Nominations for the Noosa World Surfing Reserve’s inaugural community awards are flooding the stewardship council’s inbox ahead of the closing date of Monday 15 November.
Mums, dads, coaches, mentors, maybe even mates, get your nominations in before it’s too late.
The motto Share. Respect. Preserve. encapsulates the goal of NWSR to preserve our local surf zones and their surrounding environments, and by recognising and protecting the key environmental, cultural, economic and community attributes, to ensure they are around for future generations. There are numerous people who contribute to these goals within the local community, and the NWSR stewardship council would like to publicly acknowledge these wonderful contributions.
Here are a few of the nominations received so far, starting with the Community Surfer of the Year awards, which will be offered in male and female, junior and senior categories, based on a person whose performances in the water have been matched by contributions of all kinds to the benefit of the wider local community and /or NWSR.
Hawaiian-born Mason Schremmer, 21, Sunrise Beach, nominated for Senior Women’s:
“I compete in contests around Australia and the rest of the world (not the world at the moment though, thanks to Covid) and I have had good results in the last year at the Noosa Festival and Noosa Logger. I hope to carry those results onto the world stage via the WSL Longboard Tour once it is safe to travel again, representing the Noosa Malibu Club and the Noosa World Surfing Reserve.
“I also really enjoy being a part of the Surfrider Foundation on the Sunshine Coast and I hope to continue volunteering for this organisation into the future. Being part of Surfrider is awesome; it brings a greater community awareness to protecting our oceans, beaches and land and I believe that is immensely important everywhere, but especially in a special place like Noosa. Preserving our oceans and beaches should be something greatly valued by all. The Surfrider Foundation and the NWSR are two things that can go hand in hand in protecting and preserving Noosa for future generations. I’m also studying to be a nurse, so hopefully one day that will be a skill I can use to help the community.”
Jack Lewis, 37, Tewantin. Serious waterman, teacher of water skills to our First Nations, nominated for Senior Men’s:
“Thanks to the Noosa World Surfing Reserve for the nomination and the coming together of the tribes.
“Cherbourg to Noosa program: over the last decade Noosa has started to reconcile with its Indigenous history and the involvement with the kids in Cherbourg is an extension of my love for this saltwater country and sharing the skills of surf safety/riding waves. I love being involved with Noosa SLSC and their community engagement program that provides surf safety skills to every school in the shire, and also Cherbourg State School. We are now into the fourth year of the program with a trip to Murgon pool on 22 November and at Noosa SLSC on 1 December. This is an important activity for these kids and their families to feel welcome to this special place we choose to spend our time in and around this saltwater country.
“Noosa SLSC Nippers and Surfing Program – I’m the under eight age manager of one of the largest nipper groups in the country (600 nippers with about 100 in each age group). We all volunteer our time to pass on our ocean skills as well as carrying on the culture and environmental stewardship.
“Although I do like the inside paddle at Tea Tree, I also like to share the fun of the points with all in the water. I love running around to Granite or A-Bay and surfing back to First Point, catching up with the various people at the different breaks and having good, insightful conversations. The energy in the water is always positive and this is what also make Noosa’s World Surfing Reserve such a great place (good people and outstanding environment).
“My involvement in these organisations is an obligation and privilege. These are parts of our culture that are constantly evolving, but also respect its past and many elders with their years of wisdom.”
And the first nomination for the NWSR Respect award in memory of Bill Wallace, is for veteran surf events’ volunteer Alan Thomas, a competitive surfer in his own right and a great club man, Al has given up opportunities to compete over decades to instead help get the event run.
A stalwart of the beach marshalling tent at the Noosa Festival of Surfing over many years, and at a host of other events, Al has been a true servant of the sport and lifestyle he has always loved.
Fuyu for you?
Part of the fun of the awards night and summer party at the Noosa Surf Museum will be a surf auction, with the first item to be announced, courtesy of Paul Winter’s classic Fuyu label, a six-two Glass Bomb model, inspired by the boards of the 1970s Morning of the Earth era. Says Paul: “Works for a variety of waves, multiple options for fin set up. Before the quiver became a thing, boards had to be made to be surfed in a large range of conditions. That’s where this guy is coming from. Glassed in traditional resin tint with cut laps.”
More auction items next week.
