Hey Huey! Where are ya?

Hello Friends,

EVENING UPDATE: 1900, wind blowing steadily and pretty strongly from the SSE at around 20kts. Swell has gone from one to 2 metres on average, but the average period is still only a windswelly 7 sec. Some junky stuff in the corner at Dee Why, but you’d want to be keen. Outlook for tomorrow morning according to the Bureau is: Wind: S/SE 20/25 knots easing to 15/20 knots in the morning and 10/15 knots later.Sea: 1.5 to 2.5 metres abating 1 to 2 metres in the morning. Swell: S/SE 2 to 3 metres.

and not much of anything to be seen in the way of waves.

At 0540 the sun came into view from the sleepy sands at Dee Why.  And what it revealed was not a scene to gladden any surfer’s heart. The ocean is barely disturbed. Only the tiniest ripple approaches from the horizon. Out at the Sydney MHL buoy, the swell – such as it is – is coming from the south. It’s about a metre on average and the period is just 7 seconds. We all know what that means, don’t we? Your only hope for anything barely resembling a wave will be at south facing spots. And although we’re in for lengthy sunny periods today, the SE wind is set to increase steadily and be 20-30 kts by this afternoon. That ought to give us a little push on the swell front. I say “ought” because looking at the combined swell data from MHL, I can’t see any obvious evidence of it yet.

The wind’s supposed to stick around at around the same velocity overnight and with luck it will get us something into the surfable range by tomorrow morning. SE’ly winds pretty much hammer everywhere along our stretch of coast, so I’m not getting too excited about the prospects. But despite my experience, I can’t help hoping…

Have yourself a top old day and go well with your fine endeavours!

Don talks surf for Friday with Wendy Harmer on 702 ABC radio.

Blizzard surfing, NYC style

From our friends at New York Longboarder , some truly good waves in the middle of a blizzard at Rockaway beach.

2006 NYC Blizzard Surf @ Rockaway Beach – video powered by Metacafe

Stephanie Gilmore Wins the Billabong Pro Maui, Claims Vans Triple Crown

Gilmore - #1 and Aussie

HO’OKIPA BEACH PARK, Hawaii (Thursday, December 18, 2008) – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 20, newly-crowned two-time ASP Women’s World Champion, defeated Melanie Bartels (HAW), 26, to claim the her second consecutive Billabong Pro Maui in clean two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves on offer at Ho’okipa Beach Park, earning the young Australian her first Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (an ASP Specialty Series) Title.

The final event of the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour, the Billabong Pro Maui opted for the relocation this morning from Honolua Bay to Ho’okipa Beach Park (the first relocation in the event’s 10-year history) in order take advantage of the swell on offer, and the action didn’t disappoint.

Gilmore opened the Final strong, posting a solid 7.33 out of a possible 10, but Bartels put her in the corner with two solid scores of her own. In an exciting exchange that saw the Hawaiian pull ahead on the first wave, Gilmore answered back with the highest score of the day, a 9.57 out of a possible 10 to retake the lead, immediately following it up with an 8.03 for a massive forehand turn combination. Bartels was unable to answer back.

“The tide dropped and the conditions got really fun,” Gilmore said. “Mel (Bartels) is one of my favorite surfers and I just go as hard as I can when I draw her in a heat. You can’t put in a performance at half-speed and I saw her get a solid wave so I just went for broke on the next one and it paid off.”

The win marks the first Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Title for the prodigious natural-footer, an accolade considered second only to the ASP Women’s World Title.

“It feels incredible to win the Vans Triple Crown Title,” Gilmore said. “We had really fun waves at Haleiwa and then solid surf at Sunset Beach and we had a beautiful opening day of competition at Honolua Bay before finishing today at Ho’okipa. It’s a real honor to be considered a good surfer in Hawaii and in such a variety of conditions.”

Gilmore will now head home to Australia to rest and recharge for the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour, and with two ASP Women’s World Titles, a Vans triple Crown Title and 11 elite tour victories under her belt (five in 2008 alone), the makings of an icon are well within place.

“To win so much in my short career is incredible and it feels great, but I know there is so much more to accomplish,” Gilmore said. “I had that head with Layne (Beachley) today, and to see what she’s accomplished in her career makes me that much hungrier to continue to perform at my best. Next year is going to be incredible. We have so much talent on the tour and so many young girls who are really pushing the boundaries of surfing. I can’t wait to get home and prepare for next season.”

Bartels, whose runner-up finish sees the explosive Hawaiian rocket to No. 7 on the ASP Women’s World Tour, put in a solid effort in the Final (at one point holding lead), but her 14.80 out of a possible 20 wasn’t enough to overcome Gilmore.

“I have one of the most amazing shapers in the world who lives right up the beach and my boards today were going unbelievable,” Bartels said. “I felt like I was surfing well all day, but just got out of rhythm in the Final. Congratulations to Steph (Gilmore) though. She was surfing amazing and deserved the win.”

With a bevy of young guns joining the ASP Women’s World Tour in 2009, Bartels will look to continue her momentum in the off-season in preparation for an ASP Women’s World Title campaign next season.

“I’m going to train my butt off in the off-season,” Bartels said. “The girls coming on tour surf amazing and I know that I need to be at my best if I want to make a dent. I beat Steph earlier this season in really good waves in Brazil and then finished second to her today so that’s given me the confidence to believe in my ability. The next step is to ensure that I am putting 100% into the entire year.”

Layne Beachley (AUS), 36, former seven-time ASP Women’s World Champion, has announced that 2008 will be her final season as a full-time ASP Dream Tour competitor. Despite a solid Quarterfinal win over Rosanne Hodge (ZAF), 21, Beachley was unable to overcome eventual winner Gilmore in their hard-fought Semifinal bout, going down 15.07 to Gilmore’s 16.80.

“I think it was a great way to go out,” Beachley said. “We all have to lose sometime and to go down to Steph (Gilmore), who I consider my protégé and the one I am passing the torch to, is probably the most fitting way.”

Beachley’s illustrious career has spanned 19 years and the renowned natural-footer has collected an unprecedented seven ASP Women’s World Titles. While the Billabong Pro Maui marks Beachley’s final event as a full-time ASP Women’s World Tour competitor, the legendary Australian is confident in the new crop of surfers and may be back in 2009 surfing in select events.

“It’s difficult reflecting on something like this (retirement),” Beachley said. “Of course I would have liked to go out with a win and on-top, but I also feel like this past season and these past events haven’t defined my career. I’ve won seven ASP Women’s World Titles and have had an incredible journey of a career so I suppose the most rewarding part of this is that I’m leaving professional women’s surfing in the hands of such capable and exciting young surfers. While it’s my last year as a full time competitor, I’m planning on competing in a couple of events next season.” 

Silvana Lima (BRA), 24, went down in the Semifinals to Bartels, but her solid equal 3^rd place finish at the Billabong Pro Maui saw the young Brazilian finish a career-best No. 2 on the ASP Women’s World Tour.

“I’m happy because I had a good year,” Lima said. “I started slow but had lots of good results at the end. Lots of 2nds, but to finish No. 2 in the world, I am very happy. I am going to go home and relax with my family and friends over the holidays and then start training in the gym before we start in Australia next year.”

Highlights from Billabong Pro Maui will be available via www.billabongpro.com

Flat now, better later

Nothing doing out at DY at 0830 but if the models are correct we should see some swell on the way sometime later today, peaking on Saturday then fading again. Beautiful day out there right now, no wind, sunny. Expect a big southerly change around midday with winds in the 20-25 knot range.

Cheers,

Rob

Tiny

The NE winds are up early but it doesn’t really matter as there is no waves anyway.Kings is about knee high at best.Hopefully there will be a slight increase over the weekend.

Narrabeen Rpt

Some shapely little bumps in the middle of the beach, but a bit sectiony & weak