Australia’s Garrett Parkes Wins Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational in Philippines

Byron Bay’s Garrett Parkes (NSW, Australia) stalls for the tube en route to winning the Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational in the Philippines today. photo: Jake White / Surfing Australia

(Tuesday 27^th October, 2009): AUSTRALIAN surfer Garrett Parkes (Byron Bay, NSW, Aus) has taken out the Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational in the Philippines today, beating Hawaiian Makua Rothman in a man-on-man final.

Cloud 9 didn’t quite turn on the epic conditions seen for the opening rounds of the unique, specialty event, with finalists having to mix innovative, new-school manoeuvres with aerials, on-rail carves and barrel rides in rising 3-4ft (1-1.5 metre) waves.

Parkes, who stitched up the Gold Coast’s Joel Nantes (Coolangatta) in the quarters before taking down local Carlito Nogalo in the semis, made the most of the smaller conditions to  bag two mid-range scores – a 5.50 and a 4.67- in the extended 35 minute final.

“It wasn’t exactly the real cloud 9, not many barrels,” said Parkes, who collected USD $7,500 for the win.

“But I made do with what I had. I managed to get through a few heats this morning and just keep it going through to the final. I’m stoked.”

Parkes, who was a standout throughout the entire event, said he wasn’t fazed entering the final after Rothman beat event favourite and former pipeline master Jamie O’Brien  in semi one.

“I was trying not to think about,” he said.

“I just knew I had to get a few scores on the board. It got to the 5 or 6 minute mark and I got a little nervous. But he ended up coming in a minute early so I knew I had it.”

Rothman, who waited patiently for set waves, lacked rhythm in the high-stakes final, breaking two boards to finish with a 2.66 total to Parkes’ final winning tally of 10.17. Rothman surfing away with USD $ 4,500 for his efforts.

Semi final one was quite a show, with Rothman netting a last second victory over fellow Hawaiian O’Brien.

What started as a slow-scoring heat quickly transformed into a tight scoring affair with Rothman nailing the semi’s highest individual wave score – an 8.83 mid heat.

O’Brien hit back scoring a 8.40 and 6.50 to hold the lead briefly.

But with 10 seconds reaming, Rothman pulled into Cloud 9 drainer, weaving through the barrel before cleanly exiting to book a spot in the final with a 6.80.

Semi two was just as thrilling with Parkes besting local Philippines surfer Carlito Nogalo.

Parkes made the perfect start jagging an 8.00 on his first wave to setup victory – 13.33 to Nogalo’s 10.77.

The 2009 edition of the Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational was blessed with some of most amazing conditions seen for an event this year, with perfect 6-8 ft barrels rolling through the Cloud 9 line-up for the opening two days of competition.

Due to Siargao’s proximity to the Philippine Deep, big swells from the Pacific Ocean roll in from the second deepest stretch of water in the world to create flawless, hollow barrelling waves.

The 2009 tournament will run from October 21-27,2009.

The tournament contest site is Siargao Island’s ‘Cloud 9′, a powerful, hollow right-hander that has been frequently compared to the renowned surf of Hawaii and Indonesia.

The Billabong Cloud 9 Invitational 2009 is proudly supported by Billabong, Province of Surigao Del Norte, Stoked Inc, Von Zipper sunglasses, Nixon, Kustom footwear, Friendster, and Sagana Resort.

www.billabong.com/asia

TONIGHT in Manly: be there for Surfrider!

It’s Surfrider Foundation Northern Beaches Beach Benefit Bash and we want to see you there.

WHERE: Wharf Bar, Manly Ferry Wharf
& WHEN:  TONIGHT, Thr 29th October from 6pm

Get your entry tickets ($25, includes first drink) on the door or buy online at
www.surfrider.org.au/fundraiser

Come along and have a great night out, listen to Goons of Doom, surf films
by Tim Bonython and comedy by Wendy Harmer.  Your ticket also gets you a
free drink and canapes on arrival.

Bring your wallets to get to be in with the chance to take home one of our
great auction items..
A surf trip to the Maldives
A surf trip to Tasmania
Eco friendly Balsa Board Kit – impress your mates and make it
yourself

Dont fancy those? Our raffle and silent auction will get you…..
Rip Curl Mens Spring Suit and Watch
Ladies Mini Mal from Wicks surf shop

A bundle of surf gear from Aloha
FCS fins & tailpads
Womens and Mens Mambo goodie bags – a new summer outfit
Personal Nutrition session from Your Food Coach
Bodyboards
A 6 course degustation dinner for two at Whitewater Restaurant
A meal for two at newly opened Green Groper restaurant in Narrabeen
Surf lessons for two people
SUP lessons for two people
Plus loads of vouchers to spend at local shops!

Where: Wharf Bar, Manly
Time: from 6pm
When: Thursday 29th October
Cost: $25 plus 1 complimentary drink and canapes on arrival

Dont miss out on this big night in Manly, packed full of entertainment,
free goodies, live set from Goons of Doom, surf films from Tim Bonython and
a fun night out on a Thursday.

See you there!

Surfrider Foundation Beach Bash!

FRIDAY night at the movies

Tim Bonython’s latest Australian Surf Movie Festival Comes to the Balgowlah RSL at 8 pm tonight.

I’ve got a couple pairs of tix to give away to the show (must be 18 or over to attend!). All you have to do is be the first to send me your name and moby/ph so that I can have Tim put it on the door list.

To give you an idea of what the show’s about, here’s a pic and a note Tim sent out to his friends… (you’ll also find a link to his online booking page too)

ASMF Shipsterns sequence should be scary.

This year has been a very good year.

If I was to rate a successful trip/shoot like a bottle of wine, I would give this year a 93/100.

This year there were two very memorable surf shoots that I will put into my top 10 surf shoots EVER in my 30 years of looking, which is all part of this years ASMF – Take 8.

I have sub titled this years ASMF as the past – present & future. The past has been the best of my gold from over the years – the present has been the best of what I have shot this year here in Australia & overseas & the FUTURE is the tow-in event with Australia’s best juniors in my old home ground of South Australia at Streaky Bay with the Intense Wave Invitational where the surf was as good as gets with 20 to 30 feet walls of perfection – as good as anyway where, even better than big Sunset Beach.

And then there is what I shot in Tassy last week. No one has disputed that Shipsterns was as big & heavy as it was last Monday & lucky I slipped away while creating the master for this years festival to bring back the gold back & make this years festival finale as good as it could be.

The footage from this session is simply mind blowing.

Every time I look at it & question it, why no one was seriously injured or even killed during this day at Shipsterns.

It was unbelievable & totally historic.

Not good for Tuesday.

Swell is dropping fast to under 2 feet with wind and rain most of the day. Wednesday is looking no better.

Roberto

Cronulla report by Aquasea Wetsuit Repairs

Crap surf, wind blown everywhere, do some chores at home.
WIND: ESE at 26kph. WATER TEMP: 18 degrees.
FORECAST: Cloudy with a few light showers. Light to moderate southeast winds
tending northeast during the afternoon.
MAX AIR TEMP TODAY: 18-20 degrees.
SWELL: ESE 2-3m at 8 seconds.
TIDES:     HIGH: 16:00      LOW: 09:30
WINDSURFERS: Rough conditions today.
BOAT DIVING: Rough sea conditions outside, vis around 10m+ on the TUGGERAH and Kelloe, 10m  at Barons Hut, thanks to www.seatamerdive.com Sydney Scuba Diving Boat Charter and Ian Griffiths “Griffiti”.
SHORE DIVING: 6 metres vis at Oak Park. 5+ metres at Shiprock.
WETSUIT REPAIRS at Aquasea, Sydney NSW. 02.95404774 for wetty and wettie repairs contact Lesley at AQUASEA 02.95404774 for a quick turn around, zippers tears cuts and all alterations to neoprene.
See ya – www.aquasea.com.au in Sydney – wetsuit wettie wetty wetsuits repair and repairs for surfing scuba windsurfers ring Aquasea on 02.95404774, go diving without tanks ie tankless diving using 12 v volt compressors also known as hookah dive diving with www.aquasea.com.au in Sydney NSW Ph: 02.95404774 led hid halogen torches and lights video boat transom lights for underwater lighting at night similar aqua cam camera and cameras see www.aquasea.com.au for stainless wire in your balustrades and for underwater lights and housings cameras. SYDNEY NSW AUSTRALIA (Ph: 61.2.95404774).
www.aquasea.com.au repairs alters wetsuits wettie wetty fin chops zipper repair broken zipper for surfing scuba triathalon kayak canoe board cover ring 02.95404774
www.aquasea.com.au makes 12 volt hookah units for tankless diving without tanks scuba powerdive power dive 12 v 12 volt regulators hookah diving for boat hull cleaning ring 02.95404774
www.aquasea.com.au makes underwater lights video boat lights aqua cam camera cameras housings torches led hid bubble arm baseplates ring 02.95404774
www.aquasea.com.au aqua skipper aquaskipper, shark shield, vortex and sea doo sea scooter electric snorkel waterbird and water bird AGM batteries chargers.
www.aquasea.com.au ring 02.95404774 P.O.Box 2141 Taren Point Sydney 2229 NSW aquasea underwater products

More grey skies

Gotta admire the pluck of those riders...

Hello Friends,

Getting back into the routine as the jet lag gradually wears away. Huey kindly isn’t tempting me away from the to do mountain this morning. Dee Why is not exactly a picture of pure fun. I take my metaphorical hat off to those hardy types who were having a lash at the waist to chest high junkiness.

Swell’s outta the SE at a couple metres but the all important frequency setting is only 8 seconds.

The wind’s not much help either. It’s out’ve the ESE at 10-15 kts now and is expected to hold around that level but to swing more to the ENE… blergh.

more thoughts in a bit about the outlook…

Synoptic Situation
A strong high located over the Bight extends a ridge through Bass Strait with a secondary high pressure centre in the southwest Tasman Sea. A trough lies over northeastern New South Wales. A weak southerly change will move into the South Coast on Tuesday morning, reaching Broken Bay during the evening or overnight.

Sydney Coastal Waters, Broken Bay to Port Hacking and 60nm seawards:
Tuesday until midnight: Wind: E/SE 15/20 knots, tending E/NE 15/20 knots in the afternoon.Sea: 1.5 to 2 metres.Swell: S/SE 2 to 3 metres.
Wednesday: Wind: NW/NE 8/13 knots, increasing to N/NE 13/18 knots during the afternoon before turning S 10/15 knots later in the evening. Sea: 1 to 1 .5 metres. Swell: S/SE about 1 metre.
Thursday: Wind: S/SE 5/15 knots, turning N/NE.

Narrabeen Rpt

Horrible, grey, windblown windswell

C C Messy Surf

Overcast and windy on the Central Coast this Tuesday morning.  The swell is messy at 3 – 4 feet from the east southeast.  There a light to moderate southeast breeze forecast to go northeast later.  Low tide 0930 and high tide around 1600.  Local barometer 1022 hpa, 15 degrees C. 72% humidity.   Have a good one.

Highs & Lows In Byron Bay Today.

Click here for the full update In Byron Bay Today.

Could this be the first of the tropical lows for the season? Naaaaaaaaah, far too small and not that low. But we’ve certainly got an interesting little bit of weather going on in here. I haven’t checked the maps yet, but I’d be willing to put money on there being a smallish low pressure system sitting close to Byron and a high pressure system blocking somewhere down south in the Tasman. The swell  jumped up from the north east, the wind started to gust from the straight east and rain squalls blew in. To top it all off this Old Salty Dog’s joints started aching, which for me is as about as accurate as any forecasters predictions. Will it last, I don’t know, is there another low coming, I haven’t a clue but god I hope so. But I can say is this; there were waves in the bay today. Granted it was lumpy and bumpy and yes there is a really strong sweep making it none too friendly for the inexperienced. But after a long spell of very little swell, it was lovely to feel the pulse of it, In Byron Bay Today.