Waves to be had

All the shutting down walls you can eat this morning at Dee Why.

Hello Friends,

Last night it looked as though the swell might be fading, but this morning sees the situation only slightly smaller than yesterday. Lotta straighthanders on offer up the beach from the DY SLSC and a fair number of punters on them. Guess that’s what happens on a mild and sunny Sunday morning with fun-size waves.

Size at sea is 1.5 metres on average and it’s coming from the SSE at around 9 seconds apart. That’s translating into wave faces in the waist to chest high plus range at Dee Why. You’d have to assume that it’d be as big or bigger at places with better exposure to the swell direction – and smaller at those with worse.

From the look of the other buoys along the coast, I’d say we can expect to have waves into this afternoon. The Bureau says the wind is going to swing around to the NE later though and it expects the energy levels to drop as well. Might be a plan to get out the door asap.

The good news is that it doesn’t look as though it should actually go flat across the next week. In fact, the models are postively aglow with possibilities from about midweek through to Friday – at (the short list of) spots that like east swell.

Noon-1330 at Dee Why beach on Saturday 8 AugustNoon-1330 at Dee Why beach on Saturday 8 August

I took a bunch of pictures at Dee Why yesterday, so if you were in the water at the south end, you might want to see if I got one of yourself (as usual I was trying to get shots of everyone):  First session (1020-1050) and Second session (1200-1330)

High tide’s at 1009 and low’s at 1553.
Sydney Coastal Waters, Broken Bay to Port Hacking and 60nm seawards:
Sunday until midnight: Wind: W/NW 10/15 knots tending N/NE 10/15 knots in the afternoon.Sea: to 1 metre. Swell: S about 2 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres.
Monday: Wind: W/NW 10/15 knots and afternoon NE seabreezes 15/20 knots.Sea: about 1 metre rising 1 to 2 metres. Swell: SE 1 to 1.5 metres increasing to about 2 metres later.
Tuesday: Wind: N/NE 15/25 knots.

Coff’s Harbour’s Harlely Ingelby Narrows Field in Costa Rica

TravelSIM Team Australia surfer Harley Ingelby (Coffs Harbour, NSW) is through to round 5 of the Longboard division after finishing behind USA’s Toni Silvagni in their round four heat.

(Saturday 8^th August, 2009): With 90-degree air temps and some of the best surf of the event filtering into the Playa Hermosa lineup, the international contingency of surfers raised the collective bar in Costa Rica once again for the seventh day of the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games presented by Monster Energy Drink.

When dawn broke and revealed an army of glass lines approaching the event site, surfers in the event were beaming toothy smiles as well as national pride as the race for ratings points tightened. Heading into last rounds, the USA, France, Australia, South Africa and a ‘never-say-die’ Peru were battling it out for spots on the podium. With a bevy of oversized flags dancing in the wind and top-shelf conditions on offer, the competitors put it on the line today fighting to bring golden glory back to their homeland.

At the head of the medal battle stood a very strong Team USA. With only one day remaining in the event, here are the point standings for countries in contention:
1st – United States – 17190 points
2nd – France – 14440 points
3rd – Hawaii – 13358 points
4th – South Africa – 12506 points
5th – Peru – 12120 points
Note: The above points show the potential maximum that each team can achieve. The final scores will be always lower

In Open Men’s competition the opening heat of the day saw four surfers move into the sixth round. Just a step away from the final and the possibility of receiving medals are Americans Cory Lopez and Ben Bourgeois, Australian Hank Gaskell and Peruvian Gabriel Villarán.

The USA’s Cory Lopez was the best of the round, adding 15.16 in his two best waves. “I didn’t have a lot of time to see the conditions before the heat and that made me a little nervous. But my Coach Ian (Cairns) said to me there were good lefthanders out there, so I went looking for them. It turned out to be a good strategy because the rest of the competitors were looking for the rights so I didn’t have to fight for my position in the line up. It paid off with big points.”

As a standout competitor throughout the event and a rising star in her own right, California’s Courtney Conlogue came to the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games with a massive win at the US Open in July. “We’re looking solid as a team and we’re pushing each other hard and I think we’re looking really strong,” said Conlogue about her team. Still on a competitive role after her US Open win, Conlogue looked leagues ahead of her counterparts today when she dismantled her competition, posting a combined score of 18.10 points and showcasing how dynamic her surfing has become with some of the smoothest rail surfing ever seen in women’s competition.

Another surfer that elevated the competition and the crowd was local boy Jason Torres. If you think progressive surfing is relegated to the likes of powerhouse countries like the USA and Australia, think again. Throughout the event, Torres has been ripping apart the peaks with seamless fluidity. Running on all cylinders and throwing some jaw-ping fins-free whips and punts, throughout his heats, Torres brought the hometown crowd to their feet every time he ped in. To be blunt, this kid is impressive. And although he would bow out of the event in his Round 9 Repercharge heat to French ASP Pro Jeremy Flores and South African Brandon Jackson, Torres remained upbeat on his performance.

“It’s really hard to surf against some of these guys. We (Team Costa Rica) have worked so hard to get here,” said Torres. “I thank God for us being here.”

France’s Jeremy Flores has also been a crowd favorite throughout the event, testing the limits of progressive surfing time and again. In the waning minutes of the adrenaline-fueled Round 9 Repercharge heat, Flores whipped a yet-to-be named turn that left the beach and the commentators speechless when he tweaked his board and himself underneath the cascading lip, rotating a grab-rail reverse in the process and riding out as smooth as butter. The turn alone sealed his heat and raised Flores’ status as one of the most innovative surfers today.

“I’ve been hurting myself lately doing airs, so I’m trying to do some other stuff that’s a bit softer. I’ve seen Josh Kerr and Dane Reynolds do those before,” said Flores about his massive turn,” but the first person I saw do that was Andy Irons and he’s one of my favorite surfers.”

In the Longboard Division, the six surfers that remained alive today are: Kekoa Uemura (HAW), Ben Skinner (GBR), Tony Silvagni (USA), Antoine Delpero (FRA), Remi Arauzo (FRA) and Harley Ingleby (AUS).

Rounding out the day’s competition was the Aloha Cup, a team event saw the likes of Australia, France, Tahiti and Peru dominate the competition amid the high tide and trying conditions that followed.

As the event came to a close, the ratings race turned into a sprint heading into tomorrow’s final day of competition.

The contest will be web LIVE everyday at www.BillabongISAWorldGames.com

There will be new video, stories and images uploaded on this site daily, with separate, nation specific folders for every team competing in the event. Simply open the site and look for the folder with the nation you wish to cover.

TravelSIM Team Australia consists of four current Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour surfers along with the two open Longboard surfers who are experienced  ASP World Tour Longboard surfers.

Open Men:

Mick Campbell (ASP World Tour rating 13/Port Macquarie NSW),

Dayan Neve (ASP World Tour Rating 24/ Manly),

Dane Atcheson (Current Country Energy  Australian Champion/Central Coast/Copacabanna NSW),

Matt Bemrose (2007 Country Energy Australian Champion and 2008 runner up/Manly).

Open Women:

Samantha Cornish (ASP World Tour rated 9/Crescent Head NSW),

Amee Donohoe (ASP World Tour rated 13/Central Coast NSW )

Open Longboard:

Harley Ingelby (ASP World Tour rated 1/Coff’s Harbour NSW)

Dane Pioli (2008 ASP Australasian Longboard Qualifying Series Champion/Wollongong NSW)

Head Coach:

Barton Lynch

Assistant Coach (first reserve open team):

Beau Mitchell

Team Manager:

Andrew Stark

Medical Manager:

Matt Butel

TravelSIM Team Australia is proudly supported by the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and Surfing Australia.

Blom blooms at the Dripping Wet Pro

Nic Blom (Mona Vale, NSW) claimed an impressive victory today at the Dripping Wet Pro, outpointing an all-star cast in a nail-biting final. Photo: Michael Tyrpenou/Surfing NSW

Freshwater Beach, NSW – Saturday, 8 August 2009 – Nic Blom’s (Mona Vale, NSW) stocks rose exponentially today after claiming an impressive, maiden victory at the Dripping Wet Pro.

Having seen Australia’s best junior surfers going ballistic in search of $500 cash and precious Hurley NSW Championship Circuit ratings points, the action was first-class, culminating in a nail biting finale.

With a mere 1.70 points separating first and fourth, Blom outpointed Jake Sylvester (Bar Beach, NSW), Cooper Chapman (North Narrabeen, NSW) and Tylah Hutchinson (Warriewood, NSW), who finished second, third and fourth respectively, with a combined heat total of 8.90 (out of a possible 20).

“I’m so stoked, “ he said, seemingly in disbelief of his achievement.

“I’ve never won anything like this before, so I’m over the moon!”

Starting strongly with a combination of scores, and a flurry of stylish, backhand re-entries, Blom had his more fancied rivals on the back foot from the get go.

“I just sat by myself and happened to get the waves that I needed.”

“The calibre of surfers in the final was outstanding, that’s why I’m pretty shocked that I won,” Blom admitted.

Living up to its reputation of one of the most consistent and punchy beach-break on the Northern Beaches, Freshwater again turned on for some of the brightest stars in the country.

Having been the star of the show in the preliminary rounds, Chapman and Sylvester were unable to put it together in the final after dropping near perfect scores throughout the event.

Taking place tomorrow will be the Junior division (under 20 years) which will see the next wave of professional talent strutting their stuff.

With the likes of ASP Australasia Pro Junior standouts Davey Cathels (North Narrabeen, NSW), Steve Ahrens (North Curl Curl, NSW), Ryan Callinan (Merewether, NSW), Sam Paterson (Killarney Vale, NSW) and David Vlugg (Narrabeen, NSW) looking to take home the title, the Junior Division will be a knock ‘em down, drag ‘em out affair.

Attention now turns to Newcastle where the Wild Surf Co. Mattara Pro, the next event of the Hurley NSW Championship Circuit, will be held in late September.

With more great competition and high-profile athletes sure to dazzle the Steel City, the Hurley NSW Championship Circuit looks set to go from strength-to-strength.

For more information on the Hurley NSW Championship Circuit be sure to check out www.surfingnsw.com.au

The Dripping Wet Pro is proudly supported by Dripping Wet Surf Manly, Hurley, Australia’s Surfing Life, Surfing Northern Beaches and Surfing NSW.

FINAL RESULTS

1. Nic Blom (Mona Vale, NSW) – 8.90pts
2. Jake Sylvester (Bar Beach, NSW) – 8.66pts
3. Cooper Chapman (North Narrabeen, NSW) – 8.00pts
4. Tylah Hutchinson (Warriewood, NSW) – 7.20pts

Hurley NSW Championship Circuit 2009 Schedule:

Triple Bull Pro, 16-17 May 2009 at Cronulla
Dripping Wet Pro, 23-24 May 2009 at Freshwater Beach
Bay Action Pro, 30-31 May 2009 at Byron Bay
Saltwater Wine Surf Classic, 13-14 June 2009 at Old Bar
Wild Surf Co. Mattara Pro, 26-27 September 2009 at Newcastle
Zink Surf South Coast Pro, 10-11 October 2009 at Werri Beach
Slimes Pro, 7-8 November 2009 at Avoca Beach