Spin out
ADF surfers hit the waves for NSW tri-Service comp

By Andrew Stackpool
Volume 48, No. 6, April 20, 2006

Captain of the Air Force surfing team, CPL Justin Davey, impresses the crowds on the beach with his powerful and agile style of riding at the tri-Service surfing championships.

Photo by LS Kelvin Hockey

AIR Force surfers, undermanned and underdogs, brought the spectators to their feet at last month’s 2006 tri-Service surfing championships in NSW.

During his run in the longboard finals, SQNLDR Matt Hetherington performed a head-stand that had the spectators cheering.

Another stand-out was CPL Scott MacCallum, who was the second place-getter in the shortboard finals in 2005.

After being eliminated in the early shortboard heats, CPL MacCallum competed in the longboard team’s event and pulled off a brilliant 360-degree spin on a borrowed eight-foot board.

Navy took the long and shortboard finals.

Air Force Surfing Association president CPL Grant Robinson said Air Force had planned to field a strong team this year, but numbers were cut because of operational demands. Only 13 surfers were available to take on Army and Navy’s best.

The carnival, noted for some controversy and mid-water spectators, was held in solid two to three-metre waves at Bendalong beach north of Ulladulla from March 28-30.

Cyclonic conditions in the north generated a powerful swell for the first two days of competition, resulting in some difficult surfing conditions, extending heats to 25 minutes and testing the fitness of surfers.

Despite fielding a team of only 13, Air Force put in creditable performances with a finalist in both the long and shortboard divisions.

Whitewash

CPL Lauren Edwards rides into shore after the surf that earned her third place in the women’s event.

Photos by LS Kelvin Hockey and AB Bradley Darvill

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CPL Lauren Edwards took third place in the shortboard division after impressing the judges in the women’s event.

SQNLDR Hetherington (a shortboarder) placed third in the longboard final, after winning and then taking second in the first two heats, while CPL Justin Davey placed fourth in a nail-biting final, in poor conditions.

CPL Davey said he placed fourth in the final after getting second places in his heats.

“I was very lucky to progress to the semis,” he said. “Two consecutive tube rides got me the points I needed to scrape through.

“I only surfed shortboard, but a lot of our shortboarders also competed in longboard heats to make up numbers and they did exceptionally well.”

First and second was hotly contested by the Army and Navy with only half a point separating the two, in a showdown which CPL Davey said displayed surfing of a professional standard.

“Overall the standard of riding was excellent, and competition was very close,” he said.

“Next year, with a full team, we shall be more competitive and will also have the home ground advantage, as the 2007 event will be held at Nelson Bay.

“We have some excellent surfers; unfortunately operational commitments prevented their attendance this year.

“I’d like to thank the guys who made the effort at the last moment. We only had a team of six with a week to go, and without them riding both disciplines we wouldn’t have done so well.”

SQNLDR Hetherington said it was essential that Air Force get more riders into the water.

“We have guys who surf to a very high standard,” he said. “We have some really great shortboarders, and I think Air Force was very unlucky not to place higher in the semis and finals.

”We need more competitors for next year’s event. Williamtown provided most of the numbers this year and we really need the guys from Richmond and Canberra to get in early and book the time off with their supervisor.

It’s an ISSC (Inter-Service Sports Committee) endorsed trial sport and I know for a fact there are some COs who own surfboards, too.”

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