SurFebruary is a fun annual event in February, where participants raise money for cancer research by catching a wave or getting in the water every day – rain, hail or shine. This philanthropic, grassroots event is now in its fifth year and is building serious momentum, more than doubling in size and donations year-on-year. With one in two Australians being diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, SurFebruary aims raise funds that will donated to innovative cancer research and treatment. As a partner of this awesome initiative, FCS caught upwith co-founders Mike Durante and Krista Huebner to talk through the genesis SurFebruary, the positive outcomes and how people are earmarking it in their calendar each year.

FCS: Talk us through the origins of SurFebruary

It all started with a good friend, Jenna, who was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer at 28, just after the birth of her first child. Jenna was treated at a hospital called the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, an incredible hospital in Sydney. Not only a cancer treatment facility, they are also at the forefront of cancer research and take a different approach to patient care. Their holistic approach treats the patient and their family, using the best of cutting edge ‘conventional’ medicine but also drawing from complementary and alternate therapies to accompany it.

Jenna is one of the Lifehouse success stories and through her experience, Jenna and Ronny, her husband, wanted to give back. Ronny surfed every day through Jenna’s treatment and was a massive advocate for the healing benefits of the ocean – aka ‘Ocean Therapy’. From there, the dots were connected and the idea of surfing everyday in Feb to give back was born.

FCS: How did momentum build?

The first year was quite small. The second year, it was just a bunch of our friends and then it grew organically since then. A lot of people have found a huge benefit in just being active and committing to a fitness goal. We have so many ‘repeat offender’ families who take part as a way to keep the summer holiday vibes going after school has gone back, and we’ve had feedback that it’s a great introduction to ‘giving back’ for young kids. A lot of our ‘core’ surfers find it a great reason to get in the water more regularly and change their approach – whether it be riding a different board each day or changing different fins every surf. There’s also a handful of weekend warriors who have seen the love die a little bit over the silly season and SurFeb has been an awesome way to rekindle that love affair and reconnect after a hectic summer. Whatever the motivation, we love seeing people re-discovering the stoke and sharing it with their kids and mates. There’s NO such thing as a bad surf.

FCS: What do you think was the reason for the heightened awareness over the last two years especially?

I think there’s a handful of macro reasons for it, partly due to Covid, because this is a positive and healthy way to be together in your community. It’s also something that you can positively engage with and impact, rather than feeling helpless in the face of endless lockdowns. Partnerships with people like FCS and Chris O’Brien Lifehouse have also really helped spread that message. On a more micro level, I think that we’ve grown organically and authentically because our crew love the true grassroots nature of it. It’s not a corporate thing – it’s for the love of surfing, and you’re doing it for your mum, nana, best mate, wife, brother… It’s been a really easy thing to galvanise your friends around. There’s a bit of a groundswell each February and people are beginning to be aware of it just through word of mouth. 

FCS: Is it a bit of a blur to see something that’s come from such organic roots claim the Greater Good Award at the 2021 Australian Surfing Awards?

What an honour. We certainly didn’t set out to receive any awards at the start, but that was definitely a nice acknowledgment from the surfing industry. I think the interesting thing about SurFebruary is that it’s just as popular outside of the surf industry as it is within. With one-in-two Australians affected by cancer, it’s a very easy conversation to start with someone about why to do it. So it’s meant the event attracts a very broad audience from rookies to pro’s and everyone in between. How you catch your wave a day is up to you – surf, SUP, swim, body bash…the biggest thing is to have fun.

FCS: Are you finding people are earmarking it in their calendar each year?

Yeah, for sure. We have a pretty impressive return rate – many ‘repeat offenders’ who we adore. They’re family. A lot of people even extend it beyond February and try to do it all year round. This is a bit of an anecdotal example, but over Christmas our whole family were heading to the beach each day to try and get in the water and our girls were like “but, it’s not even February yet,” and their friends have all pencilled in a plan to do before or after school as it happens once school starts back.

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The post Join the FCS Team for SurFebruary appeared first on Coastbeat.

BEHIND THE CURTAIN WITH MICK FANNING

Go ‘Behind The Curtain’ with 3 x World Champion, Mick Fanning.

In this episode, we get exclusive insight into Mick’s smooth, classy approach to surfing and what his quiver is looking like now that he’s retired from the tour.

Who: Mick Fanning and long-time pal Richie Lovett with a guest appearance from from shaper, Darren Handley (DHD Surfboards).

What: Hit play and discover a range of equipment Mick is vibing on for his next surf trip.⁣

Where: Come along as Mick opens up his garage and talks us through a few of his favourite boards and preferred fin setups.⁣ ⁣

The post Caught Inside – Top 5 Surfing Clips #3 appeared first on Coastbeat.

Cb: What is a hydrofoil?

Ronnie Goddard: Hydrofoils have been around for a long time. It’s an underwater fin with a flat or curved winglike surface that’s designed to lift a moving boat or ship. Prone hydrofoil surfing was born in Hawaii like a lot of water sports are. It was the Maui guys like Laird Hamilton and his mates who thought Why can’t we strap ourselves onto boards and ride waves with them? Basically, it’s a little aeroplane under the water. It works exactly the same way as an aeroplane wing does, where the water travels over both surfaces, it travels over one surface quicker than the other which creates lift and pulls you out of the water. When you’re on a hydrofoil board, it’s virtually riding a wave like a dolphin, while you’re standing on its back. You’re using the slope of the wave to generate the speed. They’re fast and scary. 

Cb: Sounds wild! Is it hard to do? 

RG: I tend to say to people, If you want to learn how to hydrofoil, it’s a bit like taking a judo lesson and realising your instructor doesn’t like you and you’re going to get smashed. Or it’s like having a schizophrenic dog that bites you for no reason. It’s a giant slice of humble pie. Because of my age I get smashed more than others. It’s a young person’s sport. The easiest way to start is behind a boat or jet ski. It’s pretty easy to get up and ride behind a boat but the hard part comes in when you have to paddle into a wave. It’s like flying anything – the take-off and landing are the hardest!    

Cb: Any hairy moments or bad spills?

RG: Yep, lots. It’s hit me quite a few times – nothing serious, touch wood. But the reward far outweighs the risks. I can’t compare it to surfing because there’s no rail to turn off like on a surfboard. You’re actually flying. So rather than turning you’re banking it. A lot of young guys are doing phenomenal things on them. Things no one thought possible. It’s unbelievable where it’s going. 

Cb: What got you interested in hydrofoil boards? 

RG: I’ve been building surfboards for more than 50 years now, I started 1969. I still love it, but I’ve retired now. I sailed before I surfed and when I first came to Coffs around 1972, I got into sailing Hobie Cats. After that it was pretty much the birth or sail boarding and I wanted to build them. That kind of morphed into kite surfing. Eventually I was designing all three. I was lucky enough to be at the forefront of all of them. You couldn’t really copy anyone – there was no Instagram – you got the basic concept of it all and then it was up to your design know how as to how good your boards were. That’s how I approached the foils, too. I’ve seen a lot of change. Sometimes being at the beginning is not always good as designs are often crude. But it’s good to be able to look back over it and know you were there from the start. But who knows what the next thing will be. If you had have told me I would put a tiny mast on a big surfboard and flown around the ocean with the wind I would have thought you were crazy. And while we were doing that if someone had said Soon you’ll put a kite up and be pulled around on your board I would have said You’re on drugs! And when you finish that you’ll be up on top of this hydrofoil, out of the water scooping along wave faces…what’s next?

Cb: People have argued hydrofoil boards are dangerous and have no place in the surf line-up. Have you experienced hostility? 

RG: It’s a matter of conjecture. Surfers are the biggest haters in the world. They pigeon-hole themselves all the time. I can see their beef, but it’s like trying to take chocolate off an addict! I’ll put up with the flack just for the buzz. You need a specialised wave and that happens to be a soft, rolling point break or something similar. Nowadays points are pretty well packed with long boarders so you get a few people who don’t like the fact you’re there. You wouldn’t want to learn in those conditions but even when you can do it, you’re capable of doing causing damage if you let the thing go. I think they’re here to stay. If anyone doesn’t like them, they’re just going to have to suck it up. 

Cb: You attempted your own foil. How did that go? 

When I made mine I was totally winging it. I did what I felt the thing should be like. It roughly looks the same but the leading and trailing edges are much finer on my commercial one. I quickly realised I didn’t have enough of an idea about how it works to make a really good one. It works but nowhere near as well as my state of the art one. All of the research and development has already gone into them. The amount of work in them is phenomenal and I couldn’t get mine strong enough. The professional ones have carbon fibre, titanium and tricky yacht building stuff! Mines is all in patches where it has broken. 

Cb: What advice would you give people keen to give hydrofoil boards a go? 

With this sport you have to go back lower than square one. Square one people are doing much better than you! That’s a hard pill to swallow for someone who has been doing something for 50 years. I always say if you’re going to learn to hydrofoil, be prepared to eat the whole humble pie – not just a slice. There are true water people out there and that’s why these sports go ahead. They’ll give everything a go. They’re the people we should look up to, they’re the real innovators and they’ve gone back to square one to try to master these things. The rest of us experience better things because of them. That’s the beauty of it all. That and the pull of the ocean. Once it gets ya, you’re gone! 

Cb: Thanks Ronnie, happy foiling! 

Follow Ronnie on Instagram and check out Gary McEvoy Surf Videos

The post Surf Craft Evolution: Hydrofoil Boards appeared first on Coastbeat.

Coastbeat: How and why did the Make A Wave challenge start?

Laura Casaceli: SurfAid was established by a small volunteer group of surfers in New Zealand in 2000. The aim is to provide support to remote communities adjacent to surfing locations. From small beginnings, two decades later SurfAid has grown to a leading global non-profit development organisation. The Make A Wave challenge kicked off this year as a partnership with SurfAid and Billabong. We want to mobilise surfers across the world to make an impact while they surf together throughout the month of September. 

Cb: Who should get involved and what do they need to do?

LC: The Make A Wave challenge is open to surfers of all ages and abilities who are keen to challenge themselves to surf every day for a month. At the same time, they’ll be fundraising for SurfAid’s programs. The programs support access to healthcare, clean water and food security for families in remote surf communities. 

Cb: What’s the fundraising goal? How will the funds raised be used?

LC: The Make A Wave challenge aims to raise $100,000. The funds raised from the Make A Wave challenge will go towards SurfAid’s Mother and Child Health programs in Indonesia. They’ll also be directed towards SurfAid’s programs in places like the Mentawai Islands. Our support is needed more than ever there. Last year alone, SurfAid reached more than 52,000 people living next to the world’s most remote waves who struggle to access basic services. Sadly, the World Bank estimated eight million people in Indonesia fell back into poverty in 2020 due to the economic shock of the pandemic. 

Cb. Where are the communities you support and what are their needs? 

LC: SurfAid’s geographical focus on the heartlands of surfing where few visitors but surfers go, makes our work unique. We support communities in the Mentawais, Nias, Sumba and Sumbawa in Indonesia, Solomon Islands, and Baja California, Mexico (SurfAid USA). In Indonesia, a mother dies in childbirth every three hours and 20 babies die every hour. Half of these babies are less than one month old. In remote areas, these figures are worse. We know that simple solutions can have an enormously positive impact on the health of women and their families. Things like hand washing prior to delivering a baby, practising exclusive breastfeeding and improving nutrition.

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Who’s On Board?

So far, we have more than 600 surfers from 20 countries taking part. Naru Surf Gathering’s Goori Groms have committed to the challenge. A team from the Coffs Harbour Lifeguard Service are on board too. FCS team rider Isabella Nichols is a Make A Wave ambassador. Local ambassadors include Paul Van Den Boom, Will Martin and Vaine Rabana. 

Sign up to Make A Wave here.

The post Make a Wave This September appeared first on Coastbeat.

A WEEK IN FEBRUARY WITH MASON HO

Mason takes a trip to one of his favourite places in the world, Brazil! Bizarre surf spots & novelty waves are only a taste of what this Disneyland offers.

The post Caught Inside – Top Five Surfing Clips #1 appeared first on Coastbeat.

The post Caught Inside – Top 5 Surfing Clips #2 appeared first on Coastbeat.

The Fight for Inclusion

As the story goes, the godfather of modern surfing (and five-time Olympic swimming medallist), Hawaii’s Duke Kahanamoku first pushed for surfing to become an Olympic sport in 1912. In recent years International Surfing Association (ISA) President Fernando Aguerre took up the fight. The ISA began formally lobbying the International Olympic Committee in 1995. Fernando Aguerre initially aimed to have surfing on the world stage at the Sydney 2000 Olympics but encountered many political and legislative hurdles. 

Who’s Surfing and How Do They Progress?

Surfers secured a qualifying spot at the Pan American Games, ISA World Surfing Games, and World Surf League. 32-year-old Julian Wilson will don the green and gold for Australia. He’ll be joined by Owen Wright, Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons.

The event features a six-round heat format that will steadily narrow the field for the 20 men and 20 women until the gold, silver, and bronze medal discussion. Round 1 is a non-elimination stage. Athletes were seeded into five heats of four surfers each, with the top two competitors advancing directly to Round 3. The bottom two surfers will have to compete in the first elimination round – Round 2 – which features two heats of five athletes each.

When Can We See It?

The Olympic Surfing Festival begins on July 25. There is a ten-day window for competition, but it’s hoped the first Olympic surf champions will be crowned after four days. 

Earlier this month, the world governing body for the sport of surfing released the seedings for the men’s and women’s Round 1 heats. Sally Fitzgibbons will take on Brisa Hennessy from Costa Rica, Japan’s Mahina Maeda and South Africa’s Bianca Buitendag. Stephanie Gilmore surfs against Brazil’s Silvana Lima, France’s Pauline Ado and Anat Lelior from Israel. 

Julian Wilson will come up against Kolohe Andino from the USA, Peru’s Luca Mesinas and Billy Stairmand from New Zealand. Owen Wright will surf against John Florence from the USA, Chile’s Manuel Selman and Ramzi Boukhiam representing Morocco. 

Where Are Athletes Surfing?

The Olympic Surfing Festival will take place at Tsurigasaki Beach, about 100km from the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. It’s in Ichinomiya, a small town in Chiba Prefecture facing the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the easternmost points of Japan making it particularly suited to any swell that comes from the north, east, or south, depending on the season.

You can watch the Olympics action on the big screen outside Depot Cafe, Level 1 Coffs Central.

The post Get the Lowdown on Surfing’s Olympic Debut appeared first on Coastbeat.

The countdown is on to the Olympics and one surfer is ready to make history. Surfing will debut at Tokyo 2020 after a long fight for inclusion. 32-year-old Julian Wilson will don the green and gold for Australia, joined by Owen Wright, Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons. He believes it’s a very special moment for the sport and welcomes the athletic legitimacy.

Coastbeat caught up with the surf star just days out from the world first. 

Surfing’s Olympic Debut

“To be completely honest, I never thought I’d see the day,” says Julian Wilson on the eve of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. “But this is the acknowledgement that we as professional surfers have earnt.”

Despite the sport’s high profile, World Championship Tour and World Surfing Games, the stereotype of surfing as a pleasure pursuit for beach bums persists. 

As the story goes, the godfather of modern surfing (and five-time Olympic swimming medallist) Hawaii’s Duke Kahanamoku first pushed for it to become an Olympic sport in 1912. In recent years International Surfing Association President Fernando Aguerre took up the fight. He initially aimed to have surfing on the world stage at the Sydney 2000 Olympics but encountered many political and legislative hurdles. 

Elite Athletes Acknowledged 

Julian says he’s observed a shift over the past 10 years as more and more surfers have embraced the title ‘elite athlete’. 

“All of the surfers on the World Tour are training hard and eating right,” he says. “It’s a credit to the sport to now be welcomed to the Olympics, the ultimate competitive arena.”

While he feels incredibly proud to represent his country, Julian says he’s especially pumped to introduce surfing to a whole new audience. He imagines people watching the Games on TV and witnessing wave-riding for the first time. 

“That’s probably what’s most exciting and appealing: the reach to people who’ve never seen surfing before,” Julian says. “Without the Olympics that just isn’t a possibility.”

Familiar Waves 

The Olympic Surfing Festival will take place at Tsurigasaki Beach in Ichinomiya, a small town in Chiba Prefecture facing the Pacific Ocean. Julian has surfed there before and likens the conditions to waves he regularly rides at home on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. He’s not-so-secretly hoping for some cyclone swell.

“It’s the start of the typhoon season so there’s a chance we could get some nice waves,” Julian explains. “We have a 10-day waiting period, and they need four days to complete the surfing, so we have some days to play with if the conditions are really poor.”

Earlier this month, the world governing body for the sport of surfing released the seedings for the men’s and women’s Round 1 heats. Julian will come up against Kolohe Andino from the USA, Peru’s Luca Mesinas and Billy Stairmand from New Zealand. Julian says he’ll stick to a tried and tested game plan.

“The first round and the second round are a little bit different, similar to surfing in the Qualifying Tour which we’ve all had experience in,” he explains. “But the fact that we get to compete man on man from Round 3 onwards is exciting and I think that’s the fairest way of competing.” 

Technical Set-Up

Julian will check in 12 custom boards when he flies to Tokyo next week. You’ll easily spot him in the water – just look out for the board with green rails and a yellow underside. 

“I’m mostly going to have the epoxy construction which is a lot lighter and a lot more exciting to ride in the softer conditions which we’ll get over there,” Julian says. “I’ll use my signature FCS fins too.” 

“I’ve been practising on that set-up for the last few weeks, and it feels really good.”    

Support from Home 

Due to COVID-19, Tokyo 2020 will be tightly managed. The IOC and Tokyo organisers last week banned fans from all venues in Tokyo and three neighbouring prefectures. A few outlying venues will allow some spectators. 

Julian says while his family is unable to attend, he’s had some quality time at home with them over the last month and knows he has their support. 

“It’s a shame they can’t be there but it’s the same for everyone,” Julian says. “I’ll go over and put everything into the Games, I’ll do them proud.” 

Meet the groms who will one day rule the waves here!

The post Aussie Surfers Make Olympic History appeared first on Coastbeat.

Festival Success

Port Macquarie’s inaugural surf, skate and music festival Ride the Wave took over Town Beach last weekend. The charity event drew hundreds of people, keen to check out the action and stroll through the market stalls. Money raised over the three days went to not for profit Make A Difference. They’ll use the funds to fit out a food van that will offer relief to people in the region experiencing homelessness and disadvantage.

Sound Waves

While the surfers were tearing up the waves, local and interstate bands were tearing up the stage. Ride the Sound Wave featured Brisbane’s BEDDY RAYS as well as Scuffs and Vanilla Gorilla. Palomino, Mikk, Swell House and Acia Blue rounded out the line up.

Skate Against a Mate

The Town Beach skate park was buzzing with competitors of all ages. Skaters had one minute to show the judges their most impressive tricks and skills. Mates competed against mates but cheered each other on from the sidelines. The rain cut things short but not before we snapped these action shots…

Check out our pics from last month’s Next Exit Festival here.

The post Festival Rides the Wave of Success appeared first on Coastbeat.

On International Surfing Day we meet the groms who will one day rule the waves. Wait, scratch that. They’re clearly dominating the lineup already! The junior members of the Sawtell Boardriders Club are fun, fearless…and future world champs.

Most of the young chargers we met started surfing before they started school. Their parents pushed them onto waves or they followed older siblings out into the water. Polly, aged 10, vividly recalls the first wave she stood up on.

“It was at South West Rocks,” she remembers. “I’d been trying for so long and I was so happy when I did it!”

They have nothing but praise for the Sawtell Boardriders Club. Most have been in it for more than half of their young lives.

“I joined when I was 10 or 11,” says 15 year old Jai Jackson. “Most of my mates are in the club and it can get pretty competitive but we still have fun.”

17 year old Ellyse does compete but enjoys the social aspect more. She’s part of a crew of girls who get out in the water almost everyday.

These little locals are loyal to their hometown, claiming Sawtell offers their favourite waves.

Many of them are compete regularly and won’t hesitate to say that they plan to go pro. And I don’t doubt it for a second. Check out the shots below!

Happy International Surfing Day – we hope you find some epic waves today!

Learn more about the history of surfing on the east coast of Oz.

The post Groms Rule the Waves appeared first on Coastbeat.