OH what a night it was, it really was! A full house of media, friends and supporters turned up at Sydney’s Freshwater Surf Club last week for the official launch of our film, Men of Wood & Foam, which premieres on Foxtel’s History Channel next Wednesday, 14 December.
Foxtel, Australia’s most profitable television network, have had plenty to celebrate over the years and they know how to throw a party! In fact, we got a hint of what was to come when Wood & Foam posters started to show up on bus shelters around Sydney in the days leading up to the launch. On the day itself, I was a little worried when I turned up at the club for a sound check mid-afternoon to see a very large black cloud directly overhead spitting large drops of rain on the open air stage where the Band of Frequencies were rehearsing their set with Sixties stomp queen Little Pattie, but by start time the storm had disappeared out to sea and left us with one of those gloriously golden summer evenings that Sydney does so well.
There was a real buzz around the Heritage-listed Freshie club that night, with surfing’s history represented not just by the beautiful boards displayed on the walls, but by the presence of surfboard-building royalty, from pioneers Barry Bennett, Denny Keogh and Greg McDonagh to Thruster designer Simon Anderson. Surfing’s film-makers over the decades showed up too, including Jack McCoy, Tim Bonython, Harry Hodge and Bill Leimbach, while Tamam Shud founder Lindsay Bjerre was there to represent surf stomp musicians in support of Little Pattie.
Former top pro surfer and TV personality Mark Warren, who worked with me and Panga’s Shaun Cairns on the filming, was master of ceremonies for the formalities, while longboarder and surf culture buff Matty Chojnacki had his stamp all over it, from the classic woody parked outside to the Keyos and Woodsies lining the walls.
I have to confess that I haven’t done the stomp in quite a few years, so may have been a bit rusty, but how could you not go barefoot and stompy on the moonlit lawn as Little Pattie reprised her 1963 hit records. Yeah, I know – no fool like an old fool – but I don’t regret a minute. Great night all round, and plenty more to come as the Band of Freq’s tour their surf music act through the summer.
Girls light up around the world
While there wasn’t much surf on offer here last weekend, there was plenty going on in other parts of the world, with three World Surf League events running simultaneously. In Hawaii, the final women’s world tour event was winding up in ankle snappers at Maui’s Honolua Bay while at Sunset on Oahu’s North Shore, the Vans World Cup was moving into high gear with top seeds John John Florence and Kelly Slater getting into some thankfully meaty peaks.
The uncharacteristic tiny peelers and long lulls at Honolua couldn’t dim new world champion Tyler Wight’s resolve to end her golden run with another podium finish. The complete power package these days, Tyler found just enough oomph to overcome former world champ Carissa Moore. Although the quality of the surf made the Maui Pro final a bit anti-climactic, it was a fitting finale for Tyler, who I’m sure has more world titles to win in the years ahead.
Speaking of Honolua – but the surfer, not the surf spot – while all this was going on Noosa’s favourite Hawaiian was getting off to a brilliant start at the Jeep World Longboard Championships on Hainan Island in China. It was interesting to compare the styles of Honolua Blomfield and former world champ Australia’s Chelsea Williams in their first round match-up in the long, peeling lefts of Wanning.
Chelsea’s power attack on the forehand just couldn’t really get going through the mushy sections, while Honny’s flowing backhand was poetry in motion. Having watched both of these great longboarders grow into their surfing personas over the years, I’d love to see them duke it out in the final for a world crown, but alas the draw will not allow that.
Honolua, incidentally, was an early sign-up for the women’s pro, the Golden Breed Noserider and the junior women (her last hurrah as a grommet) at the Laguna Real Estate Noosa Festival of Surfing in March, where she will once again lead an all-star Hawaiian women’s team that includes Kirra Seale, Sierra Lerback and the fabulous Schremmer sisters.
