By CAROLINE STRAINIG
SURF’S up next weekend – in heaven as well as on earth if such a thing is possible.
Board riders from throughout the Hastings and their families and friends will gather to pay tribute to those who are no longer with us with memorial services and three days of full-on surfing action.
Known as the Bird Rock Memorial Surf Classic, this is the 34th year the event will have been held. It is expected to be particularly poignant because of the tragic death of popular young Christian surfer Zac Young, killed by a shark at Coffs Harbour late last year. The Young family will be among the many families represented at the memorial service, and because of Zac the Christian Surfers group has taken over responsibility for the service.
“It’s a celebration. It’s more like a school reunion than anything else,” organising committee spokesperson Geoff Branch said.
“You see people you haven’t seen for a year, and while there are some pro-level surfers who compete you also see people who get their board out of the garage only once a year, just for this.”
However, Mr Branch, who lost his own surfing son Michael to leukaemia in 2005, said the event does have a more serious side in that it act as a support group.
“Last year we had a young woman who had lost her partner who brought her five-year-old daughter along,” he said.
“The daughter had hardly known her father and the mother had never really addressed the grief of losing her partner. She told me that this was the best thing she had done, being part of this bigger, warm surfing family.”
Events kick off Friday 16 May with a retro surfing and kneeboard competition on Town Beach, followed by the all ages and open divisions heats and finals on the Saturday and Sunday at venues to be decided each morning according to wave conditions.
The main memorial service will be held on the Friday evening from 5pm at Town Beach headland. Sunday afternoon prior to the finals and presentation of prizes there will be a paddle-out and wreath tribute ceremony. A dinner-dance at the Lake Cathie Bowling Club on Saturday night will help keep the mood upbeat and celebratory.
Entries close at 5pm Thursday 15 May – inquiries to Mr Branch on 0488 700 601.
