Kneeboard Surfing World Titles in Opunake, New Zealand
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southpeakbrad
- Legend (Contribution King!)
- Posts: 872
- Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 3:42 pm
- Location: San Diego
Back in the swing of things....
The World Titles were awesome! Congratulations to Murray and Diane Weir, Phil Miller, Ian, Surfing NZ and everyone else who worked so hard to put on a class event. All of my friends who attended in '99 have always spoken favorably about their experience and it seems that '09 was just as fun and rewarding. Can't wait for this event to return to Opunake, it's not one to miss out on
Everyday was a new adventure from the time we arrived up to our last day. So much surf and so many great spots. Cool locals, beautiful country, and a much slower pace of life. The Kiwi kneelos are too cool and surf so good. So many young surfers as well which is credit to Murray who has really helped so many along. Great to meet Hooper and Howard Lorney, Kenton, many of the juniors, to get reacquainted with friends from around the world and make so many more new ones. Meeting the Novakovs was a real treat and although Matt is an excellent surfer he's still so young and his brother Tom is even younger. It will be fun to keep an eye on those boys. Phil Arthur was a crack up.....during the Tag Team semifinals Tom Backer just rips a sick move with great speed in dismal conditions and Phil yells across to the US Team "Is that All you got???!!!" and so it went
Surfing NZ did an outstanding job running the event and the judging seemed consistent during heats with only a few raised eyebrows during 6 days of competition. It was great to see so many excellent surfers in heats and free surfing (Troy ) and to see how accepted kneeboarding is in NZ. Will do my best to make it in 2011!
The World Titles were awesome! Congratulations to Murray and Diane Weir, Phil Miller, Ian, Surfing NZ and everyone else who worked so hard to put on a class event. All of my friends who attended in '99 have always spoken favorably about their experience and it seems that '09 was just as fun and rewarding. Can't wait for this event to return to Opunake, it's not one to miss out on
Everyday was a new adventure from the time we arrived up to our last day. So much surf and so many great spots. Cool locals, beautiful country, and a much slower pace of life. The Kiwi kneelos are too cool and surf so good. So many young surfers as well which is credit to Murray who has really helped so many along. Great to meet Hooper and Howard Lorney, Kenton, many of the juniors, to get reacquainted with friends from around the world and make so many more new ones. Meeting the Novakovs was a real treat and although Matt is an excellent surfer he's still so young and his brother Tom is even younger. It will be fun to keep an eye on those boys. Phil Arthur was a crack up.....during the Tag Team semifinals Tom Backer just rips a sick move with great speed in dismal conditions and Phil yells across to the US Team "Is that All you got???!!!" and so it went
Surfing NZ did an outstanding job running the event and the judging seemed consistent during heats with only a few raised eyebrows during 6 days of competition. It was great to see so many excellent surfers in heats and free surfing (Troy
) and to see how accepted kneeboarding is in NZ. Will do my best to make it in 2011!-
feralmick
- Ripper (more than 100 posts)
- Posts: 225
- Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2007 5:55 pm
- Location: gympie, qld.
back in the sub tropics-flu dissapearing like magic.
Well spoken Brad, it would be impolite of me not to reiterate what you`ve just said.
Apart from the waves, hospitality, organising and great place to visit, the surfers and their families & friends from around the world were a large part of the great atmosphere.
My first visit to a world championship anything-the quality of surfing from day 1 was first class, and kept getting better.
Well spoken Brad, it would be impolite of me not to reiterate what you`ve just said.
Apart from the waves, hospitality, organising and great place to visit, the surfers and their families & friends from around the world were a large part of the great atmosphere.
My first visit to a world championship anything-the quality of surfing from day 1 was first class, and kept getting better.
I agree with Brad and Mick
I know im old but I felt like a stoked grom the whole time I was there! This contest was THE GREATEST time! I wish more USA guys, gals and groms could have joined us, hopefully in 2011 we will make a stronger showing.....
Many thanks to the hard work of Murry and Diane and Phil and Ian and i believe it was Jan who passed out the jerseys everyday and kept things organized for the heats.
I was lucky to meet and hang out with kiwis Craig Hooper, Mike and Tracy who showed us great hospitality and friendship.
Everyday was a great time, full of conversation and laughter, waking up every morning in the caravan park with LOTS of kneelos eating and making coffee in the kitchen with ferel Mick, Jim, Terry, Ivan, Howard, Craig, brothers Dean and Mick, Justin, Nick, Budgie, Barry and Jodie, John Mel and Kim, Rob and Maya, Craig and his wife, Jan and her husband Colin. Walking around the campground and hanging out with Simon and his family, Barry and Jody… talking with Steen, Albert, Jamie, Karl, Marc, Nick and Jon, Chayne and Troy, Mal.
The comp site seemed to brim with laughter and good vibes, the competitors stoked that the waves were good, and the competition fierce. Watching all the heats live and seeing EVERYONE rip was insane. For me getting to see Simon, Parkes, Novakov, Albert, Gavin, Jamie, Chayne, Hammish, Karl, Pommie, Baden surf was the greatest, I only wish we could have seen Steen out there killin it! Chris Linn our lone American grom I thought did well! keep it up chris!! And for side entertainment It was funny watching the groms throwing cowpies at each other in the field.
Walking through town or hanging out on the cliff and running into Slats, Stapo, Cligan, Baden or Mygod, Phil, Jim brown was always a laugh.
I would highly recommend this competition/trip to all and I hope that Team USA can start organizing now so we can get 25 -30 kneelos guys gals and groms over to OZ for the comp in 2011.
Brad Cauldwell and Barry Baker our team captain were great, encouraging and positive and thanks to brad for all your efforts getting TEAM USA organized. Hanging out and surfing with EVERYONE around town is a memory I will always remember!
I know im old but I felt like a stoked grom the whole time I was there! This contest was THE GREATEST time! I wish more USA guys, gals and groms could have joined us, hopefully in 2011 we will make a stronger showing.....
Many thanks to the hard work of Murry and Diane and Phil and Ian and i believe it was Jan who passed out the jerseys everyday and kept things organized for the heats.
I was lucky to meet and hang out with kiwis Craig Hooper, Mike and Tracy who showed us great hospitality and friendship.
Everyday was a great time, full of conversation and laughter, waking up every morning in the caravan park with LOTS of kneelos eating and making coffee in the kitchen with ferel Mick, Jim, Terry, Ivan, Howard, Craig, brothers Dean and Mick, Justin, Nick, Budgie, Barry and Jodie, John Mel and Kim, Rob and Maya, Craig and his wife, Jan and her husband Colin. Walking around the campground and hanging out with Simon and his family, Barry and Jody… talking with Steen, Albert, Jamie, Karl, Marc, Nick and Jon, Chayne and Troy, Mal.
The comp site seemed to brim with laughter and good vibes, the competitors stoked that the waves were good, and the competition fierce. Watching all the heats live and seeing EVERYONE rip was insane. For me getting to see Simon, Parkes, Novakov, Albert, Gavin, Jamie, Chayne, Hammish, Karl, Pommie, Baden surf was the greatest, I only wish we could have seen Steen out there killin it! Chris Linn our lone American grom I thought did well! keep it up chris!! And for side entertainment It was funny watching the groms throwing cowpies at each other in the field.
Walking through town or hanging out on the cliff and running into Slats, Stapo, Cligan, Baden or Mygod, Phil, Jim brown was always a laugh.
I would highly recommend this competition/trip to all and I hope that Team USA can start organizing now so we can get 25 -30 kneelos guys gals and groms over to OZ for the comp in 2011.
Brad Cauldwell and Barry Baker our team captain were great, encouraging and positive and thanks to brad for all your efforts getting TEAM USA organized. Hanging out and surfing with EVERYONE around town is a memory I will always remember!
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Knaki/\Kneelo
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Mon May 11, 2009 8:15 pm
- Location: Taranaki