The International Canoe Federation and the organising committee for the 2019 ICF Junior and U23 canoe sprint world championships in Pitesti, Romania, have unveiled details of a sustainability project they will run during the event. The pilot project will cover areas like recycling, sustainable products, transport and local economy and will help set new guidelines for future event hosts.
"Last year we conducted a sustainability project at a canoe slalom world cup in Augsburg, Germany, and we also joined the IOC and UN Environment's Clean Seas project," ICF sustainability co-ordinator, Catherine Wieser, said. "Now we are focusing on our canoe sprint community. The ICF is committed to making our events all over the world environmentally sustainable, and we are excited to have the team at the 2019 ICF junior and U23 canoe sprint world championships working with us." "Already we have been impressed by their enthusiasm and the initiatives they are hoping to implement. This will set the bar high for future events." Underlining the commitment of the host organising committee, Budeasa Village Mayor Nicolae Mihail Rachieru and local athletes attended a preliminary meeting with the ICF. The meeting agreed on several desired outcomes for the July event. Recycling and waste management will be a high priority as will the use of cutlery and plates instead of plastic. The goal is also to use solar and water-generated electricity at the venue, and to minimise the need for transportation. For the first time, the ICF will conduct an information session focusing on sustainability during the event. "Our goal is to use Pitesti to set guidelines for future ICF events," Ms Wieser said. "We are already blessed to be in a sport where our athletes, officials and supporters are very environmentally aware, and this is our chance to capitalise on that commitment." The 2019 ICF junior and U23 canoe sprint world championships will be held in Pitesti, Romania, from August 1 until August 4. American Jordan Poffenberger won his second canoe freestyle world title, taking gold in the men's open canoe surface final at the 2019 ICF world championships in Sort Spain.
Poffenberger qualified last for the five-man final, but then recorded 173.33 on his first ride to place the rest of the finalists under pressure. No-one was able to better Poffenberger's mark, with Frenchman Jean-Yves Moustrou taking silver with 153.33, and Germany's Philip Josef taking bronze with 126.67. "Really the hope is to lay down a solid ride, so that way with the next couple of runs I can try and better it," Poffenberger said. "Each run I was shooting for a bigger score, but sometimes your first ride is your best one. It was weird because I was having a lot of trouble in my preliminary rounds, but in practice I was feeling very confident. "So I knew with more pressure on me I tend to rip it out, so I think the extra pressure helped me perform a little better. Being first up is definitely nerve-wracking, its definitely a little more stressful but at the same time, it's fun being on the water." Two-time world champion Dane Jackson began his quest to regain the title he lost in 2017 by posting the highest qualifying score in the men's kayak on Wednesday. Jackson was in red hot form, posting two scores above 1500 to end up with a total of 3060 points, well ahead of Great Britain's Gavin Barker on 2198.33 and Frenchman Sebastien Devred on 2165. Spain's Joaquim Fontane, who won gold ahead of Jackson and Devred in Argentina in 2017, qualified in fifth place with 1966.67 points. Jackson, who was the first athlete on the water in the qualifiers, believes a similar score to his qualifying total will be needed in the final to secure a medal. "I think somewhere between the 1400 and 1600 mark will be the upper end rides, so I was super stoked to know I was able to pull off a ride like that this morning," he said. "At the beginning I was a little bit nervous about having to go first, literally being the first person of the whole prelims, because usually its good to watch a few people and get an idea what to do," Jackson said. "But to be able to set the bar high early, it's been a lot of fun watching the rest of the boys." Jackson won the kayak world title in 2013 and 2015 before relinquishing the crown in 2017, and says "I'm definitely pretty fired up to get back up on top, but in the end I'm just enjoying myself," Jackson said. "Two years is a long time to have it in the back of your mind for sure, but I'm feeling good and I think it's just going to be a great battle." The men's kayak surface quarter and semi-finals will be held Saturday, with the final under lights on Saturday night. Some of Australia's best longboard surfers are preparing to do battle in Western Australia this weekend for the 22nd instalment of the annual Whalebone Longboard Classic at Isolators Reef in Cottesloe. The World Surf League Longboard Tour (LT) 1000 event will run from Friday, July 5 – 7. The Whalebone Classic was born in 1998 after local longboarder Peter Dunn, discovered a whale's rib bone immersed in the surf at Isolators and decided to host a longboarding competition in memory of the whale's spirit. Twenty-two years on, the competition has grown to be one of Western Australia's most iconic longboard events and a much-loved tradition within the local community. One of the locals who embodies the spirit of the whalebone Classic is Anthony Spencer who will be looking to claim his first ever WSL event when the competition gets underway at Cottesloe tomorrow. "It's so good to be competing at a WSL event on home soil after travelling around," Spencer said. "I competed at the major event in Noosa earlier this year and made it to Round 3 which wasn't really the result I wanted but I'm hoping with a solid result here I can improve my seed before heading to Spain and New York later this year. The weather is pretty wild at the moment but hopefully, we get some decent conditions over the weekend and have a great event." Reigning event winner and local favourite Georgia Young is always one to watch when the LT comes to her home break. The WA favourite will be looking to clinch her sixth Whalebone Longboard Classic this weekend. "I'm so excited to be going into the Whalebone Classic as the defending champion," Young said. "It really pushes me to try and retain the title and represent WA and Cottesloe on the world longboard scene. This is by far my favourite event of the year and I love having all the hometown support. It's such an iconic event that everyone in the community gets behind. It's looking like a bit of a wild and woolly year of competition but the tents above the contest site are always still full of people supporting the event and making the weekend such a great celebration of longboard surfing." Perth is set for a wild and woolly few days of weather meaning there should be no shortage of waves throughout the three-day window according to Surfing WA's Event Director Justin Majeks. "We're really looking forward to hosting the 22nd instalment of the annual Whalebone Longboard Classic," Majeks said. "We've got some pretty wet and torrid conditions today but we almost need a storm to bring a swell into the Cottesloe coastline so this is a good thing. We're looking to kick off the opening rounds of the event tomorrow and then pick the eyes out of the forecast over the weekend and get the best surfers out there in the best conditions. This is a really iconic Western Australian event and it gives our local longboarding community a great opportunity to earn some points and prize money to further there professional campaign throughout the year." The Whalebone Classic is much more than just a surfing competition, with an impressive social calendar of events and activities for people to get involved with, as well as onsite catering, surf stalls, live music and much, much more. For more information on this or any other WA event be sure to check out www.surfingwa.com.au and follow Surfing WA social media platforms for event updates and information. You can also follow the event via the World Surf League mini site
WHALEBONE LONGBOARD CLASSIC SOCIAL SCHEDULE: Thursday 4th July FREE – Competition Registration Evening 6-8PM downstairs at The Cottesloe Beach Hotel. Friday 5th July FUNCTION - 'Business of Surfing' with guest speaker 1988 World Champion Barton Lynch Doors open @ 5.30PM in the Perth CBD (ticketed event, more info at https://www.surfingaustralia.com/SurfingWesternAustralia/event/whalebone-classic-business-of-surfing-2019) Saturday 6th July FREE – Live Music & Surfboard Giveaway from 7PM @ The Cottesloe Beach Hotel Sunday 7th July FREE - Event Presentations. Doors Open 5pm Upstairs @ the Cottesloe Beach Hotel ABOUT THE WHALEBONE LONGBOARD CLASSIC: The Whalebone Classic was born in 1998 after local longboarder Peter Dunn, discovered a whale's rib bone immersed in the surf at Isolators and decided to host a longboarding competition in memory of the whale's spirit. Twenty-one years later, the competition has grown to become a much-loved tradition in the local community.For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com. WWF-Australia and eyewear retailer VisionDirect announce partnership
A new joint social venture is underway to turn a commercial gill net, a danger to threatened marine creatures, into something useful – sustainable sunglasses. The World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia and eyewear company VisionDirect are teaming up to “upcycle” the plastic net. In 2018, thousands of supporter donations helped WWF-Australia buy and retire the licence for the last commercial gill net operating full-time in the northern Great Barrier Reef. WWF-Australia took this action to protect dugongs and other endangered marine creatures which can be accidentally caught as bycatch and quickly drown. But when the fisher handed over his 600-metre-long net, WWF-Australia was faced with a dilemma: what to do with the net because WWF did not intend to fish with it. WWF-Australia and VisionDirect share the ambition to make a difference in ocean plastics and these discussions led to the concept of “ReefCycle sunglasses”. A target has been set to presell 1,000 pairs. That would signal enough demand to make it viable for WWF-Australia and VisionDirect to continue to turn harmful plastic fishing nets into sunglasses. “What a story behind these sunglasses – plastic once used to kill marine life becomes a product to protect your eyes. They are ideal for people who value saving wildlife, sustainability and creative reuse,” said WWF-Australia CEO Dermot O’Gorman. Mr O’Gorman said eight million tonnes of plastic are dumped in our oceans every year, including nets which drift in the open sea drowning endangered marine life. “If unwanted nets are upcycled, instead of dumped, we can reduce the pollution choking our wildlife,” Mr O’Gorman said. VisionDirect CEO David Menning said upcycling old nets is another way to give back to the community, following on from the company’s program to donate eyeglasses in less fortunate nations. “We’re benefiting the environment by taking discarded materials that damage wildlife and creating something sustainable and worthwhile,” Mr Menning said. “This is unlocking a circular economy in eyewear by minimising waste and making the most of an unwanted resource,” he said. The WWF & Arise Collective ReefCycle sunglasses go on sale on July 4 at (websites). They will cost $89 for regular, $139 for polarized, and a prescription option will be available. The first 1,000 pairs sold are a limited edition – embossed with a marine animal whose future depends on a Net Free North. People purchasing ReefCycle sunglasses will help protect local marine life with 50% of the proceeds going back to WWF for conservation work like advocacy for a #NetFreeNorth. WWF-Australia is urging the Queensland Government to establish a Net Free North by banning gill nets from just north of Cooktown through to the Torres Strait. This would create an 85,000 km2 safe haven for threatened species including dugongs, turtles, dolphins, hammerhead sharks, and sawfish which are regularly killed in gill nets. Italy recorded its best ever world cup result and Australia's Jessica Fox returned to the winner's podium for the first time this season on a dramatic final day of the third ICF canoe slalom in Tacen, Ljubljana.
And there was an incredible bronze medal for 15-year-old American, Evy Leibfarth, competing at just her second world cup. Giovanni De Gennaro won the men's K1 final, adding his gold to those won by teammates Stefanie Horn in the women's K1, and Roberto Colazingari in the men's C1. De Gennaro broke the hearts of a jam-packed Slovenian crowd by edging out local favourite, Peter Kauzer, by just 0.05 seconds. "It was very stressful for me, watching all these guys coming down, but I think I had good luck and I had a good run," De Gennaro said. "It's amazing, Italy has won three gold medals in the past five years, and now we win three in two days. It was hard for me to race after two golds because the expectation was really high. "I feel good, I just hope I can be this consistent in important races as well, like the world championships." Download the performances of the men's K1 medal winners here The Italian finished with a penalty free 83.10, with Kauzer recording 83.15. Czech Jiri Prskavec finished third in 84.97, which included a two-second penalty which cost him the gold medal. After dominating the 2018 season, Australian multiple-world champion Jessica Fox has struggled to find her groove this year. But she made a long overdue return to the top of the podium on Sunday, posting 103.06, including four seconds of penalties, to win the C1 gold. 24 hours earlier Fox had been left devastated after picking up a 50 second penalty which kept her out of the K1 final. "It's been a hard start to the year, and yesterday I was really upset and disappointed with my race in not making the final, so I really wanted to bounce back today and show what I could do," Fox said. "There were a couple of mistakes in that run, but overall I'm super happy and super proud. "I train to do my best, and strive for excellence in every run, and when it doesn't happen it's disappointing. So you do put pressure on yourself, but you have to learn. Everyone is vulnerable." Download the performances of the medal winners in the women's C1 here Austria's Viktoria Wolffhardt was second in 104.22, while teenage Leibfarth picked up the bronze in 110.69. After making both the K1 and the C1 at her debut in Bratislava one week earlier, she followed up with another two finals in Tacen and topped it off with the C1 bronze. The 2019 Vans US Open of Surfing presented by Swatch returns to the southside of the Huntington Beach Pier to host some of the world’s top action sports talent in surfing, skateboarding and BMX competitions from July 27 through August 4, 2019. One of the largest action sports festivals in the world, the nine-day event also features a full calendar of engaging creative activities for the entire family to enjoy, including customization workshops, on-site surfboard shaping, public skate and BMX sessions, movie premieres, vendor exhibitions, giveaways, and art installations. The entire event is free and open to the public. Visit VansUSOpenofSurfing.com for more information. “The Vans US Open of Surfing presented by Swatch represents the very best of Vans' heritage by pushing cultural boundaries in action sports, encouraging collaboration and championing true individual creativity,” said Kristy Van Doren, Vans Senior Director, North America Brand Marketing. “We are thrilled to partner with the Huntington Beach community again this year to showcase and honor the evolution of surf culture and the talented personalities that have made it what it is today, in addition to bringing brand-new skate, BMX, and art platforms that will passionately engage athletes, artists, brands and most importantly, the fans.” The 2019 surfing competitions will see some of the world's best female surfers contest for the first-ever, marquee World Surf League (WSL) women's Qualifying Series (QS) 10,000 alongside the men's QS 10,000 with equal prize money. Both the men and women's Pro Junior events also return to showcase the next generation of competitors looking to claim the esteemed Vans US Open title. And for fans of eclectic surf style and longboarding tradition, the Vans Joel Tudor Duct Tape Invitational series is set to bring back 32 of the best male and female loggers from across the globe for another classic exhibition of surf talent. The women's QS 10,000 will feature 60 of the world's best female surfers including seven-time WSL Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), reigning Vans US Open winner Courtney Conlogue (USA) and former winner Sage Erickson (USA) squaring up against the QS elite that features current No. 1 ranked Isabella Nichols (AUS), reigning World Junior Champion Kirra Pinkerton (USA) and QS No. 4 Alyssa Spencer, a California native from Carlsbad, Calif., among others. In addition, the men will battle for 10,000 points once more in the Huntington Beach arena. Hometown hero and returning victor Kanoa Igarashi will be joined by 111 competitors from around the world who will contest for invaluable qualification points that include current CT competitors such as California's own Kolohe Andino, Conner Coffin and last year's runner-up Griffin Colapinto. These Californians, along with current re-qualification threat Nat Young, will face international talents like Jack Robinson (AUS), Jorgann Couzinet (FRA), 2015 Vans US Open winner Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) and many more for the prestigious title. Joining these world-class athletes will be the next generation of surfers vying for the Pro Junior titles that include back-to-back Hawaii sweeps after Barron Mamiya and Zoe McDougall earned victories in 2018 to maintain the island’s dominance in 2017. However, a determined mainland contingent is set to contest with the likes of Pinkerton, and current North America No. 1’s Caitlin Simmers (USA) and Kade Matson (USA) who are gearing up for a big back-half of the year as they prepare for the international talent coming to their home soil. The Vans Joel Tudor Duct Tape Invitational will spotlight log icons Alex Knost, Andy Nieblas, WSL Women’s World Longboarding Champion Honolua Blomfield, style maven Karina Rozunko, and more. The Duct Tape will also highlight four influential names in action sports to create hand-shaped surfboards for the community. The festival format will include surfing, skating, music & board shaping discussions. Fans and spectators are encouraged to demo the surfboards throughout the week which will be available in the newly created Duct Tape exhibit designed by this year's Duct Tape artist, Chris Johanson. Across the sand, Vans elevates the skateboarding experience at the US Open with a brand-new street skating contest, the Vans Showdown. The point-less street contest spotlights a new, premium street course design, and sets a new bar for skill and style by incorporating custom skate obstacles created by influential skate brands such as Baker, Hockey, Quasi and Toy Machine. Adding to the DIY skate element, Vans will, for the first time ever, host open-to-the-public skate and BMX sessions for the community. In line with skate, BMX fans will also experience the brand-new Vans BMX Rebel Jam event, showcasing creative BMX street style and unique BMX obstacles. With activities and workshops scheduled every day beginning July 27, including the community-driven youth surf competition, the Stoke-O-Rama, the Vans US Open will offer a plethora of live action summer entertainment, including surfboard shaping workshops, art installations, customization workshops, music lessons, movie premieres and much more. Stay tuned for the full schedule of events at VansUSOpenofSurfing.com. Swatch returns to Huntington Beach for a second consecutive year as a presenting sponsor of the Vans US Open of Surfing. Swatch will have a booth where surf enthusiasts and spectators are invited to hang out under beach umbrellas with friends, discover the Swatch Proteam’s favorite watches and check out this year’s local artist collaborations. Inspired by aspects from the competition, Swatch also collaborates with Vans to launch a Special Edition watch available for purchase. Swatch supports Proteam athletes Courtney Conlogue, Coco Ho and Tia Blanco who will all be competing for the US Open titles. Recognized as the largest professional sports competition and action sports festival in the world, the Vans US Open of Surfing presented by Swatch is currently sanctioned and operated by the World Surf League under license from IMG, the event owner. Official partners of this year's event include Vans, Swatch, Jeep, ULTRA, Red Bull, Jose Cuervo, Barefoot Wine, Hydro Flask, Harley-Davidson, Polo Blue, BF Goodrich, CLIF Bar, and Frontier Communications. South-East Queensland fishers are set to reel in a bigger catch with the installation of fish aggregation devices along the Sunshine and Gold Coasts and in Moreton Bay.
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said devices, called FADs, were a floating buoy that gets tethered offshore and attracts fish. “We’re investing $1 million in rolling out a series of FADs that will attract sports fish species including Mahi Mahi (dolphin fish), cobia and mackerel,“ Mr Furner said. “The added benefit of making it more likely that you’ll hook one of these species is that it takes some of the pressure off snapper and pearl perch, which are currently overfished and stocks are very low. “Over the next year we’ll be developing a design and installation plan for the FADs in consultation with stakeholders. A FAD monitoring and maintenance program will also be developed.“ Member for Lytton Joan Pease said enhancing the fishing experience in Moreton Bay was good for fishers and for local jobs. “For many people fishing is an important part of Bayside lifestyle, but it also drives more visitors to our region and that creates jobs,“ Ms Pease said. “This is a great initiative because it will enhance our reputation as a great place ot drop in a line, and that means more jobs in businesses servicing those visitors. “We are investing in jobs today and for the future, and delivering infrastructure for our state.“ Mr Furner said the State Government would also be exploring oppportunties with potential partners who may be interested in matching funding to roll out even more FADs in South East Queensland or more widely. “NSW Fisheries has already demonstrated success with FADS installed along its it east coast, which attract large numbers of dolphin fish,“ Mr Furner said. “We believe that this initiative will help to strengthen world class recreational fishing in Queensland while giving snapper and pearl perch an opportunity to rebuild stocks. “By encouraging recreational fishers to target species other than snapper and pearl perch, we can ensure that our kids and grandkids will be able to enjoy fishing for these iconic Queensland species in future.“ SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW RETURNS TO ICC SYDNEY: 1st – 5th AUGUST 2019 The Sydney International Boat Show returns to the International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney and Cockle Bay in Darling Harbour from the 1st until the 5th of August 2019. The show, being the largest recreational boat show in the southern hemisphere, fills the entire exhibition space and both levels available at the ICC, as well as the show’s purpose-built marina on Cockle Bay. Every year, more than 60,000 people visit the show, renowned for being the largest public exhibition to be staged at ICC Sydney, with more than 800 watercraft housed within the exhibition space, and another 200 on-water vessels berthed at the purpose built marina on Cockle Bay. Darren Vaux, President of the Boating Industry Association Ltd (BIA), said the popularity of the show with exhibitors means available display space is always in high demand, with visitors to the show expecting quality displays and gear to suit all budgets. “The enthusiasm for the show is always remarkable,” Darren Vaux said. “We return to Darling Harbour this year excited to again make use of ICC Sydney’s two-level venue, the outdoor Event Deck, and marina at Cockle Bay. 2019 is shaping-up to be as good as ever for Australia’s premier international boat show with a wide range of new vessels and attractions for the entire family.” The event always showcases the recreational boating lifestyle plus all the gear needed for a great experience on the water. With almost 5 million people enjoying our waterways each year in Australia, this show is again expecting thousands to visit for their annual pilgrimage. There’s plenty of educational and entertaining activities as well. Fishing masterclasses, historic boats, the Australia International Dive Expo included, and on water equipment demonstrations are just a few of the many activities to be seen. The show also welcomes Transport for NSW as the show’s Partner in Safety, hosting the Boating Safety Zone where government regulators and other associations are keen to discuss how they keep our waterways safe, and protect the ecological sustainability of the marine environment. The show will be open each day from 10AM until 7PM. Tickets and more show information available at www.sydneyboatshow.com.au. Check out this short video for a glimpse of the amazing fish life around the recently deployed Merimbula Offshore Artificial Reef! There are heaps of baitfish (yellowtail aka yakkas) plus a few kingies lurking around the Pinnacle Reef Tower. The reef has only been deployed for nine months so it's encouraging to see that it's already producing plenty of activity. It will be really interesting to see what the Merimbula reef produces when the water warms up again next season! The Merimbula Offshore Artificial Reef is a great example of your licence fees at work. For more info on artificial reefs in NSW, see https://bit.ly/2ihk54G First-time medal winners dominated the podium as the world's best canoe slalom paddlers came unstuck on the final day of the ICF world cup in Bratislava, Slovakia, on Sunday.
France's Claire Jacquet broke through to win gold in the women's C1, her first medal since 2012, while Slovakia's Andrej Malek thrilled the home crowd with his first ever medal by winning the men's K1. Olympic gold medalists and world champions were left floundering on the demanding Bratislava whitewater course, with four-time world champion Jessica Fox, reigning men's world champion Hannes Aigner, and world cup winner Vit Prindis of the Czech Republic among those to miss medals. Download the medal runs of the women's C1 here Jacquet was close to tears after her win was confirmed. The race is also part of the Olympic selection trials for the French team, giving the 31-year-old valuable points in the race to Tokyo. "I'm really happy to have done that today, for the selection for the French Olympic team – it's just so amazing and I can't really explain my feelings," Jacquet said. "I have never done that before. Of course it's frustrating, because I have always been in the game, but every time I miss something, a little thing, so I am out. "So today I'm more confident with the course. It's just a good story, it's just incredible." Jacquet posted a time of 112.15, to just squeeze out Andorran teenager Monica Doria Vilarrubla on 112.32. It was Vilarrubla's first ever world cup medal. Brazil's Ana Satila took the bronze in 113.32. Download the men's medal-winning runs here Malek headed a new look podium in the men's K1, the Slovakian posting 88.54 to win his first ever world cup medal. "I'm very happy, but right now I don't feel so good. But I'm sure that after some time I will feel very good," Malek said. "It's nice because I've been training hard every day, so this is a good result. I like this course, we are training here so often, so we know it." Poland's Michal Pasiut also won his first ever world cup medal, his 88.66 enough to secure silver, while France's Boris Neveu, the 2014 world champion, finished third with 90.13. The third ICF canoe slalom world cup begins on Friday in Tacen, Slovenia. RESULTS Women's C1
The 2019 World Surf League (WSL) Freshwater Pro presented by Outerknown will welcome the world's elite Championship Tour (CT) surfers, the fans, and The Raconteurs to the Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California this September. The CT event starts Thursday, September 19 and runs through Saturday, September 21, 2019. The Raconteurs will be the headlining performer following the Finals on Saturday. The Freshwater Pro will host an exciting entertainment experience filled with a world-class surf competition and music. Fans can purchase tickets to the Freshwater Pro to attend on Friday, September 20 and Saturday, September 21. VIP tickets are available for exclusive access on both Friday and Saturday. General Admission tickets are available for $55 to attend on Saturday (free for kids under 10 years old). Tickets for the WSL Freshwater Pro are now on sale at WSLFreshwaterPro.com. The Raconteurs to Headline Freshwater Pro Concert The Raconteurs will headline Saturday's music performance. Jack White, Brendan Benson, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler make up the famed band who burst onto the scene in 2006, winning worldwide acclaim, Grammy® nominations, and a chart-topping smash single in "Steady, As She Goes," with their now-classic debut album, BROKEN BOY SOLDIERS. The Raconteurs will release, HELP US STRANGER, the band's third studio LP and first new edition in over a decade on June 21, 2019. As it's always been, The Raconteurs feature Benson and White as dual frontmen/guitarists/lead singers/songwriters and the rhythm section of Keeler on drums and Lawrence on bass. Freshwater Pro Championship Tour Competition Format The Freshwater Pro is the seventh stop on the women's CT and eighth stop on the men's CT and the event will be made up of three rounds: Round 1, Round 2 and the Final.
Round 1 starts with 36 men and 18 women who surf four waves each and the highest scoring surfers advance on. Round 2 is made up of 24 men and 12 women who have two waves each to improve their scores, and the top eight men and four women will advance to the Final. Each surfer in the Final will ride four waves (except for the top finishers in Round 2 who will receive two extra waves). The male and female surfer with the highest total score at the end of the Final will win the event. Schedule Thursday, September 19: Round 1 (closed to the public) Friday, September 20: Remainder of Round 1 followed by Round 2 (VIP only) Saturday, September 21: Remainder of Round 2 followed by Final and concert The Freshwater Pro will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and Facebook.com/WSL. Also, check local listings for coverage from the WSL's broadcast partners. Ticket Packages General admission tickets are available for Saturday, September 21, for $55 each for adults. VIP passes will grant exclusive access to attend on Friday, September 20, as well as Saturday, September 21. The VIP passes are available for $499. Grom tickets are free to kids under 10 years old. Please note, fans must either purchase a VIP pass or a general admission Saturday pass to access The Raconteurs concert. There are no concert-only tickets available. For current ticket holders (VIP or GA), there is no additional charge to attend the concert. Grab a group and share a private cabana for a memorable experience. Contact ticketing@worldsurfleague.com to coordinate Cabana packages. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: wslfreshwaterpro.com. The World Surf League (WSL) joined members of the ocean community at the Australian installment of a worldwide paddle out on Saturday, June 15, to celebrate International Surfing Day (ISD), founded by the Surfrider Foundation, and raise awareness to #StopTrashingWaves. Kelly Slater, Jack Freestone, Alana Blanchard, Josh Kerr, Bede Durbidge, and Wade Carmichael were just a few of the top CT competitors took part with over 100 Gold Coast and North Coast surfers at the paddle out. About the #StopTrashingWaves Pledge The WSL wants to inspire everyone to take a pledge to #StopTrashingWaves. The WSL is backing up the pledge with a series of sustainability commitments:
Assistant State Development Minister and Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert has officially opened the $140 million Daydream Island resort in the Whitsundays.
“This is a historic milestone for Queensland’s tourism industry,” she said. “We get to celebrate the rebirth of this resort after the devastation of Cyclone Debbie in 2017. “Daydream Island resort had a soft opening in April with occupancy in the first two weeks capped at 75 per cent to put staff through their paces. “Executives have told me it was a great result with strong bookings from tourists keen to experience the revamped offering.” Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones said the reopening marked a new beginning for Daydream Island. “The Great Barrier Reef is our greatest tourism asset. Attracting millions more tourists to our Great Barrier Reef resorts is an important part of our strategy to grow our tourism industry,” she said. “That’s why we’re investing more than $55 million to partner with the private sector to restore these resorts to their former glory.” The Great Barrier Reef contributes $3.9 billion to the state’s economy and supports more than 33,000 jobs. Ms Jones said Daydream Island resort offered 277 rooms and suites, three new restaurants and three new bars supporting 240-250 ongoing jobs for the region. “The reopening of Daydream Island resort is a major milestone for our tourism industry and will create hundreds of jobs for locals,” she said. “We’re committed to working with tourism operators to create jobs in our state.” Ms Jones said one of the island’s attractions was one of the world largest man made living coral reef lagoons – a 1.5 million litre body of water that would be home to more than 100 species of fish and 80 species of coral. The reopening of Daydream Island resort comes only days after the Palaszczuk Government boosted the tourism budget by $20 million. Ms Jones said the government was working hard to support tourism operators through the Great Barrier Reef Island Resorts Rejuvenation Program and the $7 million Tourism Recovery Fund. “By working with the private sector, we’ve been able to leverage about $1 billion of proposed private investment.” Mallory Franklin completed a golden double and teammate Joe Clarke won the men's K1 final on a triumphant day for British canoe slalom in front of an enthusiastic home crowd at Lee Valley on Sunday.
Franklin added the C1 title to her K1 win from 24 hours earlier, while Clarke overcame some mid-race difficulties to win the men's K1 at the opening ICF canoe slalom world cup of the 2019 season. Download the medal runs from the women's C1 final here The wins were also important for both athletes in their pursuit of British Olympic selection for Tokyo 2020. Franklin had to dig deep in her final after teammate Kimberley Woods posted a fault-free 107.45. Franklin also raced without penalties to record a time of 106.82. "It's not my ideal, going off last in the final," Franklin said. "It's hard for me to put to bed all the different results, and you see the kind of run that Kim put down, I've put quite a bit of work into trying to quieten that and focus on my own results. "At the end of the day I paddle because I enjoy it, so that's what I try and focus on." World champion Jessica Fox had a rare defeat, picking up two gate touches to finish third in 113.62. Olympic champion Clarke is one step closer to defending his gold in Tokyo next year with another strong result on Sunday. Download the medal runs from the men's K1 here 26-year-old Clarke was the last paddler on the Lee Valley course, and despite running into slight trouble in the middle of his run, was still quick enough to win gold in 90.35. He has now won two of the British Olympic selection races to give him one foot on the plane to Tokyo. "It's the elephant in the room, the Olympic selection races, but I've got the win, I've also got the world cup win, which is huge, and in front of a home crowd, which is even bigger," Clarke said. "Last time I raced here was the 2015 worlds, and I left here disappointed, so to have a home win puts that behind me. "If I'm honest I've had a bit of a shoulder injury, and I haven't really gotten over it. I had a bit of pain coming into the race, so I've got a few days off, and then I'll head to Tacen and try and get a result there." Czech Jiri Prskavec finished second in 91.21, with Germany's reigning world champion, Hannes Aigner, third in 92.04. RESULTS WOMEN'S C1
Abu Dhabi has been announced as the host for the 2019 IWWF World Wakeboard Championships, which will take place from November 19 to 23, 2019.
The sport’s governing body, the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation approved Abu Dhabi’s bid to host the competition, which sees riders compete across a range of men’s and women’s categories. The championships will be held at the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, with a $50,000 prize for the men’s and women’s open category champions. The IWWF president, Jose Antonio Perez Priego, said: “We are very excited to be running our first IWWF World titled event in Abu Dhabi and believe ADIMSC will organise one of the very best events we have experienced. “We look forward to a long-term partnership with ADIMSC to develop towed water sports not only in Abu Dhabi but also in the entire UAE.” ADIMSC plans to open a wakeboard academy in September, just ahead of the World Wakeboard Championships, and are working with the IWWF to develop this. Salem Al Remeithi, ADIMSC’s general manager, explained: “People at all levels of ability will be able to learn new skills, improve their existing skills and further develop their knowledge and understanding of the sport.” ADIMSC already runs powerboat, jet skiing and fly board academies, and has been one of the Middle East’s leading marine sports venue since it opened in 1993. The World Wakeboard Championships includes categories for 14 and under, 18 and under, 30 and over, 40 and over and open category in both the men’s and women’s events, as well as a team overall title. The 2018 event was held in Buenos Aires in Argentina, with Australia dominating. Rebecca Gange won the women’s open category and Cory Teunissen was victorious in the men’s open, while Australia also picked up the team title. Five of the medalists from the London 2012 Olympic Games will return to Lee Valley this weekend for the opening ICF canoe slalom world cup of the 2019 season.
Adding to the glamour, all three gold medalists from the Rio 2016 Olympics will also be in action as the journey towards Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualification picks up speed. In 2012 German Sideris Tasiadis and Slovakia's Michal Martikan picked up silver and bronze respectively in the men's C1, while another German, Hannes Aigner, won bronze in the men's K1 on the Lee Valley course. In the women's K1, a teenage Jessica Fox won silver for Australia while Spain's Maialen Chourraut took bronze. Four years later the Spaniard won gold in Rio, while Fox picked up the bronze. Joe Clarke will lead the charge for the home team in Lee Valley this weekend. He won K1 gold for Great Britain in Rio, and has maintained his strong form in the subsequent two years. David Florence, a silver medalist in the men's C2 at the London Olympics, will lead a strong British trio in the men's C1. In 2015 Florence won the C1 world title when the championships were held at Lee Valley, an event that also doubled as an Olympic qualifier. Mallory Franklin will be hoping for a golden double for Great Britain when she steps out in the women's K1 and C1 events. Franklin is one of several female athletes who will compete in both, with C1 set to make its Olympic debut next year. Australia's Fox will be the athlete to catch in the C1, after she went through 2018 undefeated in the discipline and finished with a stunning world championship title in Rio. Frenchman Denis Gargaud Chanut won C1 gold in Rio, contemplated retirement, but is back and ready to launch an assault he hopes will provide him with the chance to defend his gold medal in Tokyo. Only one Olympic medalist from Rio, Japan's Takuya Haneda in the men's C1, will be absent this weekend, giving the competition an almost world championship-strength line-up. Zhestkov Oleg, a Russian canoe sprint athlete who competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics , has returned a positive drug test to the banned substance EPO and will be banned from all competition for a period of four years.
Oleg, who was part of the Russian K4 1000 crew that finished fourth at the Rio Olympics, returned the positive after an out-of-competition test carried out by the Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA) at the end of March this year. Oleg won gold as a member of a Russian K4 1000 crew at an ICF canoe sprint world cup in Duisburg in 2013. He last competed at last year's ICF canoe sprint world championships in Montemor, where the Russian men's K4 crew finished fourth. What started out as a relaxing fishing trip in a kayak on Ross Barnett Reservoir ended with a fisherman fearing for his life. "I was fishing above Highway 43 along Pipeline Road there," Jake Rickman of Brandon said. "I'd gone up there a mile or so and saw two alligators." To Rickman, alligators are just a part of the experience and he doesn't worry about them. Even when one slowly approached him, Rickman wasn't concerned. He just paddled a short distance and continued fishing. "I see them every time I go," Rickman said. "There's alligators everywhere up there. "If you don't mess with them, they won't mess with you has been pretty much my mindset with them. I've never had one act aggressive at all until last week." Rickman had already seen two alligators in the area, but then something behind him caught his eye. It was a third, larger alligator coming straight to him and it was only 30 feet away. A potentially serious situation"I guess I got lucky," Rickman said. "I turned around and he was pretty much right there. "He was swimming as fast as he could. He was definitely coming in aggressively." Rickman began paddling his 12-foot kayak and tried to outrun the 9-foot alligator, but the gator began swimming faster. "I was not getting away from him by paddling at all," Rickman said. With the gator only a couple of feet away, Rickman knew he was in a potentially serious situation. "I'm freaking out," Rickman said. "He was on the heel of my kayak. "It was scary. I've never had anything act aggressive toward me. I'm not going out by an alligator was all I was thinking. The only thing I knew to do was grab my paddle and hit him on the head." Rickman whacked the gator on the top of its head. That was enough to make it stop and Rickman was able to get away from the animal. "I think it scared him more than anything," Rickman said. "I think it shocked him." Rickman said he still has not figured out why the alligator behaved like it did. "I've never had that happen so it puzzles me why that happened," Rickman said. Breeding display of dominanceAccording to Ricky Flynt, Alligator Program coordinator for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, it was most likely related to breeding activity which is taking place now. "When we're in the peak of the breeding season, males are territorial," Flynt said. "I've had large male alligators display and come up to my aluminum boat. "They will come up and show their back, raise their head out of the water and raise their tail out of the water. They try to make themselves look as big as possible." Flynt explained the posturing is used to show dominance to other male alligators as well as attract female alligators, but will sometimes exhibit the behavior toward boats. "If I've seen that in a 16-foot aluminum boat, I can see that happening to someone in a kayak," Flynt said. There is also another possible reason the gator behaved as he did. "We're not talking about extremely intelligent critters," Flynt said. "They might mistake a kayak for an alligator." Flynt said alligators will also approach humans if they've been conditioned by feeding, but given the location of Rickman's encounter, he doesn't think that is the case. What if I'm approached by an alligator?If approached by an alligator, Flynt said there are three courses of action. • Make motions: Wave your hands and arms. • Make noises: Yell at the alligator loudly. • Separate distance: In other words, get out of there quickly. "People should always avoid close proximity to alligators," Flynt said. "That's the simplest defensive tactic you can use — keep your distance." Australia's canoe sprint paddlers have wrapped up their world cup season with two gold and one silver medal in Duisburg, Germany.
Australia's paddlers have wrapped up the canoe sprint world cup season with two gold and a silver in Duisburg, Germany. Alyce Burnett and Alyssa Bull finished one-two in the K1 5000 on Sunday, 24 hours after Bull came away with gold in the K1 1000. The podium double made it two weekends in a row for the Rio 2016 K2 Olympians who claimed gold and silver in the K1 1000 at last week's World Cup meet in Poznan, Poland but in reverse order. Burnett took an early lead in Sunday's gruelling longer event and never gave it up. "That was the plan for AB to take it out for the first 500 and then continue for the rest of it but it all came down to a 200 metres sprint finish," Bull said. "There were a few of us there and AB got the line but I'm happy to take the second, absolutely stoked. One, two, I couldn't be happier. "Any world cup medal is a good medal, especially when racing against the best paddlers in the world." The Australians were also able to land seven boats in team finals at the renowned Wedau course over the weekend, making the most of an opportunity to trial different crew combinations in preparation for the World Championships in Szeged, Hungary at the end of August. Burnett and Bull combined with South Australia's Cat McArthur and WA's Jaime Roberts to finish sixth in the final of the K4 500, while Queensland's Brianna Massie and London Olympian Jo Brigden-Jones crossed sixth in the K2 200 after also winning the K2 500 B-final. Norway and Hungary won both gold and silver in K1, respectively men and women when the ICF canoe marathon world cup kicked off with the new world championship short track category on Saturday.
The young giant Zsofia Vellais-Zörös won the K1 women, with her team-mate Wanda Kizli second. The race was quite dramatic -Wanda fall in the final portage just 1000 metres before the finish, lost 50 metres, but managed to pass the bronze-medalist, Jenna Ward of South Africa, just before the finish line. The men's category became an exciting fight between the two Norwegian brothers, Eivind and Amund Vold, the Dane, Mads Brand-Petersen, and Adrian Boros of Hungary. The four of them raced together all the way over the three lap course of 3.400 metres, which included two exciting portages. Showing great skills over the portages, the race was not given until the last metres with the two Norwegians once again together over the finish line, similar to last weekend in the sprint 5000m world cup race in Poznan. C1 was as well a tight race, seeing Jakub Brzina of the Czech Republic as the winner. The full marathon distances follows on Sunday on the excellent waters of Sandvika, Norway. #ICFCANOEMARATHON #CANOEMARATHON Colorado triathlon combines trail running, fly fishing, and craft beer.
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You can find out more information by clicking the image below. Well, winter is here, and for most of us here in Australia, it means that temperatures might drop below 20 degrees during the day, and even colder overnight. I’m from Queensland, and although it doesn’t get that cold here, I still find myself needing stuff to keep me warm when the water temps drop below 22 degrees. Climatisation is a weird thing. For anyone who regularly paddles in the southern states where the normal summer water temperatures are far colder than our balmy winter waters, people tend to get used to normal situations and deal. I have a low tolerance for cold water. I get surfers ear, and headaches when the wind and water combination is too cold. So, I use great products to adapt, to allow me to paddle all year round. Your paddling season doesn’t need to end when winter hits. There are ways around the cold, and we have a welcome to winter article that will help you to adapt. In Australia, there are not many areas where snow is a common thing, and for this, we are kind of lucky if paddling is your go-to sport. Here are some tips that can save a few dramas when paddling this winter. Stay Close To Shore Colder air means colder water. Even in Australia, hypothermia is something that is a true hazard for those on the water. Staying close to the shore means that you have far less chance of being exposed to long periods in icy cold water. The distance you can swim in warm water is always going to be longer than in cold water. Stay close enough to shore to ensure you don’t get caught out. Use A Leash You may not think you need a leash on flat water, but even the most experienced paddlers will stick by this one rule, especially in winter. Your board, boat, yak, or ski is a flotation device that you need to stay as close as possible to. Even flat water has currents that can quickly turn a quick dip into a dangerously long swim in cold water trying to reach the shore or your watercraft. Wear Winter Clothing If you’re going to hit the water in the winter months, you need proper winter watersports gear. I prefer only to hit the flat calmer waters in winter, which lowers the risks of falling in. Wear similar clothing when out on the water as you would if you were running. A moisture-wicking base layer, with added layers for wind protection and warmth, are very important. Make sure your feet and hands are covered properly. Compression tights are a great choice for your legs, and gloves with a little bit of grip will make a world of difference for your hands. Wear a hat, not just for sun protection, but to prevent heat loss through your head. Wetsuit Or Drysuit
Depending on the activities and conditions you intend on paddling in, you could do well by wearing a wetsuit. If you believe you will be in the water more than once, wear protection against the cold. Drysuits are probably a better option but can be quite expensive, so a wetsuit is often a better option for that reason. Know Your Weather Forecast Always, whether in summer or winter, you should check the weather forecast. If your location of the paddle is expecting some heavy weather, maybe reconsider or take precautions. When in doubt, don’t go out. If you are heading out on the water in a lake or dam on an overnighter, be prepared. GPS locators, heat sources, food, water, and correct clothing are essential for your survival. Be Back Onshore Before Dark Unless you are completely prepared for an overnighter on the water, try and get back to shore or to your camp by sundown. The temperatures cool off very quickly after sunset in winter, so plan your trip back to shore before the sun hits the horizon. Don’t Paddle Alone Its always a great idea to paddle with someone else, in case one of you gets in trouble. In winter this is even more important and can save a life. if you are going to paddle alone, tell someone exactly where you are going. Pack A Warm Up Kit Bring an extra set of clothes for once you get back to shore after your paddle. It’s the best way to enjoy your trip home and will help to make sure you don’t get sick afterward. Pack a thermos with something warm to drink when you arrive back to your vehicle, and pack some warm clothes to change into. Enjoy Paddling All Year Round Just because the water and air are cold doesn’t mean you can’t get out with your watercraft. I must say I have it pretty good when it comes to location, with decent water temperatures all year. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your time on the water where you live. Use common sense, be safe and be prepared, and enjoy as much winter paddling as possible. Do you have a cold weather tip we should know? Comment below! Two brothers have been seriously injured after being speared by a marlin that crashed onto their inflatable boat north of the NSW Central Coast.
The men, aged 46 and 48, were out on the ocean as part of a fishing trip with another 46-year-old man in a five-metre-long rigid hull-inflatable boat in the Solitary Islands Marine Park off Wooli late last week when the incident occurred. The trio told NSW Police the marlin, which they estimated to have weighed between 80 and 100 kilograms, crashed onto the small vessel while they were travelling back to shore at a speed of about 21 knots. The animal’s sharp snout sliced open the 46-year-old man’s lower right arm and caused a fracture, and also caused a deep cut to his brother’s right shoulder. The third man in the vessel was not injured, while the fish then scrambled off the boat and back into the water. The Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was dispatched with a critical care medical team and NSW Ambulance paramedics to treat the men and airlift the 46-year-old man to Coffs Harbour Base Hospital. The 48-year-old man was taken by road to the same hospital. Both men’s injuries are not considered life-threatening.Local fisherman Stanley Young said the pair are lucky to have survived the ordeal. "Both of them are very lucky. If that Marlin spike had have been a bit lower or further over the first man would be dead and the second man more than likely would be too," he said. "Very, very crazy." A 44-year-old man went on a fishing trip with his friends from Hillarys Boat Harbour this morning, and unfortunately never made it home alive.
A man has tragically died and his friend has been taken to hospital after they lost control of their boat north of Perth on Sunday during a fishing trip. Police say the vessel capsized about 7.30am on Sunday, sparking a boating emergency. Sergeant Paul Crawshaw from the Water Police said the tragedy unfolded when the men were ejected from the boat after they lost control. Sgt Crawshaw said one of the men was struck by the propeller of the boat and died from his injuries. "The man driving the boat has been ejected from one side of the boat, his friend on board has tried to help him but as a result has also been thrown out of the vessel," he said. "The vessel continued in gear and sadly the propeller is believed to have struck one of the men in the head. "Its nothing more than a tragic accident." The surviving man was able to swim to shore and was taken to Joondalup Hospital for treatment for shock and hypothermia. The dinghy was recovered from water near the entrance of the boat harbour. A report will be prepared for the Coroner. Police say the men were good mates but were not related. Sgt Crawshaw said water conditions were good at the time but he said he understood the men were not wearing life jackets. "The wearing of life jackets can never be a bad thing ... even when the conditions seem calm and innocuous," he said. "The fact is on the water... sometimes things can take you by surprise and something occurs that can result in a loss of control. "If people aren't wearing life jackets or ready for whatever it is that happens, it can result in tragic outcomes." |