Gilmore is world champ

Steph Gilmore is the 2009 ASP Womens World Champ for the third year in a row.

She now has to paddle out for the final against Sally Fitzgibbons, youngster Carissa Moore and Alana Balchard.

Gidget Pro is on

The Womens WCT Gidget Pro at Sunset Beach will finish in a heat and a half. The waves are ok but a little inconsistent.

Aussie Sally Fitzgibbons is ripping hard and just scored the first 10 for a series big turns. She has been on fire in all her heats today. Alana Blanchard is backing up her win in the first of the Triple Crown events with some strong surfing.

Steph Gilmore could be less than six minutes from being World Champ. If Coco Ho, who needs a combo 12+, doesn't progress out of the current semi Steph wins with one event left.

A week in Dunsborough

Normally you would be over the moon if someone offered to pay you to go to Dunsborough for a week, put you up in a fancy holiday unit with plasma TV and Foxtel and fed you dinner from a fancy resturant. But its Leavers Weeks (don't call them schoolies) so the shine is a little tainted.

Arrived Monday and finished at midnight. Tuesday I was up bright and early and headed for Yalls. The swell was small and the wind picking up so I went to Shallows. The wind was swinging and was a howling northerly sideshore and the tide was super low. What looked alright at the lookout was just a line of closeouts breaking on a wierd bank rather than reef.

Wednesday - onshore howlers. Thrusday - see Wednesday. Today has more south in the wind. It rained last night and is freezing cold now but the wind change has made Inji and Smiths surfable. Tide is still low, Smiths is packed and Inji is only just breaking. Needless to say it was back to the room via Yahoo surfboards for a chin wag with Mark Ogram and Hillzeez, to watch the cricket on the plasma.

Last night tonight. So glad it is only for a week !

Parko's little red

Nice video of Parko just in Hawaii with his two and a half boxes of boards. Despite having at least 22 new boards he explains why he loves his 5'8" red board and surfs it in some little crumblers outside the Billabong house.

Little Red Welcome Back from Billabong on Vimeo.

Alana Blanchard first WCT win

Unlike sports cover girl Anna Kornakova, surfing pin up Hawaiian Alana Blanchard can win ! The Womens Van Pro was done and dusted in a single day thanks to the four and five surfer heat format.

Blanchard just beat Steph Gilmore, with 1.12 points between then. The waves were similar to yesterday and the girls surfed fast and hard with a bit of power behind them.

FINAL: Alana Blanchard (HAW), Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Sofia Mulanovich (PER), Rebecca Woods (AUS)

SF1: Rebecca Woods (AUS), Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Chelsea Hedges (AUS), Lee Ann Curren (FRA)
SF2: Sofia Mulanovich (PER), Alana Blanchard (HAW), Coco Ho (HAW), Carissa Moore (HAW)

QF1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Chelsea Hedges (AUS), Malia Manuel (HAW), Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
QF2: Rebecca Woods (AUS), Lee Ann Curren (FRA), Bruna Schmitz (BRA), Melanie Bartels (HAW)
QF3: Carissa Moore (HAW), Alana Blanchard (HAW), Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Nicola Atherton (AUS)
QF4: Coco Ho (HAW), Sofia Mulanovich (PER), Jacqueline Silva (BRA), Megan Abubo (HAW)

Round 1:
H1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Rebecca Woods (AUS), Rosanne Hodge (ZAF), Lee Ann Curren (FRA), Bethany Hamilton (HAW)
H2: Melanie Bartels (HAW), Malia Manuel (HAW), Bruna Schimtz (BRA), Chelsea Hedges (AUS), Gabi Cope (HAW)
H3: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Coco Ho (HAW), Alana Blanchard (HAW), Megan Abubo (HAW), Leila Hurst (HAW)
H4: Sofia Mulanovich (PER), Carissa Moore (HAW), Jacqueline Silva (BRA), Nicola Atherton (AUS), Paige Hareb (NZ)

Are you an Eddie invitee ????

The list of invitees for the In Memory of Eddie Aikau contest has just been released. The event, which hasn't run since 2004/5, has a window between December and February.

Check and see if you made the cut. WA's Paul "Antman" Patterson make the alternatives list again. You probably don't want to be in the honorary list as it means your dead !

INVITEES
Andy Irons, Hawaii
Brian Keaulana, Hawaii
Brock Little, Hawaii
Bruce Irons, Hawaii
Carlos Burle, Brazil
Clyde Aikau, Hawaii
Darryl Virostko, California
Greg Long, California
Jamie O'Brien, Hawaii
Jamie Sterling, Hawaii
Kelly Slater, Florida
Keone Downing, Hawaii
Makuakai Rothman, Hawaii
Mark Healey, Hawaii
Michael Ho, Hawaii
Noah Johnson, Hawaii
Peter Mel, California
Reef McIntosh, Hawaii
Ross Clarke-Jones, Australia
Rusty Keaulana, Hawaii
Shane Dorian, Hawaii
Sunny Garcia, Hawaii
Titus Kinimaka, Hawaii
Tom Carroll, Australia
Grant Baker, South Africa
Ibon Amatriain, Euskadi
Ramon Navarro, Chile
Takayuki Wakita, Japan

ALTERNATES
Kala Alexander, Hawaii - Aikau Family Pick
Pancho Sullivan, Hawaii
Garrett McNamara, Hawaii
Kohl Christensen, Hawaii
Dave Wassel, Hawaii
Keoni Watson, Hawaii
Nathan Fletcher, Hawaii
Ian Walsh, Hawaii
Danny Fuller, Hawaii
Kalani Chapman, Hawaii
Taylor Knox, California
Chava Greenlee, Hawaii
Jamie Mitchell, Australia
Myles Padaca, Hawaii
Tony Moniz, Hawaii
Darrick Doerner, Hawaii
Ken "Skin Dog" Collins, California
Ross Williams, Hawaii
Derek Ho, Hawaii
Paul Paterson, Australia
Anthony Tashnick, California
Koby Abberton, Australia
Laurent Pujol, France
Laurie Towner, Australia

HONORARY INVITEES
Mark Foo, Hawaii
Todd Chesser, Hawaii
Tiger Espere, Hawaii
Jay Moriarty, California
Peter Davi, California
Lester Falatea, Tahiti

Reef Pro back underway

The first contest of the Triple Crown has finally re-started after a three lay days for no swell. Today was in the couple of feet range and with a strong sideshore wind. The brown water made it look a bit like winter in Bunbury, just with some walls and power.

The event is still in the round of 96, with the WCT surfers coming in during the next round. Parko is entered to try and defend his Triple Crown title from last year. He has a difficult heat up against Pancho Sullivan and Tanner Gudaskis, who needs a good result to make next years WCT. Mick Fanning has pulled out to concentrate on Pipe.

The Irons brothers are through as is Sunny Garcia who won his heat with the highest combined total of the round.

Everyone will be hoping for some swell, especially the women whose WCT event is on hold pending good surf.

News, heats on demand and the webcast can be accessed from the Triple Crown website.

Waves for the South West Crew

To celebrate Khngy leaving Bunbury for Perth, a small crew headed down south for an overnighter yesterday. A small onshore shake out surf was had at onshore Smiths on arrival after work, followed by dinner with the Dunsborough boys.

Waking up this morning brought apprehension as it was pouring with rain, overcast and windy. A run from Bunkers to Inji wasn't very fruitful so on a hunch we checked Rocky Point.

The waves were good and up to overhead and a bit on the sets. Khngy dominated as usual but Lewie held his own, getting some long lefts on his Yahoo.

There was some hope for an afternoon at PK but the tide came up and the swell didn't.

Movember Classic wrap up

The Movember Classic has been done and won. Waves were in the one to two foot range with the onshore in pretty early but light. Crowds were moderate for Secret Harbour, which is very crowded for anywhere else.

The crappy board collection was a trip down memory lane. Thrusters from Sunova, Surfwest and West Action mixed with an Odyssey twin fin flyer and a couple of no namers. A few pictures have been uploaded to the WAPSurfriders Picasa web album. More will follow there and in the next newsletter (December).

The final result were -

1. Peter MacCallum

2. Justin Browne

3. Marty Lobo

4. Mark Tweeddale

5. Matt Cole

6. Ian Lewis

7. Mark Neates.

Peter walked away with the Movember Classic trophy, March Tracks mag, a Rip Curl watch ..... box, WAPSurfriders wax and a wax comb/fin key combo found on the beach. Justin scored the runner up trophy, a 2007 Waves mag, Sex Wax and a FCS key, Marty a wax comb from a pair of boardies and a 2005 Surfer mag and Tweeds clean up with a 2004 Surfer and a very used FCS fin key. All prizes came from Dave Hurdle's diminishing collection of useless crap !!

The event raised at total of $220 for Movember with $140 going direct to the team and the rest in donations to individual mo-bros. If you haven't donated yet please do so by clicking here.

Next adventure is a trip down south for Khngy's send off next week.

How would you react

Imagine your surfing crap onshore waves in the late arvo with only your brother and a couple of friends. You didn't really want to go out but they shamed you into it so your not really happy anyway. Suddenly a Great White Shark comes up from below you, hits you board, tosses you in the air and breaks your board in half ! Not sure how you would react ? Well watch as WQS sufer Eric Gieselman has that happen to him.

Eric Geiselman's Shark Encounter from Cavin Brothers on Vimeo.

Hawaiian contest season starts

The first event of the Triple Crown had its first lay day due to small surf. Day one was in waist height dribble, not very Hawaiian but very WQS.

Should be waves for the Movember Classic

The local on-the-spot surf report from Newie is that a solid swell is hitting Secret Harbour. Looks like there will be waves tomorrow and hopefully the morning offshores will appear.

As Newie said" Time to nut up !!!"

Interview with Len Dibben

Mesurf.com.au has just posted an interview with WA shaping legend Len Dibben. Len has been shaping since forever and if you started surfing in the 60s, 70s or 80s you would have almost certainly ridden one of his boards.

I had a 1960s mal with a huge dork fin. It cost me $100, was brown and full of air bubbles. Two of us were needed to carry it down the beach but you could catch the ripples from a fish fart. Traded it for a Westsuits steamer - worst decision of my life but there are only so many boards you can hold on too.

Click on the link for the interview MeSurf - LIFE AS LEN or go to his website

Movember Classic is a goer

It's all go for the Movember Crappy Board Classic on Sunday. Currently there is about a dozen entered and a few more spectator.

The boards have been sourced and waxed (with Margaret River Wax Company and Squid wax of course) and are ready to have their second life. Heat draw should be emailed to entrants on Friday.

Meet up at the Surf Club at 7.30 am for a briefing, with the aim to get heat one in the water no later than 8.00.

The weather in the lead up is a bit iffy but Sunday should be fine. A front on Friday should mean that there will be some swell and maybe a bank or two. The wind is currently expected to be variable so we may need to bash through the heats to beat the onshore.

Sofia wins home event

Sofia Mulanovich has won the Womens WCT event in Peru beating Stephanie Gilmore. The waves were ok, longish racy lefts.

Sofia moves to third on the ratings and Steph puts a few more points between her and Silvana Lima, who was beaten in the Quarters.

The next event is at Sunset Beach starting on 24th.

MOVISTAR PERU CLASSIC FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 15.00
2 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 14.74

MOVISTAR PERU CLASSIC SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 15.60 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 15.17
SF 2: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 16.27 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 16.20

MOVISTAR PERU CLASSIC QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Coco Ho (HAW) 14.74 def. Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 10.16
QF 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 9.27 def. Paige Hareb (NZL) 6.60
QF 3: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 16.16 def. Silvana Lima (BRA) 6.83
QF 4: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 10.67 def. Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 10.17

ASP WOMEN’S WORLD TOUR TOP 5 (After Movistar Peru Classic):
1 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 4765 pts
2 – Silvana Lima (BRA) 4188 pts
3 – Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 3891 pts
4 – Coco Ho (HAW) 3679 pts
5 – Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 3043 pts

Slater and Quikie Crew hit Mexico

Surfline has a great feature on its site showing a promotional trip by Kelly, Dane, Julian Wilson and Jeremy Flores. It is a mix of great photos, audio from Aaron Chang, the main photographer, video and a super slow mo section which is great to watch. You can see all the little things that great surfers do that others can't.

Click here to access the feature.

Women in Peru

The womens WCT is in Peru and after a few on and off days they have made it through to the quarters. Both title contenders are through, as is last contest winner Coco Ho. Home town hero Sofia Mulanovich is up against another former world champ Chelsea Hedges.

The waves look fun, nothing to testing but contestable at about three feet.

MOVISTAR PERU CLASSIC ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Coco Ho (HAW) 14.50 def. Alana Blanchard (HAW) 10.50
Heat 2: Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 11.25 def. Melanie Bartels (HAW) 6.25
Heat 3: Paige Hareb (NZL) 11.60 def. Rebecca Woods (AUS) 9.40
Heat 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 15.00 def. Anali Gomez (PER) 8.75
Heat 5: Silvana Lima (BRA) 12.35 def. Megan Abubo (HAW) 12.35
Heat 6: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 17.85 def. Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 9.75
Heat 7: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 11.65 def. Samantha Cornish (AUS) 7.00
Heat 8: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 13.50 def. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 8.50

MOVISTAR PERU CLASSIC QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS:
QF 1: Coco Ho (HAW) vs. Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
QF 2: Paige Hareb (NZL) vs. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
QF 3: Silvana Lima (BRA) vs. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
QF 4: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) vs. Sofia Mulanovich (PER)

Unclutter your shed

or where ever you put your boards and things.

One of our menbers, Jason, is the WA Distributor for the ZRAX Board Racking System.
The surf racks are like a soft rack and hold 4 boards -mals, short boards, kite boards, skis, clubby skis etc….what ever combo you want and are totally transportable – to take away on holidays, house to house, whereever.

If your interested contact Jason on 0410 080 101.