MISSED THE WAVE

GOLD Coast surfing’s annual moment in the sun arrives as the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro events start next week.

The 11 days of World Surf League competition alone are worth an estimated $20 million to the local economy, but overall surfing is estimated to be worth $3.3 billion a year to the Gold Coast. In a city built on sun, surf and sand, it is not just board riders who embrace the waves.

People coming here to live or holiday are driven by a need to be at the beach.

So why has it been left to Tokyo to lift surfing from international event status to the ultimate level of elite competition – in this instance, the 2020 Olympics?

If any city on the planet should have given surfing that sort of recognition, it is the Gold Coast. The opportunity has been squandered, with surfing overlooked as a Commonwealth Games sport or as a demonstration event. Perhaps there will be references to surfing at the opening ceremony, but that will be a poor substitute in a city that has produced so many surfing champions.