Bolt Blowers head to Bells this Easter

Surfing Victoria chief executive officer Adam Robertson (left) and Surf Coast Shire councillor Mike Bodsworth (third from right) with some of the Bolt Blowers competitors at Bells Beach. Photo: BOLT BLOWERS

THE 16th annual Bolt Blowers Invitational will take on the Bells Beach break for the first time to raise awareness and funds for mental health.

The retro surf event, featuring boards dating from no more recently than the early 1980s, will support charities One in Five and Strong Brother Strong Sister, and is using the Easter dates made available by the unfortunate cancellation of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach due to COVID restrictions.

Surfing Victoria and the Bolt Blowers are also stoked to welcome Torquay-headquartered surf brand Rip Curl as an event partner in 2021.

“We couldn’t run the Rip Curl Pro at Bells this year, but it’s great to be able to help support such an important agenda, with a committed crew over the Easter weekend,” Rip Curl team and event manager Mark Flanagan said.

The general public is invited to attend the event with food, coffee and music playing all day along with plenty of action in the water from 8.30am on Saturday, April 3.

Food will be provided by Mr. Calamaro, and charity One in Five will be running the barbecue all day.

Local mobile coffee vendor 3rd Reef Coffee will be on site all day along with DJ Eddy Hotham providing music and entertainment.

“We can’t wait to have the Bolt Blowers down at Bells over Easter,” Surfing Victoria chief executive officer Adam Robertson said.

“The work the Bolt Blowers community have done, and continue to do, is incredible. “We are stoked to be involved and help blow mental illness out of the water!”

The funds donated to Strong Brother Strong Sister will allow Aboriginal young people to have access to an Aboriginal mentor once a fortnight to learn how to surf, understand water safety and surf development training, but most importantly to improve their health and wellbeing.

The funds donated to One in Five will be used to help fund medical research into mental health, including at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and Monash Health.

The Bolt Blowers Invitational is supported by Surf Coast Events, Rip Curl and Surfing Victoria.

For more information, head to facebook.com/BoltBlowersInvitational.