Festival helps junior surfers lift their game
AUSSIE surf legend and former world champion Barton Lynch is calling on Geelong groms to showcase their sickest shredding skills at the upcoming annual Hurley BL’s Blast Off.
Founded and directed by Australian Sporting Hall of Famer Lynch and supported by Hurley, the unique schoolholiday program will take place from September 26 to 29 at Sydney’s northern beaches.
Crowned the world’s biggest junior surf festival, it welcomes 350 of the keenest young surfers from Geelong and across Australia to a funfilled program of surfing coaching, games, activities and competition.
The first three days will have a coaching focus where no scores are awarded for waves as the surfers’ performances are analysed and in- depth feedback offered, with a traditional competition format saved for the final day.
The junior surfing festival is open to all boys and girls 14 years and under who have some surfing experience.
The keen young surfers will be riding waves at Whale Beach NSW, with backup locations Palm Beach and Avalon Beach available depending on surf conditions.
To further inspire young surfers, the event sees partici- pation from some of surfing’s all-time greats — from exworld champions Layne Beachley, Tom Carroll, Rabbit Bartholomew and Damien Hardman, to former World Masters champ Terry Richardson and Hurley young-gun Cooper Chapman.
Now in its 12th year, the Hurley BL’s Blast Off introduces young surfers to competition surfing in a fun environment, while also providing expert coaching.