DANGER ON OUR WAVES
STAR CAT TO THE RESCUE AS SURF RAGE PROBLEM GROWS
SURFING authorities have expressed concern “surf rage” is on the rise as surfers cram into popular breaks coming into peak season for ideal wave and weather conditions.
Surfing Victoria CEO Adam Robertson said the sport’s increasing popularity and the growing population on the Surf Coast was causing heated incidents to become more common at the best breaks, calling on surfers to remember “there’s always going to be another wave”.
It comes in the wake of police investigating an alleged surf rage-related assault at Fairhaven Beach on February 2.
A 29-year-old victim from Aireys Inlet, understood to be the cousin of Cats star Patrick Dangerfield, sustained minor facial injuries during the incident.
It’s understood Dangerfield’s cousin was “king-hit” and had his board trashed, with the assault witnessed by several other surfers.
The Brownlow Medallist was out on his board at the time near Moggs Creek but didn’t see the random attack.
It is believed his cousin may have suffered two black eyes during the scuffle. After being made aware of the incident, Dangerfield and several others confronted the man on the beach.
The investigation is ongoing.
Mr Robertson said it was “not great to hear” and he worried there would be more to come as surfers looked ahead to a traditionally favourable few months for chasing the perfect wave.
The former professional surfed Jan Juc last weekend and said surrounding reefs were “radically crowded”, in a potential sign of the busy time ahead on the Surf Coast.
“I think it’s becoming more of an issue everywhere, not just specific to the Surf Coast,” he said.
“Surfing is becoming more and more popular and coastal towns are becoming more and more populated as well, which adds pressure to surf breaks in surrounding areas and I think that is contributing to incidents.”
Mr Robertson urged surfers to put their heat-of-themoment qualms into perspective and consider the enjoyment factor that got them into the sport to avoid a “potentially dangerous situation”.
Gordon Stammers, who contributed to former world champion Nat Young’s book entitled Surf Rage, said the more popular breaks “reached capacity almost every day” and was told of about 60 surfers congregating at Winkipop on Monday.
Some surfers have reported actively avoiding some of the traditionally busy point breaks in favour of beach breaks to get some space and their fill of waves.
One surfer, who did not wish to be identified, said people “just need to relax”.
“People get worked up for all reasons in this world, and sometimes getting in the way in the water can do that,” he said.
Luke Lalor, who surfs daily, said he heard anecdotes from a bygone era of people letting air out of tyres or waxing windscreens in retaliation for on-water acts, but said believed such practices had “died off” and to hear of an assault was “quite rare”.
Mr Lalor said verbal stoushes were not uncommon on the more popular breaks.
He said some surfers took umbrage to the actions of newcomers seemingly unaware of surfing etiquette.