CC Surf smashed by the Noreaster but very warm down here

We have waves

It was 2-3 feet this morning with some odd bigger ones in the head high range.  Curly was cross shore and should improve on the low tide.  Surf  was onshore at Queensie but the size was the best I’ve seen it for some time which aint saying much.  Water is warm and plenty of punters hungry for some action. Just nice to have something to write about.  Enjoy.

Dee Why: Blowin a gale but there are waves around

Wind has already started to scream 15-20knots + from the NNE but there are some decent waves around. I hear Curly and Northy are both pretty good. Dee Why to Longy has a few of chest high magnitude and there’s even the odd wave on the Point now and again, with no one out.

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY:

I don’t often post things like this around the list so apologies in advance for the sell but there’s good opportunity here for the right person. A company I’m working with at the moment has a short-term cash requirement and is willing to pay top rates for it for a few months. They’re looking for about $100k-$250k  in lots of at least $50k for about four months and can pay 12-18% annual interest on it (rate varies according to security provided). So, if you know of anyone who has some cash available and may be interested, please have them contact me on 0418 410 165 and I can provide additional information and put them in touch with the finance people. They’ll need to move quickly, as after the end of next week it’ll no longer be required . (PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS NOT IN ANY WAY RELATED TO REALSURF.COM — JUST PASSING IT ALONG)

Qualifiers Set for 2010 ASP World Tour and ASP Women’s World Tour

COOLANGATTA, Queensland/Australia (Wednesday, December 16, 2009) – With the culmination of the 2009 ASP World Tour and ASP Women’s World Tour in Hawaii, the qualifiers for the 2010 ASP Dream Tour season have been decided.

Taking the Top 27 surfers from the 2009 ASP World Tour, the Top 15 from the 2009 ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) and three ASP wildcards, the 2010 ASP Top 45 are as follows:

ASP Top 27 (ASP World Tour)

Mick Fanning (AUS)

Joel Parkinson (AUS)

Bede Durbidge (AUS)

Taj Burrow (AUS)

Adriano de Souza (BRA)

Kelly Slater (USA)

C.J. Hobgood (USA)

Bobby Martinez (USA)

Damien Hobgood (USA)

Dane Reynolds (USA)

Jordy Smith (ZAF)

Taylor Knox (USA)

Tom Whitaker (AUS)

Kieren Perrow (AUS)

Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)

Dean Morrison (AUS)

Kai Otton (AUS)

Kekoa Bacalso (HAW)

Mick Campbell (AUS)

Chris Davidson (AUS)

Michel Bourez (PYF)

Ben Dunn (AUS)

Adrian Buchan (AUS)

Tiago Pires (PRT)

Jeremy Flores (FRA)

Roy Powers (HAW)

Drew Courtney (AUS)

Top 15 (ASP WQS)

Dan Ross (AUS)

Patrick Gudauskas (USA)

Jadson Andre (BRA)

Adam Melling (AUS)

Owen Wright (AUS)

Luke Munro (AUS)

Jay Thompson (AUS)

Nathan Yeomans (USA)

Dusty Payne (HAW)

Brett Simpson (USA)

Matt Wilkinson (AUS)

Tanner Gudauskas (USA)

Travis Logie (ZAF)

Marco Polo (BRA)

Blake Thornton (AUS)

ASP Wildcards:

Andy Irons (HAW)

Luke Stedman (AUS)

Neco Padaratz (BRA)

The national breakdown for the 2010 ASP World Tour is:

Australian: 46.7%

American: 22.2%

Hawaiian: 11.1%

Brazilian: 8.9%

South African: 4.4%

French: 2.2%

Tahitian: 2.2%

Portuguese: 2.2%

The ASP Top 45 will be featured in the first five events of the 2009 ASP World Tour season before reducing the elite field down to 32 surfers. The 32 surfers will come directly from the top-placing members of the ASP Top 45.

The ASP Top 45 will first do battle at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast from February 27 – March 10, 2010.

Taking the Top 10 surfers from the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour, the Top 6 surfers from the 2009 ASP Women’s World Qualifying Series (WQS) and one ASP wildcard, the 2010 ASP Top 17 are as follows:

Top 10 (ASP Women’s World Tour)

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)

Silvana Lima (BRA)

Sofia Mulanovich (PER)

Coco Ho (HAW)

Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)

Melanie Bartels (HAW)

Chelsea Hedges (AUS)

Paige Hareb (NZL)

Rebecca Woods (AUS)

Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)

Top 6 (ASP WQS)

Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)

Carissa Moore (HAW)

Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)

Lee Ann Curren (FRA)

Bruna Schmitz (BRA)

Nikita Robb (ZAF)

ASP Wildcard

Amee Donohoe (AUS)

The national breakdown for the 2010 ASP Women’s World Tour is:

Australian: 41.2%

Hawaiian: 17.7%

Brazilian: 11.8%

South African: 11.8%

Peruvian: 5.9%

New Zealand: 5.9%

French: 5.9%

The ASP Top 17 will first face off at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast from February 27 – March 10, 2010.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

Cronulla report by Aquasea Wetsuit Repairs

Top day, small 1-2foot+ surf, forecast to pup later, slip-slop-slap.
WIND: N at 9kph. WATER TEMP: 20 degrees.
FORECAST: Hot day. Chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Cloud increasing
later. Moderate to fresh northwest winds and afternoon northeast sea
breezes near the coast.
MAX AIR TEMP TODAY: 34-40 degrees.
SWELL: NE 2-4m at 7 seconds.
TIDES:　　　　 HIGH: 09:30　　　　　 LOW: 16:15
WINDSURFERS: Good conditions　today.
BOAT DIVING: Choppy 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
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www.aquasea.com.au aqua skipper aquaskipper, shark shield, sea doo sea scooter electric snorkel AGM batteries chargers. www.aquasea.com.au ring 02.95404774 P.O.Box 2141 Taren Point Sydney 2229 NSW aquasea underwater products
Cronulla report by Aquasea Wetsuit Repairs
wetsuit repairs, wetty repairs, wettie repairs, wetsuit repair, Cronulla, Sydney, neoprene repairs,

Taj Burrow Claims Billabong Pipe Masters, Parkinson Takes Vans Triple Crown

Billabong Pipe Masters
Stop No. 10 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour
Pipeline, Oahu/Hawaii
December 8 – 20, 2009

PIPELINE, Oahu/Hawaii – Taj Burrow (AUS), 31, has claimed the 2009 Billabong Pipe Masters, defeating fellow Finalist Kelly Slater (USA), 37, in clean three-to-five foot (1 – 1.5 metre) waves at the Banzai Pipeline.

The final event of the 2009 ASP World Tour season, the Billabong Pipe Masters culminated the Vans Triple Crown (an ASP Specialty Series), and provided non-stop, high-caliber action from the outset.

Burrow wasted little time in putting Slater on the ropes in the 35-minute Final, racking up a 7.00 out of a possible 10 on his opening ride for an electric air reverse followed by some solid forehand maneuvers. With deteriorating conditions, Burrow stayed busy before collecting a 5.83 for an incredible full-rotation alley-oop, putting the pressure on Slater as time ran out.

“There were perfect backdoor waves this whole event and then for the Final it went onshore,” Burrow said. “It was strictly turns. It was all about turns and hopefully doing a few airs and I dropped down to my shortboard and my plan was to just to let loose. It was tough because I knew Kelly (Slater) could do anything. Even when there was 20 seconds to go and I had priority, I was still scared. I just had nothing to lose and tried to let loose.”

Today’s victory mark’s Burrow’s first ASP World Tour win since 2007 and his first-ever win at the infamous Banzai Pipeline.

“This win feels about as good as you could imagine,” Burrow said. “For me, winning this contest is the next best thing to winning a World Title. This is the one and only event that everyone would probably pick to win and I can’t believe I’m standing here right now. It’s an amazing feeling. There are so many tough guys that you go up against in this event that I thought it was out of my reach. This is the best victory of my career.”

Burrow, who has long been considered a legitimate ASP World Title contender, is thrilled with his finish to the 2009 season looks forward to 2010 with renewed vigor and hunger to hunt down the ever-elusive ASP crown.

“This win is an excellent springboard into next season,” Burrow said. “There is nothing but confidence to take from this and I’m excited for the Gold Coast. It comes around really fast. It feels like we’re on holiday now, but the Gold Coast sneaks up on us pretty quick and I’m excited for it. Hopefully I can win some more events, but this is the number one that I’ve ever dreamed of winning.”

Slater looked near unbeatable throughout the Billabong Pipe Masters, deftly maneuvering his 5’11” craft through one incredible tube after another before running into Burrow in the Finals. While his opponent stayed busy throughout the bout, Slater waited patiently for scoring opportunities that never manifested.

“Unfortunately the Final had the absolute worst conditions of the contest, but there are still fun waves out there,” Slater said. “You could go out for a free surf and have a good time. It’s difficult to transition when you’re already expecting one thing. I had already had a couple of heats with barrels and then all of a sudden it’s completely different conditions. Still, there’s a shallow reef there, so you’re expecting one to throw out and barrel, but it just didn’t happen.”

The former nine-time ASP World Champion was in the hunt for an unprecedented seventh Pipe Masters title, but the conditions didn’t cooperate for the Floridian, despite finding the only barrel of the Final, scoring a 3.93 out of a possible 10.

“I thought the wave would be more than a three,” Slater said. “I still needed two waves, basically. There really weren’t any nine-point rides out there and had that been only a six I would have needed a seven. I thought the judges put me in a weird situation there, and in the end, nothing else came. Well, that’s not entirely true. I caught that last wave and did an off-the-top and Taj (Burrow) took off on it and just kicked off the side. He almost stood up too late and could have got an interference. Had he done that he would have only been judged on one wave. Had I landed that air reverse I could have gotten a score, but it was a long shot.”

In terms of returning in 2010 for an unprecedented 10^th ASP World Title, Slater is characteristically guarded.

“I don’t know if I’m going to do the tour full-time next year,” Slater said. “I’m sort of feeling it out. I’ve just competed for so many years, doing the same thing and going to the same places, it’s a little monotonous. When you find some meaning in it and it’s bigger than just going and surfing, then it becomes more exciting, but, unfortunately, this year I had a pretty lackluster year in a lot of ways, both personally and competitively and it probably showed in my surfing.”

Dean Morrison (AUS), 28, secured his best result of the season today, finishing Equal 3^rd at the Billabong Pipe Masters to cement himself at No. 16^th on the year-end ratings. Besting Damien Hobgood (USA), 30, in a tight Quarterfinal before falling to Slater in the Semifinals, Morrison put himself into excellent position heading into the 2010 ASP World Tour season.

“There’s a lot of hassling going on out there, but that’s the way it goes when it’s such a tight peak,” Morrison said. “I spend a lot of time out here at Pipeline though, so it’s nice to have made it through to the Semifinals.”

Dane Reynolds (USA), 24, continued his impressive run through the back half of the 2009 ASP World Tour season, finishing Equal 3^rd today at the Billabong Pipe Masters and cracking the Top 10 in the year-end ASP ratings. Although quickly dispatching of compatriot C.J. Hobgood (USA), 30, in the Quarterfinals, Reynolds was unable to negotiate the deteriorating conditions in his Semifinal bout against event winner Burrow.

“I was kind of stuck between trying to find air sections and still trying to find one of those rare tubes and ended up not doing either,” Reynolds said. “I just got stuck in the middle. I’m stoked though. It was a good way to end the year and it’s been a good event.”

Joel Parkinson (AUS), 28, was in the running for the 2009 ASP World Title before bowing out of the Billabong Pipe Masters in Round 3 of competition. Although Gold Coast stable mate Mick Fanning (AUS), 28, claimed the 2009 ASP World Title, Parkinson’s efforts throughout the Vans Triple Crown (an ASP Specialty Series) saw the talented natural-footer awarded with his second consecutive Vans Triple Crown Title as well as a bonus $50,000 from the Vans Triple Threat prize pool.

“This is my consolation prize to this year’s ASP World Title,” Parkinson said. “To me, the Triple Crown is the next best thing to the World Title. Last year I wanted to win the Vans Triple Crown and this year I wanted to win the ASP World Title, but I won the Triple Crown and I’m over the moon with what happened this year. I should be proud of everything I’ve done and I can’t wait for next year and I’ll be back strong for another Triple Crown and all that and I just want to thank Vans for stepping it up to a new level for putting out huge incentives for us.”

Highlights from the Billabong Pipe Masters can be found on www.billabongpro.com and www.triplecrownofsurfing.com

While the 2009 season has come to a close, the 2010 ASP World Tour is just around the corner, and will set new benchmarks in performance as it continues to showcase the world’s best surfers in the world’s best waves.

For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com

BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS FINAL RESULTS:

1 – Taj Burrow (AUS) 12.83

2 – Kelly Slater (USA) 7.10

BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS SEMIFINAL RESULTS:

SF 1: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.17 def. Dean Morrison (AUS) 7.00

SF 2: Taj Burrow (AUS) 14.50 def. Dane Reynolds (USA) 11.67

BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:

QF 1: Dean Morrison (AUS) 11.00 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 10.17

QF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.24 def. Flynn Novak (HAW) 13.87

QF 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) 16.90 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15.40

QF 4: Dane Reynolds (USA) 15.10 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 8.67

VANS TRIPLE CROWN TRIPLE THREAT AWARDS:

2009 ASP World Champion: Mick Fanning (AUS) – awarded bonus $50,000

2009 Vans Triple Crown Champion: Joel Parkinson (AUS) – awarded bonus $50,000

2009 Billabong Pipe Masters Champion: Taj Burrow (AUS) – awarded bonus $50,000

VANS TRIPLE CROWN FINAL TOP 3 (Men’s):

1 – Joel Parkinson (AUS) 6694 points

2 – C.J. Hobgood (USA) 6213 points

3 – Torrey Meister (HAW) 5775 points

Unusual Summer Stunner, In Byron Bay Today.

Granted the surf could have been a little bigger for this old salty dog’s preference. But it was one of those days when we get back to the office and upload the shots, look at the colours and swear they’d been tweaked. But they’re real all the way; Huey was just in a very bright mood in Byron Bay today.

Little waves here and there

Postcard from Clovelly

Was over in the eastern suburbs to do an interview for my mag. Got their early and went for a quick snorkle at Clovelly (where I’ve never been before). What a nice setup – even if there’s no chance of a wave.

Dee Why: Afternoon update–better than yesterday, but VERY windy

Well, it ain’t great but it’s probably bigger than it’s been for a week and a half. Still, it’s pretty ordinary and more ordinary by the minute as the wind ramps up. Forecast says it’ll get to 25+ knots of NE by this evening so go now if you want a get wet. Whitecaps everywhere already but it’s only gonna get worse later.

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY:

I don’t often post things like this  so apologies in advance for the sell but there’s good opportunity here for the right person. A company I’m working with at the moment has a short-term cash requirement and is willing to pay top rates for it for a few months. They’re looking for about $100k-$250k  in lots of at least $50k for about four months and can pay 12-18% annual interest on it (rate varies according to security provided). So, if you know of anyone who has some cash available and may be interested in making some good return on it for a few months, please have them contact me on 0418 410 165 and I can provide additional information and put them in touch with the finance people. They’ll need to move quickly, as after the end of next week it’ll no longer be required.  (PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS NOT IN ANY WAY RELATED TO REALSURF.COM  – JUST PASSING IT ALONG)