JANUARY
The year began with oceans around the world lighting up simultaneously, as if to say, La Nina, you’re losing your grip!
In Europe the swell didn’t let up for a week on the French Atlantic coast, while further south the first big swell of the year claimed the life of 47-year-old Brazilian big wave veteran Marcio Freire, who died at Nazaré, Portugal on 5 January after having suffered a heart attack following a drilling from a rogue set. This was the first recorded death at the big wave epicentre.
The next day, 6 January, it was California’s turn to cop a flogging as a classic “bombing low” delivered the coast’s biggest swell in several decades. As the Wild West Swell began to fade, another bombing low popped up north-west of the Hawaiian chain, prompting organisers to call the Eddie Aikau Memorial Big Wave Invitational on at Waimea Bay, won by North Shore lifeguard Luke Shepardson from John John Florence.
FEBRUARY
While surfers around the world were glued to the best Eddie Akau Invitational ever, one of the pioneer surfer/shapers who put the Bay on the map was quietly breathing his last. The enigmatic, taciturn and legendary Pat Curren, big wave pioneer of the 1950s, shaper of the best balsa guns ever made but best known as father of three-times world champion Tom Curren, passed away aged 90.
Matthew Cassidy, 49, apparently a very good surfer who once dabbled with the pro tour, nearly bled out on the sand at Watego’s Beach in Byron Bay last week after his arm was almost severed by a loose longboard, making it time to address the elephant in the lineup again.
Meanwhile, rookie Molly Picklum from the NSW Central Coast, was sharing the yellow jersey with multiple world champ Carissa Moore after pulling off a major upset to win her first WCT. In the men’s rankings, Pipe Pro winner Jack Robinson sat on top of the pile above defending champ Felipe Toledo, who won the Hurley Pro Sunset.
MARCH
Pretty ordinary surf conditions but blue skies and a major international contingent for the first time since Covid for the Noosa Festival of Surfing, including old Malibu mate Takuji Masuda and son Ryjii. Noosa surf community’s adopted Hawaiian daughter Mason Schremmer took out the WSL Women’s, Sydney’s Max Weston the men’s, and 2022 world longboard champ Harrison Roach the Golden Breed Noserider.
During the festival I had the pleasure of meeting Hunter Williams, who stood up in the audience at a book launch and thanked the authors for creating such a lovely testament to the spirit of surfing. Hunter said he hoped it would inspire everyone to look after their beach. Not bad for a nine-year-old! And, I’ve since found out, the kid can surf!
APRIL
Ethan Ewing and Tyler Wright make it an Aussie, Aussie, oy, oy Bells Beach WSL pro, while closer to home Noosa’s Coco Cairns lays some more groundwork for a stellar year with a win at the Ma and Pa Bendall.
MAY
Local surfers made a killing at the Queensland titles, held for the most part in cracking conditions at The Bluff at Alex Headland. Two pairs of siblings made it a family affair, with Ben Lorentson taking out the open men’s shortboard for the second year in a row, while sister Gia won the open women’s. Also keeping it in the family, Landen Smales continued his amazing run with victories in the junior men’s longboard and logger, plus the open men’s longboard. Lando also claimed seconds in the open men’s logger and open men’s shortboard, while older brother Kaiden scored a second in the open men’s longboard and third in the open logger. Continuing on her winning way this year, Noosa’s queen of longboarding, Kirra Molnar, took out the open women’s longboard and logger divisions.
JUNE
Noosa’s amazing Smales brothers dominated again at Bells Beach (Djarrak) for the Australian Indigenous Titles. This year at Bells Lando chose to surf in three divisions in order to maximise his time in the water with only three other surfers at this iconic break, and won all three – Open Mens Longboard, Open Mens Shortboard and Under 18 Junior Boys Shortboard. Older bro Kaiden also pushed himself in conditions he’d never surfed before, making it through to the quarters in the Open Mens Shortboard and placing second in the Open Mens Longboard.
The Year In Surfing concludes next week.
