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| Bede Durbidge : photo Surfing Australia |
Wild weather and surf may have been causing havoc in Queensland but it’s also seen the finish of the ‘Endless Bummer’ for surfers on both the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.
The first swell of the season has arrived in perfect time to help reform the sandbank at Snapper Rocks for the upcoming Quiksilver Pro presented by Land Rover and the Roxy Pro.
The Super Bank has become disjointed after months of northerly winds and a lack of swell on the southern end of the Gold Coast. However, the current southeast conditions has surfers optimistic for an excellent start to the 2010 ASP men’s and women’s world tour events.
Current world no.3 Bede Durbidge (Currumbin, AUS) wasted no time in getting amongst the waves on offer at Kirra Point this week and looks to be in top form for the opening event. The world-renowned break, will once again offer an excellent back-up venue for the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro's.
“Yeah finally, it’s been a long month,” said Durbidge.
“All of January was flat and didn’t get over 2ft. Now we’ve been blessed with some east swell. It’s a bit mushy but it’s good to get some over head height waves. It’s a bit of a bummer Snapper hasn’t got any banks. But I’ve been surfing Kirra. I never get to surf Kirra, so it’s good to be back surfing it. You never know the Quiksilver Pro might be back at Kirra.”
Gold Coast surfer Luke Munro (Currumbin, AUS) - who has re-qualified for the elite ranks in 2010 - is also hopeful that current conditions will see Snapper regain its former glory.
“I think we need two weeks of solid swell to push all that sand from Duranbah to Snapper,” said Munro.
“You never know we might see Snapper wake up again. It’s perfect timing really. We might see Snapper come back to life.”
Recently crowned ASP world junior champion Maxime Huscenot (REU) managed some practice time at Kirra for the Quiksilver Pro Trials, which will award the third and final wildcard into the main event on February 26th.
Big name surfers have begun to arrive in Queensland with former three times world champion Andy Irons (HAW) already on the Gold Coast.
The depth of the 2010 line-up is unsurpassed with nine-time world champion Kelly Slater (USA), the return of Irons (Haw), rising star Dane Reynolds (USA) and rookies Owen Wright (Aus) and Dusty Payne (Haw) all in the line-up.
Defending event champion Joel Parkinson (Gold Coast, Aus) and reigning two-time world champion Mick Fanning (Tweed Heads, Aus) are both in serious training for the opening event making for an explosive start to the season.
The Quiksilver Pro presented by Land Rover will be staged in conjunction with the Roxy Pro – the opening event on the ASP Women’s World Tour – from February 27th to March 10th at Snapper Rocks on the southern end of the Gold Coast.
Bede Durbidge : photo Surfing Australia |
Credits: www.quiksilverpro.com.au |
