombie, a break 6km offshore at Margaret River.

Carter said the win was a major relief.

“Now I can pay the taxman all the money I’ve owed him for the past few years,” he said.

The award opens doors for Carter to compete in other big wave events around the globe that don’t often attract the major money and sponsorship of the regular world surfing tour.

Carter said the award might change some things for him but it would not change the way he surfed.

He also received a new jetski which should come in handy after the same break that won him the award also claimed his old one.

“The ski conked out about 3m from the worst possible spot,” Carter said.

“We got three waves on the head and that was it for the ski.”

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Surfing

Bondi Beach

WA surfer wins Biggest Wave Award - The Sunday Times - February 14, 2008

WEST Australian surfer Alex "Alfy" Cater not only survived riding a terrifying 14m wave but beat some of the nation's best surfers while he was doing it.

Carter rode into first place at the Oakley Surfing Life Biggest Wave Awards, held in Sydney this year, by surfing a 14m high wave at 'Cow Bombie’ near Margaret River.

He edged out three other rides, recorded on the same day by Queenslander Mark Visser and Hawaiians Jamie Sterling and Ian Walsh, who travelled halfway round the globe to meet the swell at Cow Bombie last September.

“It was a pretty big day,” says Alfy. “Right after a storm. The wind backed off and we thought, let’s do it.”

Cater just missed out on the big prize last year after placing runner-up to Damon Eastaugh.

This year there was no second best for Carter who took home $20,000 and a new jet ski with his first prize win.

Alfy’s reaction? “A sigh of relief really mate,” he says. “Now I can pay the taxman all the money I’ve owed him for the past few years.”

The award will open doors for him in the growing global big-wave competition field, he says.

Alongside this award, big surf competitions are now held in South Africa, Hawaii and California.

“It’s something I really want to pursue if I can … I’ve been to Hawaii and California and met a lot of the guys who ride their big spots and I’d love to challenge them.”

The jet ski will come in handy too . Not long ago, Alfy and his tow partner Ian “Wooly” McPherson had to abandon their ski under a massive set of 10m waves waves at Cow Bombie.

“The ski conked out about three metres from the worst possible spot . We got three waves on the head and that was it for the ski.”

The fact that they were six kilometres from land at the time barely raises Alfy’s eyebrow – which is a little clue as to the sort of person who takes on surf in this range.

Since being inaugurated five years ago, the Oakley Surfing Life Big Wave Awards have revealed a side of surfing long hidden behind the glittering world pro tour arena – a group of surfers who’ve used their home-grown skills and experience to push the sport’s natural limits, often without much publicity or attention outside their peers and slightly horrified onlookers.

“We’re all pretty rough and ready I suppose but we’re doing this because we love it,” he says. “In a way this award might change some things for me but it won’t change why I go surfing.”

As for Wooly, who towed him into the Award-winner: “He owns a surf shop and he’s one of my sponsors, so he won’t be seeing the colour of my money!” Alfy laughs.

Best Overall Performance Award for the season went to Tasmania’s Marti Paradisis, who said he was “over the moon” after his series of amazing tube rides at the Apple Isle’s remote Shipstern Bluff reef break swept the judging panel’s vote.

“It’s on behalf of all the guys I surf with at ‘Shippies’ and who I know could win this Award too …we’re stoked to have waves in our backyard that are as good as anywhere in the world ..” he says.

The Shooter Award for photography went to Jamie Scott for his image of Cater’s winning ride.

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Surfing