february-2010

Kelly Slater competes
during the fi nal of the
2008 Quiksilver Pro
Photo: Getty Images
Surfing
on the Gold Coast is
not just a pastime — it
borders on being a religion. Indeed, it even has
a suburb to celebrate the fact that it’s paradise
for surfers. And while Surfers Paradise itself is
more famous for its funparks than its surf, the
beaches to the north and south are home to
some of the best surfi ng in the country. This
month they’ll be home to the best surfers in
the world.
The point break of Snapper Rocks, on the
Queensland/New South Wales border, will
be transformed into a temporary surfi ng city
as it plays host to two of the world’s premier
surfi ng contests, the men’s Quiksilver Pro and
the women’s Roxy Pro.
With more than 60km of picture-perfect
coastline stretching from South Stradbroke
Island in the north to the Tweed Coast in the
south, surfi ng is the lifeblood of the region. So
it comes as no surprise that surfers from the
Gold Coast dominate the world rankings.
The world’s top three men’s surfers all live
within a few minutes of Snapper’s famed
waves: world number one Mick Fanning,
second-ranked Joel Parkinson and number
three Bede Durbidge. Three-time women’s
world champ Steph Gilmore is also a local.
There are no entry fees to watch the
Quiksilver or Roxy Pros — just park yourself
on a sand-dune or hill overlooking the beach
and soak up the action. While the contests
are offi cially held at Snapper, there is a roving
commission for organisers to chase the waves.
If Snapper isn’t fi ring, the competition can
be staged anywhere from North Stradbroke
Island to Cabarita in northern NSW.
Most of the time, organisers make an
early-morning decision whether to move the
event and, if the surf really sucks, there’s the
Photo: Courtesy of Quiksilver
GO GUIDE
QUIKSILVER PRO
potential for organisers to call a day off
as long as they still have reserve days up
their sleeves. You can keep up with any
developments by listening to local radio
stations or checking on-line.
However, if the Surf God Huey is
smiling, most of the action should be staged at
Snapper, just a short stroll around Greenmount
Headland from dozens of accommodation
options in the surfi e suburb of Coolangatta.
During the contest each year Coolangatta
goes into party mode, building to a crescendo
on fi nals night when the winner traditionally
shouts the bar. Organisers have worked hard
to turn the event into a festival of surfi ng and
summer living, with a music festival added to
the entertainment line-up.
To the uninitiated, the scoring system for
competitive surfi ng is similar to that of diving
or gymnastics. Judges give surfers a score
out of 10 for each wave they catch during the
competition, which pits surfer against surfer
in a knockout format like a tennis tournament.
The best two waves of each heat count.
Perfect 10s are rare but they do happen
— last year’s Quiksilver Pro winner Joel
Parkinson chalked up two on a pulsating fi nal
day as Kirra Point was lashed by cyclonic
3m seas. For Parkinson, the world number
two, the event holds a special place. As a
Coolangatta local, it’s his home event and one
he has won twice.
Home ground advantage is a huge boost
for Parkinson and the other locals. Fanning
has won here in 2005 and 2007; Parkinson
won in 2002 and 2009. After leading the world
ratings for much of last year, Parkinson is
desperate to win the world title which has so
far eluded him and can think of no better place
to start than Snapper Rocks.
Spectators line the beach
during competition
INSET: Meet new Aussie
young gun Julian Wilson
FEBRUARY 2010 31