Forwards and Backwards

Photos by Mike Brown

Old Mal

Here's a shot of me on my '67 Woolsey at a CCMC club day at the lakes by Mike Brown

Kick

Some more shots from the same session on my log and alaia. Jordy Reynolds getting a cover up.

Water view

I've had a couple of surfs with Mike Brown using his housing and here's the results of a few glassy, sunny days with swell. Jordy Reynolds in the background

2 shot sequence

Dirty Longboard

Some shots from the same week of rain.

Dirty Shortboard

After the heavy rain and lagoon letouts over the past month the water has turned toxic brown. Not safe to surf in but theres a lot less crowds.

Here are some pics from the WEB single fin comp back in December which I surfed on my new old 5'9 Free Flight and ended up winning the U/18's.

Lots of fun

Point Score

First term of Christian Surfers 2012 has been fun. Here're some pics from the latest Points Score.

Jordy

Noosa Festival 2012

Noosa festival was loads of fun this year, up until the last day when it rained all day. Some fun waves on the points and down on the beach. It was also the first comp that I had ridden my new board shaped by Matt. It went unreal until the waves disappeared and I moved to the log. I ended up coming 4th in the U/18's.

Lots going on in the festival like Steve Cleveland's new movie, Paradigm shift ; finless; nose rider; logger; old mal; tandem etc etc etc

the new Bennett shaper

Had a great catch up with my new shaper at Bennett Surfboards. He's Matt Wilkerson from Hawaii and has heaps of knowledge and ideas. He has just shaped an amazing high performance board for me to ride this year.

Also had a chat with Barry Bennett - he has loads of experience and insight. He knows all our favourite surf spots on the Central Coast.
Also caught up with Claire Norman. She;s always stoked about everything - my new board, her new board, her trip to Maldives...
Thanks Greg, Matt and Andrew at Bennett Surfboards for the new board.

Matt's Demo

Bennett Surfboards have lent me a demo board to try out shaped by Matt Wilkerson who has recently moved here from from Hawaii.

I took it for a quick ride at Dee Why. Matt makes a very fast board.

Dee Why was busy in the water with a surf lifesaving carnival taking up most of the beach.

Bennett factory

Holiday time and time to visit the Bennett factory. Caught up with Greg and had a good look around the show room. Lots of great boards, designs, shapers and ideas.

Central Coast Open

8 foot finalists: 3: Dave Witt 6: Matt Cook 1: Mitch Fraser 4: Damien Farago 2: Nick Farago 5: Hugh Daugaard

Under 18s finalists: 2: Erin Dark 4:Bryce Williams 6: Jake Boyd Skinner 5: Micheal Nixon 3:Hugh Daugaard 1:Kai Ellice-Flint

Open Women's finalist: 3: Madi Daugaard

for full report see Wraps at www.australianlongboarding.com.au

Steve O'Donnell

Bennett Surfboards linked me up with Steve O'Donnell in 2010 and since then he's been shaping my longboards. He thoughtfully crafts his boards and they are amazing to ride. In 2012 Steve will be shaping under his own label and Bennett Surfboards is introducing me to a new Bennett shaper. I really respect Steve's board shaping skills but also appreciate the many hours he's been willing to spend talking about boards and surfing and the encouragement he's given whenever we've been competing at the same events. I'm stoked about meeting my new shaper and keen to learn different things board design but will be looking out for Steve to catch up at future comps.


free surfing on a Steve O'Donnell shaped high performance Bennett eight footer