Longboarders ready to wax up

SOME of the country’s best surfers will wax up their longboards tomorrow (Saturday, February 8) and compete in the second edition of a popular surf event.

The West Coast Wax Up will be held at Point Impossible Beach and will see more than 50 surfers compete on single-fin longboards in individual and team disciplines.

Prizemoney of $500 each will be up for grabs for the winners of the men’s, women’s and teams categories.

Surfers locked in for the event include world tour surfers Max Weston and Ben Considine, reigning event winners Matt Lumley and Molly Powell, Byron Bay Surf Festival winner Bea Conroy and Australian Longboard Titles finalist Mel Staunton.

Event director Glenn Barry said excitement levels were through the roof among the surf community.

“Everybody is on a trajectory to really send it on the day. I feel like everyone has been waiting for it for the past 12 months,” he said.

“It’s been a big build-up, and it looks like there’s going to be waves and light winds.”

Barry said the field of surfers entered for the event is mind blowing.

 

“Max (Weston) has signed up and is ready to give it a good nudge. He surfs the wave completely differently from most people, so it’ll be cool to see him in action alongside Ben (Considine) and our other local core lords,” he said.

“The women. They really show us how to surf longboards properly. We’ve got Bea Conroy who wouldn’t normally surf an event like this, but she’s pumped.

“Molly Powell and Sam Suendermann, former Australian champions, are both in too.

“The calibre is there, and our surfers are just going to have to bring it. It’s going to be a tough event to win.”

A pre-event film screening of Some Like it Classic will start the West Coast Wax Up this evening (Friday, February 7) at the Barwon Heads Town Hall.

The event is free, and all are welcome.

An afterparty with live music and presentations will follow the surfing event tomorrow at the Torquay SLSC clubhouse.

For the full heat draw, head to liveheats.com/sclb