Roxy Pro Gold Coast

ASP World Tour Women’s event #1
Snapper Rocks Queensland
27 February – 10 March 2010

Live Coverage | Results/Photos/Videos etc

Gilmore Retains ASP Women’s World No. 1 Spot with Roxy Pro Gold Coast Win

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 5 March, 2010 : – - Snapper Rocks, Queensland Australia – - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 22, reigning three-time ASP Women’s World Champion and defending event winner, has taken out the 2010 Roxy Pro Gold Coast in punchy two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves at Snapper Rocks over fellow Finalist Melanie Bartels (HAW), 27.

The opening event of the 2010 ASP Women’s World Tour season, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast enjoyed an exciting final day of competition, culminating in Gilmore’s emphatic win in front of a raucous hometown crowd. In a déjà vu version of last year’s event, the Australian and Hawaiian squared off once again in the Final, with Gilmore taking the win and the dream start to her 2010 campaign for a fourth ASP Women’s World Title.

“It’s definitely a dream start,” Gilmore said. “I didn’t really expect to win here. The waves weren’t so great. I definitely didn’t put in as incredible performance as I would have wanted to, and I’m sure Mel (Bartels) has the same feeling, but at the end of the day, I’m happy to win – that’s awesome!”

Today’s win marks the 3rd win on the Gold Coast for the young Australian (2005, 2009, 2010), giving the natural-footer the record for most event wins at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast.

Stephanie Gilmore : photo ASP/Cestari

“I was definitely really relaxed but kind of nervous at the same time – just a little mixture of feelings,” Gilmore said. “As defending event champ and defending world champ, I guess it put some pressure on me to win this event so it feels good to win.”

While Gilmore retains her ASP Women’s World No. 1 ranking heading into the second event of the year, the collectively raised level of surfing on the ASP Women’s World Tour will stand in her way.

“It’s really tough,” Gilmore said. “They’re hungry and I think when you start off the year with not the result you were looking for, you just go into the next event even more focused and more hungry and it’s just getting harder and harder from here and then. She (Bartels) was one of the few girls really pushing us towards progressive maneuvers and really using that judging criteria to her advantage, so I’m definitely going to have to surf it up for the next events.”

Bartels, who went on a giant-killing rampage throughout the event, is surfing with renewed vigour and purpose and has announced herself as a legitimate threat in 2010.

Melanie Bartels : photo ASP/Cestari

“I’m very stoked,” Bartels said. “I tried to stay focused and did my best but couldn’t get there for the Final. My surfing is feeling really good, but I couldn’t really find the waves to let me open up there for the Final. I’m still stoked though and happy with my result.”

The progressive Hawaiian, who has long been touted as a legitimate ASP Women’s World Title contender, has employed a coach for 2010 to help her with her headspace as she battles the best female surfers in the world.

“I’ve been having trouble mentally,” Bartels said. “It’s not my surfing that I need help with. It’s more mentally so she (Coach Nancy Emerson) is helping me keep positive and surrounding me with positive vibes, and everyone has been supporting me and just believing in me. I’m beginning to believe in myself now, so you will see a different Mel on tour this year.”

Coco Ho (HAW), 19, 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour Rookie of the Year, put in a solid campaign at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast, before going down to Gilmore in this morning’s Semifinals. Posting an Equal 3rd in the opening event of the season, Ho has established herself as a major contender in the hunt for the ASP Women’s World Title.

Chelsea Hedges : photo ASP/Cestari

“Good start to the year so I’m definitely stoked.” Ho said. “To be out at Snapper Rocks with Steph (Gilmore) is really special for me. She’s a big inspiration to me and I’m happy with my performance at this event. Looking forward to Bells Beach.”

Chelsea Hedges (AUS), 26, former ASP Women’s World Champion (2005), saw a sensational return to form throughout the course of the Roxy Pro Gold Coast, but fell short against Bartels in today’s Semifinals.

“I’m a bit disappointed with my wave selection out there,” Hedges said. “I feel like my surfing is there, but I couldn’t find a rhythm out there this morning. It’s disappointing for sure, but all you can do is shake it off and look towards the next event.”

Highlights from the Roxy Pro Gold Coast will be available via roxypro.com.au. The next stop on the 2010 ASP Women’s World Tour will be the Rip Curl Women’s Pro presented by Ford New Fiesta at Bells Beach from March 30 through April 5, 2010.

Coco Ho : photo ASP/Cestari

ROXY PRO GOLD COAST FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 12.40
2 – Melanie Bartels (HAW) 10.35

ROXY PRO GOLD COAST SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 16.00 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 9.17
SF 2: Melanie Bartels (HAW) 13.00 def. Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 10.30

ASP WOMEN’S WORLD TOUR TOP 5 (After Roxy Pro Gold Coast)
1 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
2 – Melanie Bartels (HAW)
3 – Coco Ho (HAW)
3 – Chelsea Hedges (AUS)
5 – Silvana Lima (BRA)
5 – Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
5 – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
5 – Rebecca Woods (AUS)

Roxy Pro Trials

Two Teenage World Champions to contest Roxy Pro Trials

The upcoming Roxy Pro Trials will boast two newly crowned world champions Laura Enever (North Narrabeen, Aus) and Tyler Wright (Lennox Head, Aus) both out to secure the lone wildcard into the season-opening Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Women’s World Tour event on the southern end of the Gold Coast.

The teenage sensations will be hoping to continue their winning streaks at Snapper Rocks on February 26th. Eighteen year-old Enever, who won the ASP world junior title in early January, has narrowly missed out on the coveted wildcard at the past three Roxy Pro Trials and is hoping 2010 is the year she gets to compete in her first ever world tour event.

“The world junior win has been an amazing way to start my year off and I would love to follow it up with another win at the Roxy Pro Trials,” said Enever. “I have never made it through to the main event or surfed in a world tour event,” continued Enever. Enever is not underestimating the task ahead and is already on the Gold Coast cruising and preparing for the prestigious tournament.

“It’s a tough trials line-up,” said Enever. “Tyler has been surfing so good and she surfs Snapper a lot….I know all the girls will have their eyes on that one wildcard, so everyone will be going all out,” added Enever.

Surfing prodigy Wright, 15, is also expected to be amongst the top performers in the 12 girl-field of invited and qualifying surfers after claiming back-to-back under 18 girl’s titles at the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in New Zealand two weeks ago.

At just 14 years of age Wright made history as the youngest-ever surfer to win an ASP World Tour event, which she did in Sydney in 2008. Wright said her world title win in New Zealand was a great lead-up to the Roxy Pro Trials.

“To be the best in the world in any sport is an amazing feeling and I hope I can continue my form into the Roxy Pro trials and then the Pro Junior series,” she said. The wildcard winner will take on reigning three-time world and defending Roxy Pro champion Stephanie Gilmore in round one of competition.

The Roxy Pro Trials is again stacked with potential giant-killers including former wildcard winner Ashleigh Smith (Kingscliff, AUS), Phillipa Anderson (Merewether, AUS), Bianca Bultendag (Sth Afr), Airini and Sarah Mason (Tugun, AUS). The Roxy Pro Trials will be staged in conjunction with the Quiksilver Pro Trials on Friday, February 26th.

The Roxy Pro is proudly supported by Quiksilver, Jetstar, Olympus, Dermalogica, GCCC (Gold Coast City Council), CSGC (connecting southern Gold Coast), Moreton Hire, Telstra, Coastalwatch, RBSLC (Rainbow Bay Surf Life Saving Club) and ASP.

Rip Curl Pro Export Gold Series #3

Surfing New Zealand
Manu Bay, Raglan New Zealand
26 – 28 February 2010

Women’s Finalists Found At Rip Curl Pro

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 27 February, 2010 : – - New Zealand’s best female surfers tackled clean but challenging conditions on day two of the Rip Curl Pro being held at Manu Bay, Raglan this weekend (26th – 28th February). The finalists were found in the Women’s Division while the Under 20 Men’s Division also endured a long day of surfing.

This Rip Curl Pro is the third of five events on the Export Gold Series. 2010 marks the tenth anniversary for the Rip Curl Pro with $12,000 up for grabs. There is also a return ticket to Bali and an invitation into the Rip Curl Padang Cup for the winner of the Open Men’s Division. The Padang Cup is one of the most anticipated events on the planet held at one of the best surf breaks in the world.

Despite the trying surf conditions with waves under 1.0m, the clean conditions offered up plenty of opportunity to gain the big scores.

Local girl Jessica Santorik posted the highest heat score of the women’s semifinals with 13.25 out of a possible 20. Using her local knowledge she managed to link two long waves down on to the sand bar at Manu Bay stringing together a series of re-entries to post her high scores. Santorik progressed alongside fellow Raglan resident Laura Rishworth who scored 8.25 out of a possible 20.

“It was amazingly challenging out there, I mean the waves looked like they were going to be good but they just flattened out” said a disappointed Santorik despite moving through to the final and now having a good chance to make it three wins from three events on the Export Gold Series.

“I am stoked to make it through though. I was a bit worried out there. I would be stoked to surf bigger waves in the final tomorrow if the swell comes like they predict” said Santorik.

On her chances of nailing a hat-trick of wins on the Export Gold Series “We will see, hopefully good. I mean everyone is surfing real good. Rosa (Thompson) was ripping this morning and even the girls that got ‘knocked’ were surfing well so it will just come down to who gets the best waves.

Rosa Thompson (Auck) progressed through to the final in second place behind Mischa Davis (Piha) in the second semifinal. Earlier Thompson surfed to an exceptional division-high 16.0 point heat total in the quarterfinals.

The final of the Women’s Division will take place on Sunday afternoon. Santorik will retain her ratings lead on the Export Gold Series regardless of placings while Thompson will jump one place to second on the ratings leap frogging Alexis Poulter who was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Late in the day the quarterfinals of the Under 20 Men’s Division were contested over the dead low tide. Gisborne surfer Johnny Hicks was one of the first surfers to progress through to the semifinals pushing his big frame along on the waves that he described as “knee high”.

“I just tried to get as much speed as possible on the waves so I could throw some spray out from my turns and make them look good” said Hicks of his strategy en-route to a 13.75 point heat total. His score saw him claim a comfortable win and progression to the semifinals alongside Blake Myers (WGM).

In the second heat it was Paco Divers (Sandy Bay) who dealt with the small conditions to the best of his ability surfing to a 12.50 point heat total for an easy heat win. Divers scored an impressive 8.25 point ride for his best ride which included several vertical backhand turns. Divers progressed alongside fellow Northland surfer Joe Moretti (Mimiwhangata) together eliminating Keone Campbell (Tara) and Travis McCoy (Mnt).

The Open Men’s Division had a lay day today with conditions less than favourable after the pumping waves on Friday afternoon. However they will be back in action on Sunday morning with some big match ups set to explode on the water.

Looking to take victory and cement their place on the ratings will be the likes of the top five surfers – Maz Quinn (Gis), Chris Malone (Gis), Gauranga Ormond (WGM), Leon Santorik (Rag) and Tim O’Connor (Mnt).

Day three (Sunday 28th February) will see all finals take place. The swell is expected to increase overnight Saturday and peaking on Sunday afternoon.

Please see below for results from day two of the Rip Curl Pro held at Manu Bay, Raglan.

Open Women’s Round 1
Heat 1 Daisy Thomas (ChCh), 1, Laura Rishworth (Mnt), 2, Kelly Clarkeson (Rag), 3
Heat 2 Mischa Davis (Auck), 1, Nina Dodge (Hawaii), 2, Anna Hawes (Westport), 3

Open Women’s Quarterfinals
Heat 1 Jessica Santorik (Rag), 1, Daisy Thomas (ChCh), 2, Sophie Moore (Muri), 3, Rachel von Zalinski (Auck), 4
Heat 2 Grace Spiers (Whmata), 1, Laura Rishworth (Mnt), 2, India Wray- Murane (Rag), 3, Ella Williams (Whmata), 4
Heat 3 Rosa Thompson (Auck), 1, Mischa Davis (Auck), 2, Hayley Coakes (Dun), 3, Marguerite Vujich (Napier), 4
Heat 4 Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 1, Thandi Durham – Tipene (Tara), 2, Alexis Poulter (Rag), 3, Nina Dodge (Hawaii), 4

Open Women’s Semifinals
Heat 1 Jessica Santorik (Rag), 1, Laura Rishworth (Mnt), 2, Grace Spiers (Whmata), 3, Daisy Thomas (ChCh), 4
Heat 2 Mischa Davis (Auck), 1, Rosa Thompson (Auck), 2, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 3, Thandi Durham – Tipene (Tara), 4

Under 20 Men Round 1
Heat 1 Patxi Scott Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 1, Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 2, Geordi Dearns (Dun), 3
Heat 2 Tyler Barry (Rag), 1, Manu Scott Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 2, Ethan Burge (Wgtn), 3, Jimmy Thomas (Rag), 4
Heat 3 Tyler Lawson (H-Bay), 1, Sid West (Gt Barrier), 2, Charlie Denniston (Mast), 3, Ra Higgins (Rag), 4
Heat 4 Adam Grimson (Gis), 1, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 2, Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 3, Waretini Wano (Piha), 4

Under 20 Men’s Round 2
Heat 1 Ben Poulter (Rag), 1, Travis McCoy (Mnt), 2, Patxi Scott Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 3, Nat Hughes (Rag), 4
Heat 2 Blake Myers (Whmata), 1, Joe Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 2, Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 3, Adam Cranston (Gis), 4
Heat 3 Paco Divers (Sandy Bay), 1, Tim Thompson (Auck), 2, Tyler Barry (Rag), 3, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 4
Heat 4 Keone Campbell (Tara), 1, Johnny Hicks (Gis), 2, Jacob Kohn (Gis), 3, Manu Scott Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 4
Heat 5 Sean Peggs (Tairua), 1, Tyler Anderson (Tara), 2, Zen Wallis (Piha), 3, Tyler Lawson (H-Bay), 4
Heat 6 Braedon Williams (Whmata), 1, Todd Doyle (Mnt), 2, Sid West (Gt Barrier), 3, Ben Bennett (Dun), 4
Heat 7 Tane Wallis (Piha), 1, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 2, Adam Grimson (Gis), 3, Fraser Chatham (Whmata), 4
Heat 8 Alex Dive (Mnt), 1, JC Susan (Mnt), 2, Mark Parthemore (Tara), 3, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 4

Under 20 Men’s Quarterfinals
Heat 1 Johnny Hicks (Gis), 1, Blake Myers (Whmata), 2, Tim Thompson (Auck), 3, Ben Poulter (Rag), 4
Heat 2 Paco Divers (Sandy Bay), 1, Joe Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 2, Travis McCoy (Mnt), 3, Keone Campbell (Tara), 4
Heat 3 Sean Peggs (Tairua), 1, JC Susan (Mnt), 2, Braedon Williams (Whmata), 3, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 4
Heat 4 Alex Dive (Mnt), 1, Tane Wallis (Piha), 2, Tyler Anderson (Tara), 3, Todd Doyle (Mnt), 4

Open Men Round of 16 (To be surfed on Sunday)
Heat 1 Keone Campbell (Tara), Nick White (Mnt), Jay Quinn (Gis), Luke Cederman (Rag)
Heat 2 Luke Hughes (Rag), Jarred Hancox (Tara), Maz Quinn (Gis), Leon Santorik (Rag)
Heat 3 Chris Malone (Gis), Billy Stairmand (Rag), Morehu Roberts (Gis), Alex Dive (Mnt)
Heat 4 Gauranga Ormond (Whmata), Ryan Hawker (Piha), Tim O’Connor (Mnt), Paco Divers (Sandy Bay)

2010 will marks the tenth anniversary for the Rip Curl Pro held at Raglan’s famous Manu Bay. The event is being run over three days this weekend from the 26th – 28th of February and features the best surfers New Zealand has to offer.

To mark the milestone, this year’s winner of the Open Men’s Division will receive return flights to Bali, an entry to compete in the Rip Curl Padang Cup Invitational event and the $3,000 NZD cash prize!

The Rip Curl Pro will also play host to the National GromSearch Final. The final will be contested by eight of New Zealand’s top Under 16 surfers from around the country. Each of the finalists qualified for the final by placing first or second at one of the 2009 GromSearch events. The winners of the National GromSearch will each receive an all expense paid trip to compete at the International GromSearch Final held as part of this year’s World Championship Tour event the Rip Curl Pro at Bell’s Beach, Australia in April.

The Kiwi Surf Boost for Cash Airshow is back for 2010 rewarding one lucky free surfer with a cheque for $500. However, this years event has a twist as the Airshow is filmed and edited and put on New Zealand’s leading surf forecasting website surf2surf enabling the public to jump online and vote for the winner. The winner will be decided solely by the public as there will be no onsite judging for this specialty event.

The Rip Curl Pro is a six star rated event on the Export Gold Series with $12,000 in prize money on offer.

The Rip Curl Pro is a six star rated event on the Export Gold Series with $12,000 in prize money on offer.

www.ripcurl.com
www.surfingnz.co.nz

Roxy Pro Gold Coast

ASP World Tour Women’s event #1
Snapper Rocks Queensland
27 February – 10 March 2010

Live Coverage | Results/Photos/Videos etc

Three-Time ASP World Champ Gilmore Rocks Roxy Pro Gold Coast Round 1

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 1 March, 2010 : – - Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia — The Roxy Pro Gold Coast, the opening event of the 2010 ASP Women’s World Tour, completed Round 1 this morning in clean two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves at Snapper Rocks, with the world’s best female surfers breaking the performance barriers yet again with unprecedented showings.

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 22, reigning three-time ASP Women’s World Champion, was this morning’s standout, racking up a 17.37 out of a possible 20 with unmatched panache on her forehand.

“I just went out there and caught a lot of waves and it’s pretty fat, but there are sections out there if you can sniff them out,” Gilmore said. “Tyler (Wright) fought back in the end which is really awesome, showing people that she might be combo-ed, but is going to fight back, so Round 3 is going to be really good.”

While only completing the opening round of the 2010 season, Gilmore’s performance today set the surfing world alight and put her fellow ASP Women’s World Tour competitors on notice.

“It’s only the first heat so we can’t get ahead of ourselves,” Gilmore said. “I’m just excited to see the level of surfing from all the girls today. They’re all ripping and it’s really good to see for women’s surfing. Of course I’m happy to advance through to Round 3 and we’ll see where we end up.”

Sally Fitzgibbons © ASP/Cestari

Lee Ann Curren (FRA), 20, 2010 ASP Dream Tour rookie and daughter of legendary three-time ASP World Champion Tom Curren (USA), 45, blitzed her opening heat of the Roxy Pro Gold Coast, posting a 16.07 out of a possible 20 to advance directly through to Round 3.

“It’s my first heat being on the World Tour so it’s really important to win it and I’m so stoked. I got some good scores and it was important to win that first heat because in Round 2 there is going to be some very hard heats.”

In a battle that saw the lead flip-flop between all three competitors, Curren pulled out the heat win with some last-second heroics that saw her post a 7.57 out of a possible 10 on the final wave of the heat, to take the lead.

“I didn’t get a lot of waves during the heat. I had a good one at first and then waited so I was kind of scared that Sofia (Mulanovich) would get a really good score and come before me and finally I had that last wave, with a really good wall and I had so much fun on it.”

Coco Ho (HAW), 18, 2009 ASP Women’s World Rookie of the Year, survived a hard-fought Round 1 bout, with intense jockeying for position behind the rock going down between the three competitors.

“There was definitely not a lot of surfing and a lot more paddling behind the rock out there,” Ho said. “The two other girls in my heat are a bit older and they definitely took advantage of that, but I’m not a rookie anymore so I put my foot down and I actually had to say something to Claire (Bevilacqua) about it behind the rock, but it’s how it goes.”

Following the completion of Round 1 of competition, The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, running in conjunction with the Roxy Pro, has sent Round 2 out and will be webcast LIVE via quiksilverpro.com.au.

Check the Live Coverage

ROXY PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 15.20, Carissa Moore (HAW) 13.33, Paige Hareb (NZL) 9.53
Heat 2: Coco Ho (HAW) 11.70, Rebecca Woods (AUS) 9.07, Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) 7.66
Heat 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 17.37, Tyler Wright (AUS) 16.54, Bruna Schmitz (BRA) 9.73
Heat 4: Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 12.00, Silvana Lima (BRA) 11.04, Nikita Robb (ZAF) 7.60
Heat 5: Lee Ann Curren (FRA) 16.07, Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 14.20, Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 13.57
Heat 6: Melanie Bartels (HAW) 16.63, Amee Donohoe (AUS) 9.93, Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 6.90

ROXY PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Sofia Mulanovich (PER), Bruna Schmitz (BRA), Nikita Robb (ZAF)
Heat 2: Chelsea Hedges (AUS), Paige Hareb (NZL), Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Garrett Parkes (AUS)
Heat 2: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Blake Ainsworth (AUS)
Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Craig Anderson (USA)
Heat 4: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 5: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. Blake Thornton (AUS)
Heat 6: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Marco Polo (BRA)
Heat 7: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 8: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Tanner Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 9: Dean Morrison (AUS) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 10: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Nathan Yeomans (USA)
Heat 11: Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) vs. Jay Thompson (AUS)
Heat 12: Mick Campbell (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 13: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 14: Ben Dunn (AUS) vs. Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 15: Roy Powers (HAW) vs. Andy Irons (HAW)
Heat 16: Drew Courtney (AUS) vs. Luke Stedman (AUS)

For the first time in the event’s storied nine-year history, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast is being televised LIVE on FUEL TV in Australia, beaming the world’s best surfing right into your living room. To find out how you can watch the world’s best surfers in one of the world’s most iconic pointbreaks LIVE on FUEL TV, check out foxsports.com.au/fueltv.

The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, will be webcast LIVE via quiksilverpro.com.au. The Roxy Pro Gold Coast featuring the world’s best female surfers webcast LIVE via roxypro.com.au.

Surf Camps

Retreats to provide quality surf coaching, daily yoga, healthy, local meals & community support

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 1 March, 2010 : – - After spending the last ten years traveling the world for contests and photo shoots, pro surfer Holly Beck will combine her passions for surfing, yoga, and inspiring others to open a unique, first-of-its kind retreat for female surfers. Ladies of all ages and surfing abilities will be invited to travel to surf un-crowded waves in warm water while receiving professional-quality coaching and friendly encouragement from one of the icons of the sport.

“I’ve had a dream for a long time to open a retreat like Suave Dulce, and I’m happy to say that that dream is now coming true,” said founder, Holly Beck. “The thing I miss most about doing the tour is going surfing with my friends, who happen to be some of the best female surfers in the world. I’m really excited to have this opportunity to bring them down, along with quality Yoga instructors, to Nicaragua to surf great waves in warm water and help me inspire other ladies to achieve their goals in surfing, while also having a positive impact on the local community,” said Beck.

The premiere Suave Dulce Women’s Surf and Yoga Retreat will initially be based in a beautiful beachfront retreat in Nicaragua, but will eventually offer multiple locations throughout Central America and further abroad. Guests will spend time surfing, practicing yoga, eating delicious, healthy cuisine, and will also be presented with opportunities to interact with and positively impact the lives of local community members.

Beck is partnering with several non-profits already at work within the country to allow visitors the chance to make their vacation more meaningful by giving back to the community. Projects will include making art and music with local school children, bringing lunches to the poor kids that live at the city dump, building water purification systems, and planting trees.

Unlike other women’s surf camps where the instructors and guides are often only intermediate surfers themselves, guests at Suave Dulce will be coached by professional surfers including Holly Beck and her friends.

The first Suave Dulce retreat will open in April 2010

About Holly Beck: Holly Beck is a professional surfer, model, spokesperson, writer, and adventurer with an undergraduate degree in Psychology and MBA in Marketing with a plan to continue living a lifestyle of surfing, traveling, and inspiring others.

For more information see surfwithhollybeck.com or contact Holly Beck at suavedulce@gmail.com.

www.surfwithhollybeck.com
www.hollybecksurfs.blogspot.com

Humanitarian News

Earthquake & tidal wave damage Save the Waves’ Vigilante Costero office

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 1 March, 2010 : – - A massive earthquake and tsunami hit Chile this weekend. The earthquake epicenter was just 5km from Save The Waves Coalition’s Vigilante Costero (Coastkeeper) office and the focus of Save The Waves’ many years of environmental campaigns. The earthquake and tidal wave damage to the area where Save The Waves works is devastating. Friends, colleagues and neighbors in coastal Chile need our help more than ever before.

The good news is that loss of life thus far appears to be relatively low because the “gradual” start to the shaking allowed people to evacuate. But the destruction to infrastructure is devastating, including many destroyed homes, no drinking water, power, transportation, and communications. This means that aid & relief in the next few weeks will be crucial to save lives and lessen suffering.

Save The Waves Coalition is organizing a relief trip to the hardest hit region of Chile this week with doctors and medics. Save The Waves needs donations of all sizes to support travel to the region, distribute medical treatment, and purchase and distribute medical supplies, water, food, water filters and camping gear for the suffering. Save The Waves is partnering with Waves for Water to provide water filters for clean drinking water, something that is crucially needed right now.

Because Save The Waves Coalition’s ongoing environmental work is in the same region as the disaster epicenter, Save The Waves is uniquely positioned to help direct humanitarian relief efforts in the region. Save The Waves is therefore organizing this humanitarian aid trip to the Buchupureo, Cobquecura and Curanipe areas at the quake epicenter. Josh Berry, Save The Waves environmental director, is on his way to Chile to act as coordinator of this relief effort.

All donations to Save The Waves for Chile earthquake relief will go directly to humanitarian aid in the most devastated region. Your donations will be spent directly on the ground in Chile. Since Save The Waves is a small and nimble organization with years of experience in coastal Chile, your support for this disaster will be extremely effective. No bureaucratic filters, no delays, just pure support for the coastal communities that are in dire need. Donate and learn more at the link below.

Donate & helps at SaveTheWaves.org

www.savethewaves.org

Quiksilver Pro / Roxy Pro Gold Coast
Presented by Land Rover

ASP World Tour Men’s event #1
ASP World Tour Women’s event #1
Snapper Rocks Queensland
27 February – 10 March 2010

Live Coverage | Results/Photos/Videos etc

Images of the Quiksilver Pro Contest Site Sunday during the Tsunami Warning & tsunami update

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 28 February, 2010 : – - Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia – Spectators gathered at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast contest site at Snapper Rocks early this morning to watch for signs of the predicted Tsunami, caused by magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Chile early Saturday morning, resulting in a tsunami warning for the East Coast of Australia effective today.

Event organizers, coordinating with the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology, were forced to call both the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover and the Roxy Pro Gold Coast events for the day, with the potential tsunami projected to hit at 8:15am.

“We’ve been monitoring the situation with chief meteorologists throughout the night and all projections are indicating the effects to hit the Gold Coast at approximately 8:15am,” Rod Brooks, Quiksilver Pro Contest Director, said. “What those effects will be, we cannot be sure. We’ve been advised that the biggest surge could hit anywhere from six to 12 hours after the initial surge, so we’ve called competition off for the day. The event site is closed for the day, and we’ll check back tomorrow at 6:30am.” More info here

Joli’s Blog report:

We had a Tsunami warning here today which resulted in the clearing of beaches and the cancellation of the Quiksilver Pro. For some reason they let surfers into the water at D-Bah for some free surfing practice while they kept people off the sand and out of the water at all the other Gold Coast beaches.

This image of Snapper Rocks taken from a nearby high rise was shot at the estimated time of the tsunami. It was right on the high tide and we had no noticeable difference. The national weather service stated later that New Zealand had blocked parts of the east coast of Australia from the tsunami’s effects. The Quikie Pro will probably be back on tomorrow. We’re about to get swamped by rain from the monsoonal trough. Definilty not a dull time here on the Coast at the moment.

High tide: The event site was closed Sunday. Next call at 06h30 on Monday © ASP/ Kirstin Scholtz

Tsunami updates:

Australian East Coast was given the ‘all clear’ in terms of tsunami warnings following the enormous Chilean earthquake. Beaches were closed and people hoping to view tsunami conditions were ushered off the sand as small tsunami waves began to hit the east coast of Australia. The highest surge recorded was 50cm at Norfolk Island. The biggest problems were always expected to be dangerous currents.

Japan evacuated over 50,000 people from vulnerable areas. Tsunami shockwaves struck islands in French Polynesia, bringing waves up to 4m high and minor damage but no injuries. JATWC issued tsunami warnings on Sunday. It was predicted that dangerous waves, strong ocean currents and foreshore flooding could hit coastal areas stretching south from Rockhampton, in Queensland, to Victoria and Tasmania.

People were told not to rely on massive waves or destruction as an indicator for the true danger of the expected tsunami conditions. The dangers are for people swimming, surfing, diving or boating, and the unforeseen dangers. It’s not simply a wave that people observe, it’s a sequence of events that is likely to take place, especially strong currents, which can be dangerous.

This kind of threat can last for a minimum of four hours and up to 24 hours with significant changes in water levels. As a result of vast amounts of water shifting strong currents develop. It’s like shaking a bath of water. Once it’s been shaken, it slops around for quite some time and that’s exactly what the Pacific Ocean did for quite some time.

New Zealand hit:

Waves up to 1.5 metres high rammed into New Zealand on Sunday as the tsunami generated by the huge earthquake in Chile intensified. There were no reports of serious damage. New Zealand’s entire east coast was at risk with walls of water up to three metres expected to hit the Chatham Islands and Banks Peninsula, near the main South Island city of Christchurch

A Chathams Island resident reporting everyone had a perfect view of the ocean movement said, “The water is starting to disappear from round the bay, all the rocks are uncovered, the water is definitely moving out. Now the rocks are covered up again. There’s no big wall of water yet. It looks very unusual, very unusual. It’s kind of high tide here at the moment but sort of in no time the rocks became uncovered but they’re covered up again.”

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