While the World Surf League’s Australian tour leg was stumbling last week, with Covid issues causing the cancellation of the iconic Rip Curl Bells Beach Pro and the Corona Pro Gold Coast, the Noosa Festival of Surfing, the world’s biggest and best longboard event, now in its 30thyear, seemed to be proceeding on a wave of goodwill, with major new sponsorships announced and a tsunami of domestic competitors almost filling all of the divisions.
Announcing the new sponsorships, festival marketing and sponsorships manager Josh Allen said: “Organiser World Surfaris is very proud to be putting the festival together for the third consecutive year in this, the 30thrunning of the festival. With a limited international presence this year, we are working on innovative ways to make the event as inclusive and progressive as possible with a physical and digital presence that the surfing community will benefit from.”Josh welcomed Heads of Noosa Brewing Co, coming on board as the presenting partner, local hospitality and events company, the Solbar Group which will host and manage the world famous beach bar, and major sponsors GemLife and Noosa World Surfing Reserve, who will support the senior age divisions that make up more than 50 percent of the total field of competitors.Heads of Noosa co-founder Craig Masterton commented: “It’s going to be a lot of fun and we can’t wait to see some Heads of Noosa lagers being poured down there on Main Beach. We’re incredibly humbled to have the opportunity to be there and work with other local businesses.”
Director and CEO of GemLife Over-50s Lifestyle Resorts Adrian Puljich said he was excited to get behind the 30th Noosa Festival of Surfing: “GemLife is incredibly proud to sponsor this fantastic event in beautiful Noosa. Together with Noosa World Surfing Reserve as subsidiary sponsor, we cannot wait to lend our support for what will be one of Australia’s best surf events,” he said.
“GemLife has a number of lifestyle resorts on the Sunshine Coast and many of our residents are interested in surfing. It’s a privilege to be part of a festival that not only provides surf competition for all ages, but celebrates environmental awareness and surf culture, as well as providing a true community event.”
GemLife, which entered into a three-year funding partnership with the Noosa World Surfing Reserve last year, will sponsor the GemLife Seniors, presented by Noosa World Surfing Reserve, with almost 200 mature age men and women surfers competing over nine divisions. GemLife will also sponsor the twin fin retro invitational, with some of Australia’s legends of surfing competing.
Environmental group Seatrees will implement sustainability practices in line with Plastic Free Noosa to ensure the festival minimises its impact on the environment, and the event will partner with surf charity, SurfAid which provides much-needed health services support for villages in Third World surf locations.The 30th Noosa Festival of Surfing will run from Saturday, May 15 to Sunday, May 23, at First Point, Noosa and other breaks within the Noosa World Surfing Reserve.
