Category: 2012-2013 Season

We are Windang bound! Registration will be at 9:00-10:30am at Windang SLSC with a skippers meeting at 10:30. Windang is better when the wind is more southerly so based on the current forecast its better we sail earlier.

If driving from Sydney aim for Shellharbour and the entrance is off Fern street next to the caravan park.

BBQ, AGM and season prizes and trophies will be presented. Venue is the ‘usual place’ in Gerroa, from about 6pm. We have the JP 8’10’ SUP to raffle thanks to Windsurfn’Snow so bring your money!

An even quicker note than the last one!  We are still determining exact competition locations at the Central Coast, but we have decided on Toowoon Bay for southerlies and probably North Entrance Beach for NE’rs.

Toowoon Bay Holiday Park will be a central base for a number of people looking to camp.  They have also agreed to let us use their camp kitchen for the presentation.  To make sure they are happy with us using the kitchen, when booking a site/cabin please mention than you are there for a NSWWA event.

There are a number of other options around Toowoon Bay so you should all find accommodation easily.

Coming over the hill into Port Kembla the Hot Sails Maui flags were already fluttering in the westerly breeze. Port Kembla beach has been the venue for the opening event of last two seasons, however this was the first time that the forecast had allowed NSW WA to compete there. Moderate westerly winds were predicted all day and this direction accelerates up the long bay from Windang, blowing cross-off at the north end of the beach. A great day looked on the cards and through my polarised Dirty Dog sunnies the wind looked 5 knots stronger with plenty of whitecaps in the bay. 

Conditions were tricky as the swell had nearly all been swallowed up by the rising tide.  The judges conferred and proposed to hold off competition until the tide had begun to fall.  Seabreeze.com.au was predicting a new pulse of swell along with 20 knots of breeze. Unfortunately, despite an improvement in the waves over the sand bar in front of the Port Kembla surf club the anticipated waves did not eventuate. Everyone did get the chance for a bit of a warm up sail in full sunshine and clean South Coast water. Competition began at 1:30pm under the watchful eye of Port Kembla SLSC who were providing rescue cover for the day. 

With 15 minute heats and two wave scores counting the Amateurs hit the water. Conditions suited boards with plenty of float and even a SUP was seen. A few holes in the wind around the break and inconsistent waves made it a little harder than usual to pick up a ride. However, a clean wave that peeled across the sandbar had a couple of nice steep sections and the occasional lip to shred if you were in the right spot. Twelve entrants in Round 1 were whittled down with young Zack Coleman carving some nice turns to progress to his first Amateur final.  Matt Cohen was everywhere in the final showing incredible manoeuvrability on his SUP. His equipment choice gave him a real advantage around the break and his ability to throw this huge board though bottom and top turns was amazing giving him first place.

The Pros followed with most of competitors on shiny new equipment. Duncan Osborne and myself were trying to capture the photographer’s attention with our new sails, Duncan with his Hot Sails Maui Firelight and me on a bright red Severne S1. Tim Knowles had picked up a new Fanatic as his small board and Dan Berry’s new Stone Quad was carving some great angles. Dean Hendrie let his sailing do the talking and showed that time away from competition had not dulled his strategy at all picking up second place.

The Masters division saw the return of Steve Robinson who showed that time away from competition had not dulled his style.  A nice table-top aerial combined with some great turns was one of the waves of day, nearly finishing on the rocks in front of the surf club. Alan Bailey was solid as ever on his JP/Neil Pryde combo to take second. However, newcomer Remi Rooves took out first spot and is definitely one to watch.

Cheryl Prout was our only lady competitor who chose to sail with the amateurs as well as performing her role as judge, tallying results and generally making sure all the scoresheets were accounted for. She was invaluable on the day as was Jason Hale who took all the great pictures that have been posted since Sunday morning. If you get the chance have a look at his stuff online.   

As always a big thank you to our sponsors Hot Sails Maui and Dirty Dog for this event, Severne Sails for Series Sponsorship and everyone who judged, carried equipment and generally created a really relaxed and supportive atmosphere.

The next event will be a completely new venue on the central coast however the final location is yet to be determined. There are plenty of spots between Toowoon Bay up to Norah Head and even Newcastle could work if the sea breeze really gets into Nobbys. In the meantime I’m going to work on my fitness and get one of those new Dirty Dog sunny savers for the next time I go for a SUP.

Cheers

Tim Williams

NSW WA President

Guys and girls, we’re less than two weeks away until the start of the NSWWA Severne Wave Series 2012-13!!

Event One takes place at Port Kembla; a great location for westerly winds which theoretically is the predominant wind at this time of year. Having said that, and if you look at the graphs for this week we could be holding the event at Gerroa (if North East wind) or Windang (Southerly wind). Please aim to arrive at King George V Park, Port Kembla (by the surf club – you will see flags) for 9:30 although sign on is until 11am.

Keep an eye out on here and seabreeze for the latest news – we can change the location and time of rego on the day to get the best wind/waves possible.

We had mentioned a potential for a BBQ bacon ‘n egg breakfast but we have decided logistics will be too hard. So, we will be doing an evening event – keep an eye out on the whiteboard for location.

Dirty Dog, a long term supporter of our Association are the headline sponsors for this event with our newest sponsor Hot Sails Maui. Severne have kindly come on board as Series Sponsor for 2012-13 which is great news.

As an FYI, Hot Sails Maui are sponsoring the Juniors for the whole season – so if we get enough contestable events (and enough juniors entering) gear will be up for grabs to the winners and most improved*. Bring your kids/mates!

Fingers crossed for wind and the end of this flat spell!

See you all at Port Kembla.

*TBC