FOUR of the South Coast’s most talented surfers will join a world class field ready to tackle the iconic Manly Beach when the inaugural Australian Open of Surfing kicks off this weekend.
For nine days between February 11 and 19 Manly Beach will be a sea of colour and sound as the festival that includes a concert by Aussie group the Living End and a bowl-skateboard competition bursts into life.
Fitzgibbons and former Culburra Beach local Tyler Wright will headline a the women’s competition while local male surfers Dean Bowen and Sam Wrench will join some of the sport’s biggest names in the open division including former world champion Mark Occhilupo, who will make his return to competition, Joel Pakinson, Jordy Smith and Taj Burrow have also been confirmed for the event.
Gerroa’s Sally Fitzgibbons will be itching to get onto the board after a long break from competition.
The two-time ASP Women’s World Tour runner-up (2010–2011) broke through for her maiden world tour event victory last year at the Iconic Bells Beach in Victoria; this was followed by two more victories int New Zealand and Huntington Beach, California.
Fitzgibbons said the new Australian Open event will be a great way to kick off the 2012 year.
“I have not competed for a few months so it will be good to get back into it,” she said.
“The competition will be really strong because all the girls will be using the event as a warm-up to the tour.
“It’s been a few years since we have had an event so close to the start of the world tour and I think it’s a great way to get the competition legs back on and the mind set right.”
Fitzgibbons agreed that it can be a little overwhelming when you turn up to the opening round of the ASP tour without having competed for five or six months.
“The Manly event will be a great way to get the mindset right for the start of the tour the following week,” she said.
All the competitors will be hoping to finally see a change in the weather and allow the fans and competitors to enjoy a great competition.
“I did a lot of junior events on the Northern Beaches but these days I just come home when I arrive back in Sydney so it will be nice to get back and up to Manly and compete,” she said.
Former Culburra Beach surfer and current world number four Tyler Wright may only be 17 years old but she has never let her age be a guide to her ability on a surfboard.
Wright, who now lives at Lennox Head, has been competing against and beating the best on the ASP Women’s tour since wildcard entries saw her claim the Beachley Classic in 2008, at just 14 years of age, and the O’Neill Women’s World Cup in 2010.
The 2011 season was Wright’s first as a fully fledged member of the ASP top 17, and a string of top five results, including runner-up at the Gold Coast Roxy Open, was enough to secure a fourth place in the Women’s World Tour and the rookie of the year title.
With a clear message sent to her opponents for 2012, Wright is looking forward to getting on the board at Manly Beach.
“We have had six months off and while we do a lot of training you can’t replicate competition,” Wright said.
“I know a lot of the top girls are going to be at Manly and after so long away it will be great to catch up with them and blow the cobwebs out.”
Wright said her goal for the competition was to take it one heat at a time and hopefully put in a good strong performance that will give her plenty of time on the board.
“All the girls are ripping at the moment and I’m mainly focusing on putting some good solid heats together,” she said.
Wright said the six month break also gave her a chance to revisit her favourite surf breaks in the Shoalhaven.
“I was back there just before Christmas,” she said.
“I still have plenty of family in the area so spent a bit of time there and managed to squeeze in a bit of surfing.”
Gerroa’s Dean Bowen started surfing at just three years of age and since then has become something of a big wave legend.
The 2006 international King of the Groms title winner loves to chase the big stuff but is happy to be out on a board regardless of the size.
“I just love surfing. I try to surf twice a day every day, no matter what it’s like,” he said.
Bowen’s list of achievements as a junior includes victory in the 2010 Hurley Burleigh Pro Junior and first in the 2009 U18 Quicksilver ISA World Junior Champs in Ecuador.
He will step up to the open category at Manly Beach to take some of the best international board riders.
Ulladulla’s Sam Wrench rounds out the local attack.
The 21-year-old was one of the sensations on the junior pro circuit winning the prestigious Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge in 2009.
Wrench will be looking to kick off 2012 in style when he joins Dean Bowen in the open competition.
Organisers of the family orientated, smoke and alcohol free event said the nine-day sun and sea festivity will be celebration of youth culture with a bowl-skateboard competition and live band complementing the men’s, women’s and junior pro surfing events.
“In addition to the action on the waves skateboarding royalty Bucky Lasek and Bob Burnquist will join the likes of superstar Curren Caples in the Pro Skate Beach Bowl competing for a share of the $50,000 prize pool,” said event organisers.
“The event is expected to welcome more than 100,000 people to Manly, the location of the very first World Surfing Championships in 1964.”
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