Merimbula’s Main Beach will play host to the 32nd annual Malibu Classic surf competition this weekend.
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Dubbed the “Conformal”, the Classic was scheduled to run on May 5, but had to be postponed when club officials said they were met with “absolutely no waves at all”.
The officials said conditions two weeks ago had been perfect for the event, but needed some waves to get the proponents of the long-board up and riding.
After accidentally posting on social media that the competition would be held at “Manly Beach”, officials joked they would have been better off at the Sydney beach.
“We would have been better off at Manly, sure ain't no waves here: Gorgeous day but flat ocean,” the club posted online after having to postpone the event.
There were already close to 40 entries for the surf, and officials said those who had signed up would remain on the card for this weekend, while the delay did give an opportunity for latecomers to join the party.
You can sign up at the Switchfoot Boardstore or at the Merimbula Surf Shop.
A custom made longboard by Jed Done of Switchfoot Boardstore will be up for grabs as the Ben Mills memorial prize for the top performer.
The winner of the board last year was Matt Lake and he’s back in the hunt again this time around alongside droves of local and visiting surfers.
Beyond the brand new board, there are also 15 totally custom trophies up for grabs on the day with entries ranging from some of the local surf clubs’ young guns right through to what have been dubbed the “grey grommets”.
Club greats like David Prowse, Henry Jones and John Smythe will be on the water as well as surfers like Chris Wright and the prolific local surfing family the Mills crew.
There is also a good number of female surfers in the mix with the ladies out in force to upstage the fellas on the waves.
Officials said they were looking forward to the event going ahead at the same “place and time” with a briefing to be held at 7am at Main Beach ahead of a series of heats.
Spectators are more than welcome on the day with officials saying – should there be reasonable swell – that you’ll get to see some excellent proponents of the Malibu longboards strutting their stuff.
There will be a coffee van available for anyone looking to catch up over a cuppa, while the competition would get underway shortly after 7am and run consistently throughout the day.
For more information email John Smythe on abalone1@bigpond.com.