SUPER heroes, kings, pirates, punks, presidents (ex) and bogans seem an unlikely mix, but seemed ideal for Saturday’s surf contest at the somewhat appropriately named Atlas break at The Pines, Shoreham.
The 12-team event was being held to raise money for the Disabled Surfers Association Mornington Peninsula branch with the help of Maladiction Longboarders Club.
Four-member teams dressed for the occasion (pirates were pirates, presidents wore suits, the punks were in plastic and so on) and the starter’s horn was blown while the reef at the Pines Beach was still exposed.
Despite a lack of waves the early heats showed some innovative surfing with the main trick being for surfers to lie on their backs kicking their legs and waving their arms in the historic cockroach position.
Later, a multi-national team involved a Scotsman taking a swig of something from a bottle while surfing, the Aboriginal flag being flown by a surfer astride two boards and a hand-standing Italian chef.
After all, it was April Fool’s Day and contestants were in no doubt that something was up when the judges started to laugh and the winners were picked from a hat, despite creditable style being shown as the waves improved with the afternoon’s rising tide.
Competitors rode the long “soft” boards used at DSA surf events and, just to liven up their styles, there was no wax to help them stop sliding off.
The hat trick was won by the Pirates, whose members made off with $2000 worth of air travel vouchers.
More April Fool’s Day Foolish Surf Comp pictures at www.facebook.com/letsgosurfing
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”31″ gal_title=”April Fools Surf Comp”]
First published in the Western Port News – 4 April 2017
