Getting gnarly: Cpl John O’Connor catches a wave during last year’s interservice competition. He’s eagerly anticipating the 2006 event to be held at Bendalong Beach, NSW, in March. Photo by LAC Euan Grant

By Cpl Andrew Hetherington

THE Army surfing team is hoping for some swell results as it prepares to defend its title at the coming tri-service surfing championships at Bendalong Beach on the southern NSW coast from March 27-31.

Army Surf Riders Association team captain Cpl John O’Connor said the Army team hoped to fill the 24 available positions for the competition.

“We have had a large response from people wanting to try out for the eight long and 16 short board competition places,” he said.

“The team is not yet decided, we are still holding trials to pick the best team and we are still getting entries.”

Cpl O’Connor said the trials were being held at Cronulla Beach in Sydney and at Newcastle.

“The team is selected by judging the waves the surfers ride and comments are taken based on how the surfers have ridden their waves,” he said

“The judges then sit down together and decide who is in the team.

“We hope to fill all of the 24 places this year, as with last year’s team we could only manage to find 21 competitors.”

This year Cpl O’Connor said he even hoped to have a female competition.

“We have had three women get in touch with us this year to compete. This is good news because the ladies are willing to give it a go,” he said.

“We hope to have enough women in the competition to at least run a few heats.”

Army is the hosting and organising team for this year’s competition.

“The competition has been organised by myself, Cpl Bradley Prowse from 5CER and WO2 Stuart Brook from DNSDC at Moorebank,” he said.

“We are also working on trying to establish a NSW Army Surfing Association and have surfing recognised as an ADF official sport.

“For that to happen the Inter-service Sporting Council wants the three services to successfully run and organise a surfing event each. After this upcoming event, the council will sit and then decide whether surfing will be recognised as an ADF sport.”

Cpl O’Connor believes that the Army team will do well, but he is trying not to be too over-confident and is looking forward to the competition.

“I believe that success will follow teamwork, individual skill and, of course, courage,” he said.

“As far as looking forward to the competition, well that goes beyond saying doesn’t it – we just hope we get some really good swell.”

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