By Martin Grose –Surfing Australia
www.surfingaustralia.com-

Australian Surf Festival
The inaugural Australian Surf Festival was recently completed at Port Macquarie on the NSW North Coast. The festival brings together for the first time the National Longboard and Surfmasters Championships into one event over a two week period. Recent research by local government authorities has highlighted the value of “surf tourism” and the event looks like having increased support in the coming years.

Longboard Championships
New champions were crowned and old records were broken on the final day of the Oxbow Australian Longboard Titles. Held at North Haven beach in epic, two-meter conditions, the action that transpired was awe inspiring, as competitors pushed the limits.

The best 180 surfers from around Australia competed at Port Macquarie for the Oxbow Australian Longboard Titles. Josh Constable (Noosa, QLD) walked away with his fourth Oxbow Australian Title; in the Open Men’s division.
Full report and results here

Surfmasters
Champions crowned at Port Macquarie as the country’s best surfers, put it all on the line on the final day of the Na Papa Australian Surfmasters Titles.

With the two week Country Energy Australian Surf Festival culminating at Town Beach, in excellent one-metre conditions, the surf competition was at its finest.

It was Dane Atcheson (Copacabana, NSW) who snatched the Open Men’s victory from 2007 Na Papa Australian champion Matt Bemrose (Curl Curl, NSW) in the dying seconds.

The most outstanding performance of the entire Country Energy Australian Surf Festival, Jenny Boggis (Lennox Head, NSW) took out two Na Papa Australian Titles, winning the Open Women’s and Over 28’s divisions.
Full report and results here

Pro Junior Success
Lennox Head (NSW) surfer Stuart Kennedy has claimed overall victory on the ASP Australasia Pro Junior Series, joining a list of who’s who of professional surfing including current and former ASP World Tour surfers Jake Patterson, Beau Emerton, Taj Burrow, Trent Munro, Darren O’Rafferty, Joel Parkinson, Adrian Buchan, Luke Munro, and Dan Ross. The win caps off a remarkable year for the 19 year old and if history is anything to go by expect to see Kennedy’s name in the ASP Top 45 in the years to come.

Kennedy’s ratings win secures him a berth into the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships. A win at this prestigious event, which is held at the famous North Narrabeen each January, will not only secure the prestigious ASP World Junior title but is also seen as a major stepping stone towards a successful professional surfing career.

Cronulla joins list of National Surfing Reserves
The iconic beaches of Cronulla have joined an exclusive list of beaches recognized as national treasures. Recognized as an official National Surfing Reserve by the NSW Department of Lands in front of government dignitaries and international surfing luminaries; Cronulla became the first metropolitan beach in Australia to be granted this prestigious honor.

Having bred a host of iconic and celebrated surfing icons including Kirk Flintoff, Steve Warren, Jim Banks, Richard Marsh and Garry Green to name but a few, it is Mark Occhilupo who is Cronulla’s greatest surfing product.

Cronulla joined Crescent Head, Lennox Head and Angourie as National Surfing Reserves in NSW.

About National Surfing Reserves
Surfing reserves recognize sites of environmental, cultural and historic significance in Australian surf culture. A surfing reserve is a dedicated area that is protected for use by the general public and surfing community. To date, some 24 sites along Australia’s 37,000km coastline have been identified for dedication by the Sites National Reference Group. The national surfing reserve initiative recognizes these sites and ensures that they remain protected for generations to come. This model is a first in recognizing the iconic status surfing has achieved throughout the world.

About International Surfing Association
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for surfing, bodyboarding and surfriding. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980. 

ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 50 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. It is presided by Fernando Aguerre, first elected in 1994 in Rio, and re-elected six times since.  The ISA's four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Robin de Kock (South Africa), Maile Aguerre (Hawaii) and Mike Gerard (USA).

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