WEDDINGS, BUCKS’, EASTER

 

OK, a lot has happened in the last few weeks!

I’ll go back to last week while I was in Sydney for the Jim Beam SurfTag team event. Well, one of our good friends Pete Crump had a heart transplant maybe only about a month ago, anyway Crump had a big dinner to thank everyone for the support and so on, and as you can tell from the picture above, everyone was having a pretty banging time.

After Sydney it was back up to the Gold Coast for Mick and Karrisa’s wedding. I won’t go into too much, but I had the best time. Some might say “All Time”. Here are the pics (above).

I’m back in Bali now and the waves have been super fun, even though I have been hung over for two days from Lee Wilson’s buck’s night … Crazy place for a buck’s night I can tell you!!! Anyway this picture was from Keramas two days ago.

I live in Canggu in Bali and there is this restaurant called Echo Beach and I eat there more then I should but it’s just a really fun place to go; the beer is always cold and the food is great and it’s right on the surf. Have a read of one of the black boards. It’s all about having a good time there.

s you know, Easter has just happened and I can tell you that when Bells started the other day it was the first time in over a year I really missed the tour! I mean I have been having a great time retired and all but when I watch the first round at 6 to 8 foot onshore Bells I really missed it!! (shot was taken first thing in the morning before it started to wall up). I used to love those conditions to compete in and normally did OK too, so what can I say, I wish I was there!!!

On the other hand I got to spend it with the family at a place called Ku De Ta, it was unreal for the kids and the Easter Bunnies were pretty good as well!! Haha.

Until next time,

Take it easy!!!

Snake

JUST DIG IN

Thanks to my mates and all the crew from Yamba who came up to watch and support me.

Well, it felt pretty damn good, chucking a pair of boardies and all my sticks in the car to head up the coast for my first WCT event – ever.

I was singing to myself the whole way from Yamba turnoff to Tweed Heads. The waves were cracking in the week leading up to the contest, and when I did managed to jag one off the other 400 frothers in the line up, they were some of the funnest waves I’ve had this year.

MR Mania: day-glo twin-fin flyers.

It was a bummer the swell dropped off for the comp; this made free-surfing and pre-heat warm ups almost impossible, unless you got out there two hours before sunrise.

Don’t get me wrong though, it was nothing short of amazing, sitting in the line-up at Snapper, going wave for wave with one of my good mates, for my first head-to-head battle on the ‘CT.

I was trying to tell myself the whole time “it’s just the same as any other heat you’ve had, just go out and surf.” But with the crowd, the hype and everything that comes with a WCT event, I found it hard to shake the nerves and focus on my surfing.

My result – a 33rd, but an invaluable learning experience that will only boost me mentally for the next event.

Bottle’s ‘CT qualification party at the Burleigh shed.

Thanks to my whole family / extended “Carrier” family, my mates and all the crew from Yamba who came up to watch and support me. It was so cool to see so many familiar faces when I ran down for my heat at D’bar … I loved it.

My two main sponsors, Oxbow and Odyssey 20/20, have given me their full support and are keen to see me do well in the upcoming events. No pressure, just dig in.

I’ve been down here at Torquay for about a week now, getting some fun waves and adapting to the water. Bells was good today with a few 4-5 footers on the bowl.

I picked up a couple of nice boards off Danny Sherwood from Aloha on the way down and they have been feeling unreal. I’m keen as to get started. Haha, bring on the comp.

Happy Easter for next weekend. Get an organic egg in ya guts. Yeew.

-Dan Ross

BOARD-RIDERS’ CLUBS & GOLF CLUBS

 

After arriving on the Gold Coast early for the ASP Banquet it was pretty full on for the whole two weeks.

©Joli

My role now with Quiksilver is to help out the contest director Rod Brooks in making the call every morning on whether the contest should run or not. So, it’s a long day normally; up super-early, in the dark most mornings, to assess the conditions and decide whether to run the men’s event or the women’s event, or to move the contest somewhere, or to have a lay day … It might not seem too hard but there’s a lot of pressure on you to make the right call at the right time. I also help out with the web commentary at the event which I really enjoy doing.

The Quiksilver Pro this year was sponsored by Corona and this picture pretty much tells the tales of the night to come after Mick finished 2nd to Kelly.

© globalsurftag.com

After Quik Pro, Taj and I took off to Sydney to surf in the Jim Beam Surftag event at North Narrabeen, to surf for our local club in WA, Yallingup Board-riders.

© globalsurftag.com

It was such a great event day and our team made the final but had a complete shocker and finished 4th. Hog and the North Narrabeen boys took it out. We’re frothing on next year.

I also got to have a game of golf with my old mate Tommy Whitz.

We both played really bad but have a look at what the 19th looked like. All time.

It’s Mick Fanning’s wedding this weekend so I will fly back to Qld and then on Monday morning it’s back to Bali!!!

Jake

Chumming For Sharks Mid-Heat

I could see the white of the bone.

This is what I have been doing lately! In my fourth round heat with Jeremy Flores, I mistimed a paddle for a wave, got sucked over the falls onto dry rocks and did this. OUCH!!!

I didn’t know how bad it was until I asked Jeremy. He seemed pretty concerned. He actually said he would go in with me. I think Jeremy was more scared knowing that there were sharks in these waters. I was bleeding all over the bloody place! Not to mention the water patrol was checking out the scene out the back with us trying to figure out why there were so many fish around us. SORRY!!!

As I was looking closer at my ankle I could see the white of the bone. I surfed the rest of the heat just to make sure my ankle was working correctly. I went to the doctor and got eight wide stitches. He really had to dig around in the wound, pulling out a couple of barnacles.

Well, after waiting all this time to start a new year of competitive surfing, I finished with an overall 9th place in the first event! I’m really stoked to be here and have another go on the Dream Tour. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Peace,
Timmy Reyes