Tuesday, 02 February 2010 00:00
There's no beach at Snapper these days. Pic Shield
There’s less than one month till the 2010 ASP World Tour kicks off at the Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast, and ASL has a couple questions about the event. Seeing as it’s a Quiky show, we got our peeps to talk to their peeps, and here’s what came from it.
Damon Harvey slaying yesterday. Snapper was OK, but a shadow of its former self. Pic Shield
Firstly, there’s no bank at Snapper Rocks. In front of the boardwalk sits a massive hole that’s hasn’t seen sand in months, so what’s gonna happen in a few weeks when the event kicks off? “Basically the local sand pumping committee have been wanting to pump for three months,” says Troy Brooks. Brooko, now Quik’s product manager, is a former World Tour surfer, and the son of contest director Rod Brooks, so as qualified to speak on the matter as anyone. “Due to all the north-easterly winds and lack of southerly weather patterns,” he continues, “they haven’t been able to pump yet, but finally this week we’ve seen the first southerly winds and swell for the year, and pumping has started.” And when should we expect to see the right reeling at Snapper again? “I reckon the banks will be back this time next week. There’s about seven days straight of three to four foot south-easterly pattern locking in, so they’ll be pumping a fair bit and the contest should be good to go.”
Kirra was lining up better than Snapper, but as Mick Fanning tweeted yesterday "Just surfed Kirra. It's so not back. Still shit." Pic: Shield
Secondly, interest has been piqued around the globe by Bruce Irons’ name appearing in the draw for the trials. Quik’s team manager Kurt Jacobs picked up the phone. “Simple really,” says the affable KJ, “Bruce wanted to compete so his management got in touch with the event organisers. I reckon it took them about ten seconds to decide that it would be good to have one of the world’s most exciting surfers in the draw. All the regular local guys and Queensland Champs still get their place, Bruce’s spot has come straight out of Quik’s consignment. Win for everyone, really.” Indeed.
Bede Durbidge smashing a nice Kirra wall yesterday arv. Pic Shield
And as for the eternal season beginning question, where’s Kelly Slater at in 2010? The man himself got back to us straight away. “I'm not positive about my year yet,” says KS, “but I am planning to surf at the Quiksilver Pro.” 
World Junior Champ Maxime Husecot getting up and over a lumpy little Kirra setor. Pic: Shield
The sand will be sorted, Bruce will be back and King Kelly will be competing. Now all we need is a cyclone and some sun and Dream Tour Version 2.010 will be roaring to life at Snapper Rocks, from February 27.
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What I do know is that in the last year compared to the previous five, I've never surfed less. It's PUSS. I miss Snapper, and the sensational section from outside Greenmount through to the Cooly beachie. Dbah's too crowded - we need that loooong stretch to spread out the number of people.
To start pumping just before the quicky pro is in my mind a little insulting to the local surfers. It's fake, it's been destroyed, wear it. If you don't want the sand there 11 months of the year, then tough, you have no wave for your comp - go surf Kirra.
Sorry if this offends the Kirra purists, it's just my opinion and it's no more valid than the next surfer's. So let's hear yours...
kirra over snapper anyday.
was it about erosion or about erosion of a wave?
secondly the quikky comp brings in millions of dollars to the area. is this more important then the above?
bottom line is the council is getting a ton of cash out of this from both quiksilver (fees_) and the local economy pick up. they will do whatever is best for the town. if they were concerned about the gold coast environment you wouldn't have the buildings they have now.
finally, and back to the contest, MF tweets that kirra still sucks. well what did you expect num nuts? it's more the just sand that makes for the old kirra. changes in currents, weather, buildings on land etc.
oh and at the end. doesn't kirra work best on cyclone and snapper on a south east swell? do we even get cyclone swells now? again back to the weather patterns.