NORTH COAST SURF REPORT 3-10-08
Surf comps are fun, just ask all the groms and their families who travel around the country competing and learning what it might be like if you were world champ Kelly Slater.
As Kelly is moving closer to his ninth world crown in Spain this week, around 150 young guns and their support crews have decended on Coffs Harbour’s Macauleys Beach for the Rip Curl grom search. Even though the northerly wind is strong enough to blow the proverbial dog of its chain, and the swell is as pint sized as some of the competitors, everyone on the beach sure looked pleased to be there.
Today the young boys and girls attacked the small swell with gusto, ripping into copious slashing turns all the way to shore while mum, dad and crew hung out in the sun. Although short on years, many of the groms displayed seasoned competitive skills, paddling like water spiders for anything resembling a scoring opportunity. I guess if they want to be Slaters they must act like one. Kelly is renowned for his last minute wave scoring prowess in crictical heats, turning near losses into scintilating victories and crushing his opponents moral along the way.
Speaking of class acts, the current womens world champ, Australias own Stephanie Gilmore turned up for a suprise visit today. On her way to compete in the Beachley comp in Sydney, Gilmore poped in to support and encourage the groms with an informal meet and greet. Only 12 points ahead of her nearest rival in the ASP rankings at the moment, Steph knows all to well how valuble her junior contest experiences have been in developing her surfing tactics. Above all she says, you must be having fun while competing.
Todays shots taken around 9:30am and 12:30pm show a under 16 and a under 14 boys heat, battling strong 15 knot northerly winds and a two foot nor-east wind swell. The water is a little murky today due to an upwelling experienced yesterday. After two days of 25 to 30 knot northerlies the warmer inshore water is moved southward and replaced by much cooler deep offshore water. Conditions should remain much the same for the long weekend, so I suggest you head for the nearest northern corner swell magnet.
Good luck, noel.
