Newsletter
- MAY 2010 |
Fellow Flatrockers,
 |
Secretary - Alan |
After a slow start to the season the competition at the top is starting to get down to business. Eric has taken the lead after a come-from-behind start. Steve is taking things seriously with results to match. Last year’s Club Champion, Frank, is right in there but has more company than he’d like; not as much as we’d like though. Grant, for one, is literally breathing down his neck.
Congratulations to Paul Bioletti who is making a real charge off the marks with a current fifth placing. A real surprise packet this season has been the quiet achiever, Bryan Fryer, who is currently placed sixth whilst only surfing in two of the three comps. Well done, danger man! Speaking of danger, new face Dougie Blackburn is getting the results when they count.
Everyone knows that Rob House wouldn’t mind a month of Sundays like the last one for the May comp. Seems like it’s paying off for you, Rob. Good going. The only real anomaly is the Club Captain Brucie up there in ninth spot. If you keep clocking up these kinds of results, son, we just might have to call in the auditors on you!
All up it’s a ripper start to the season with a strong field at the top. Don’t forget though, there’s also a good crew of quiet achievers out of the running down in the lower placings… for now. As Wazza says, you gotta be in it to win it. See you in June, second Sunday due to the Wrecks and Relics comp.
2010 Progressive Club Standings
1 Eric Walker
2 Steve Watts
3 Frank McWilliams
4 Grant Edwards
5 Paul Bioletti
6 Bryan Fryer
7 Doug Blackburn
8 Mel Mott
9 Bruce Wilson
10 Rob House
Congratulations to all Ballina Malibu Club members who recently competed in the 2010 Far North Coast Regional Titles held at Lennox. Finalists from our club were Kirk Hickey for 3rd in the Over 35 Mens, Steve Watts who got 4th in the Over 50 Mens and Paul Bioletti who placed 5th in the Over 55 Mens. Well done and good luck in the State Titles guys.
6-Ways Comp at Evans Head in July
Early warning systems have detected that the 6-ways comp will be held this year on July 4th (Long Live America!)(Aussie too, of course) in Evans Head. The wind should be good. Hope the waves are too. More details next month. Mark your calendars.
 The PRESIDENT's REPORT from Wazza
What a day, some great surf, great weather, warm water and a few cold beers.
Easily the best comp surf for a long time. Finally Rob House had a smile on his face. Good to see Brian Delaney with us for his first comp the year. No sign of that rashie yet mate. Possibly in New Zealand by now.
Thankss to Stevie for the BBQ and to Eric's lovely lady for the beautiful fruit slice. It didn't last long.
A reminder that our next comp will now be on Sunday 13th June as we have quite a few members heading up to the Wrecks and Relics at Noosa on 5th & 6th.
The next committee meeting is Tues 18th May at 7pm at the Bowlo. Hopefully the invading cane toads are now gone for a few months and we can settle into some lovely winter surf with no crowds.
Good luck to everyone heading to Noosa. Wazza
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PRESIDENT -Warren Wyatt
6686-8747
VICE PRESIDENT - Col Woodbry
SECRETARY/MEDIA - Alan Rich
secretary@ballinamalibuclub.org
TREASURER - Marg Bryant
6687-7081
CLUB CAPTAIN - Bruce Wilson
VICE CLUB CAPTAIN - Eric Walker
SOCIAL COMMITTEE - Mel Mott, Jan Webster, & Kerry Wilcox
CATERING -Steve Watts
PUBLIC OFFICER - Mick Wilson
OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS
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The SOCIAL REPORT
Trying out our new social policy, a great time was had by a whole bunch of club members and mates two months ago at the Westower Tavern. It really was a good night with a very tropical ambience courtesy of Raphis palms surrounding our tables, very tasty food, very wet drinks and a very accommodating muso. It turned out that as, yet again, people straggled out of the pub leaving the hardcore BMC party-goers to be virtually the last to leave, the evening’s singer-guitarist gave the lingering last of us a ‘private’ performance. Westower Tavern is always a top night.
Yours truly forgot to bring a camera and this unfortunately resulted in a substantial delay in tracking down the photos that were snapped on others cameras in order to now bring them to you, sorry. A big thank you to those who helped out with loner cameras. I have resisted the temptation to create photo captions, which is probably for the better, and I leave the memories in your capable hands, or heads as the case may be. Except for one caption: The guitarist was hot! That’s also because my experimental photos didn’t quite go as planned and PhotoShop’s layer intricacies are still beyond me. Not to worry, we had a very good time.
Those of you who couldn’t make the night will get a second chance to party on at the Wicked Restaurant on Saturday 19th June. Mark it in your calendars and then remember to look at the bloody things! See you there, dress warm. See all the pics in the gallery...
cheers, Alan
COMPETITON
UPDATE
 CLUB CAPTAIN’S REPORT by Bruce Wilson
Another great day in Paradise for our May comp. A good contingent of members turned up to be greeted by 3 feet plus* waves breaking at the point with light offshore winds & finally some descent shape to it. The only downfall for the day being the crowds in the line up due to QLD having a long weekend.
During the final heats there was some excellent surfing with the usual tussle for 1st place in division one between Eric Walker & Frank McWilliams with Eric just nudging out Frank to win the event with Steve Watts in 3rd place followed by Chris Bull in 4th who I saw catch some nice waves & Bryan Fryer in 5th position, good to see you back Brian.
Division two was taken out by Grant Edwards with some smooth surfing closely followed Paul Bioletti into 2nd place & Adi Lengyl in 3rd spot everyone’s favourite South African you either love or hate them with one of the old masters fluent as ever with his style Brian Delaney coming 4th then followed by Ken Garrington in 5th place after pulling out of the event & then getting a second wind to surf in division 3.
The big wave charger Rob House scored some nice ones out the back & took out 1st place in the third division with one of our more recent members Doug Blackburn performing well to gain 2nd place, good to see Dougie . Then we had the Webster’s with Bill selecting a few nice waves for 3rd place & Jan in 4th spot improving every time I see her in the water, with Col Harper coming in 5th, I have seen Col out in the water lately riding his old mal & doing well maybe you should have brought that to ride on Sunday.
Division four seen the old maestro Alan Rich take out 1st spot with myself, one-wave Bruce, coming in 2nd and Gavin Calnan making an appearance for the Calnan clan coming in 3rd good to see Gav along with a late scratching due to a inflamed knee Paul Abbott in 4th spot.
One thing that had come up was the lack of having a spotter during each heat & some surfers not being judged on all their waves we will correct this for the next round.
See you all in the water & may you all be blessed with many waves.
Bruce
See all the Alan's photos from the May comp on the Gallery page
*Secretary’s note:
Three feet overhead was closer to it! Have a look at some of my photos. Really, these kids have gotta learn how far it is to fall out of the lip onto suck rock and how to count propper, like I learned the hard way in my first heat (speaking of one-wave-wonders). Just ask Dougie, I gave him a front row view of how far I could high dive. Some smart-arse out in the water suggested I needed to do a two-and-a-half pike if I was serious about scoring points. All the judges missed it anyway. Which makes me think that we should start up a monthly ‘Best Wipeout’ award. Retrospectively would suit me just fine.
May 2010 Results:
Firsts - 1.
Eric Walker 2.
Frank McWilliams 3.
Steve Watts 4.
Chris Bull 5.
Bryan Fryer.
Seconds - 1.
Grant Edwards 2.
Paul Bioletti 3.
Adi Lengyl 4.
Brian Delaney 5.
Ken Garrington.
Thirds -
1. Rob House 2.
Doug Blackburn 3.
Bill Webster 4.
Jan Webster 5.
Col Harper.
Fourths - 1.
Alan Rich 2.
Bruce Wilson 3.
Gavin Calnan 4.
Paul Abbott.
Next Club Round
Our next club round for 2010 is on Sunday 13th June.
Judging Criteria for Competition Rounds
The judging criteria is now available online. A decision was made at the AGM last week to have the option available to limit the number of waves a surfer can catch per heat to 5 or 10 waves. This rule may be implemented on an as needed basis at the discretion of the Club Captain depending upon the conditions at each comp round.
Mi Thai Winner
New member Brian Fryer won the Mi Thai $25 voucher this month.
TRAVEL REPORT
The 30th Annual Byron Malibu Classic by Alan Rich
The single-fin faithful were drawn up to Wategos on May 7-9th by the lure of taking part in the festivities for the 30th Annual Byron Longboard Classic. The waves at Wategos were breaking off the point with good shape. The Byron News was calling it one of the best classics in years and it probably was. Too bad about the bit of sloppy westerly chop about (Gadzooks! that reminds me of Peta Drouyn!). It was creating a bit of a challenge at times during the day but the waves were worthwhile, well shaped and fun, especially if you got the right two. There were only three BMC representatives at the thirtieth Classic; Eric, Paul and myself.
Eric the Grey surfed down a division yet again, looking for tougher competition. Eric was all over Wategos bay on the Friday, surfing all types of peaks in between heats. Obviously Eric had no worries about saving himself for anything in particular on the day, and he cruised into the final. When he got there though he found what he had been looking for in the form of Ray Gleave. Unfortunately he took the over 50s title ahead of Eric who got second. Bloody kids!
Paul Bioletti didn’t get the waves he was hoping for and didn’t advance. However, Paul was quite chuffed to place ahead of the Byron Longboard Club secretary who was in his heat. It sounded good and was the closest thing Paul had to hang on to to make his day at the comp.
I had a bit more luck, advancing to the semis. Alan Atkins was looking solid all through the comp in the over 60s. His title quest was made even easier when former winners Ben Hutchings and Ronny Rudder also joined me in getting knocked out in the semis. I felt better though at having such good company! I got a seventh place overall which I was happy with, except of course, that the finals only accommodated the top six. So I was homeward bound too. I didn’t go back to watch the finals but Alan Atkins won, probably strongly.
All up it was an enjoyable dose of the usual on a beautiful day in May. Although it did involve a bit of rock-dodging or riding at certain stages of the tide, Wategos certainly turned on highly contestable point conditions. I’d be stoked to have waves that good again when I next visit Wategos.
Great weather, good waves and good causes to benefit made the 30th Classic a good move. This year all money raised is going to the Westpac Helicopter, Volunteer Coastal Patrol, Uncle Project, Byron Bay Youth Centre and the Cape Byron Headland Trust.
I got my T-shirt and I plan on returning next year for comp number thirty-one. Why don’t you see if you can make it too?
Please email the secretary
if you have an interesting travel story.
MEMBER PROFILE
 Name: Phil Calnan
Age:
60
Family:
Janelle (Wife); 3 sons Mick, Steve & Gavin; Daughter in law Rikki-Lee. Two grand-kids Ayla: 3 years and Lily 8 months. Boys partners: Abby & Liv.
Where do you live now?
Ballina
Why did you end up where you are now, how and when?
Born here….like the place & stayed.
What is your current job:
Own business CoasterKings, Solprom Advertising, Solprom Productions Sound Studio.
What is the best job you ever had?
Now as above….I get to go to “Board Meetings” during work days.
How old were you when you started surfing?
10 years
Where was that and why?
The Bridge Ballina…..why that’s about as far as you can double up with a mate and carry a Balsa board….when you’re 10-11.
Did your parents surf?
No
Which is your best foot forward?
Goofy……lots of lefts at the “Old Bridge” break.
What is your favourite type of wave?
Left
Where are your favourite surf spot(s)?
The Bridge, Flat Rock, Lennox Beach breaks,
Where do you surf locally?
As above and Byron, North Wall, South Wall.
How many surfers does it take to make a crowd at flat rock?
Depends on the surfers….locals heaps……tourists not many…depending on their attitude.
Have you surfed many different places?
For instance…? Yes……From Double Island Point southwards to Mallacooda across to Margaret River, Bali, Hawaii,
Where and when was the best surf you ever had?
Tea Tree after a cyclone, and a local spot I can’t discuss!!!
What was your best surf holiday?
Cresent Hd 2008 was a recent one.
Describe one of the most memorable waves you’ve ever ridden:
Same as Q17….plus Grace Town (because it was so far away and not so long ago).
Who is the best surfer you’ve ever been out in the water with?
Eric Walker, Beau Young, Ray Gleave.
Who is the best surfer you’ve ever ridden the same wave with?
Eric & Ray
What is your nickname and how did you get it?
Fat Wheels…….car related….from about 17 on.
Why did you decide to join the club?
Foundation Member
Name your favourite surfing movies and why:
Not a big fan of surf movies, mags etc.
What kind(s) of other movies do you like?
Action movies…with car chases.
What kind(s) of music do you like?
Any thing from Arlo Guthery etc through to Rod Stewart to Classical.
What is/are your favourite TV show(s)?
Car shows & races & docos.
Besides surfing, what is/are your favourite sports?
Bike Riding, Walking.
What else interests you and why (besides surfing)?
Work interests & cars….kids and grandkids.
What is your pet peeve?
Bad Drivers
What do you love most?
A nice wave or a run through uncrowded sweeping roads in open country.
What is/are your favourite food(s)?
Spaghetti Bol
When you drink, what do you have?
Beer & Red or White Wine
When you pay?
As above
When I pay?
As above
What are the details of the surfboards you like to ride the most?
9ft Pope Bisect (pull apart), 1966 San Juan 9ft 4in old mal….made in Ballina. P Myers 9ft 2in.
What kind of board you are thinking about getting next?
Dunno
Who are your favourite surfers and why (three or more)?
Any 3 friends in the water to share the fun with.
Who are your nominees for the top 10 surfers (more or less) during your lifetime and why?
Farrelly, Nat Young, McTavish,
What have been your best competition results?
Semi finals.
What do you like most about competing?
Challenging myself.
Are you a soul surfer at heart?
Yes
What would be your dream surf trip?
My 3 sons, Eka, a big van and surf all the name spots down the US West Coast.
How much time do you spend in the water?
Generally about an hour or a bit more….after that I get into trouble at home for being tired & grumpy! The days depends on the conditions, so far this week, Sat, Sun & Wed….&…??
Is that enough?
Its fine
THANKS FAT WHEELS!
Phil with his favourite board at last years Wrecks & Relics
Phil at Flattie
NEWSLETTER & NEW WEB SITE
All club newsletters can now be accessed via the web site
and viewed online. Members who have provided their email addresses
to the secretary will receive an email each month containing a
link to the newsletter. The Committee urges all members to take
advantage of the web site and register their email address.
Members without an email address will still receive a printed
copy via surface mail. Members interested in submitting stories for
inclusion in our monthly newsletter should Email submissions to
secretary@ballinamalibuclub.org
MEMBERS
CLASSIFIEDS
Items for sale (eg. used surfboards, surfing-related
items etc) may be listed free of charge by members. Members are
invited to lodge advertisements by Email to the Secretary.
Please include a description, asking price, contact details, and
preferably a color photograph of the item(s) for sale. |
