Surf showdown for local schools

Which school in the Tweed and Northern Rivers region has the best surfers? A non-profit surfing competition being held today, Monday May 11 at Cabarita Beach by students from Southern Cross University should help settle the debate once and for all.

22 students from local schools including Tweed River High School, Banora Point High School, St Joseph’s College and reigning champions Kingscliff High School, will battle it out in the 2009 Tweed Coast Cup which is held annually by Southern Cross University students as part of their Diploma of Sports Management (Surfing Studies) course.

Course lecturer Alan Fenn-Lavington said the event served a dual purpose.

“The Tweed Coast Cup is unusual because it is one of the only intra-school events in the area, so it allows promising local surfers from Tweed and Northern Rivers schools to test their skills against people they wouldn’t necessarily come up against,” said Mr Fenn-Lavington.

“The aim is also to give the University students experience in every aspect of organising and presenting a sporting event, from risk management, catering and scoring to judging, marshalling or announcing.”

Southern Cross University student and contest director Janine Kroemer said she was enjoying putting the theory learned in the classroom into practice.

“It’s been a great experience because it has brought all our studies together into one real-life project, and the skills we are learning are relevant to a range of sporting industries and events,” said Janine.

“It’s given us all a real sense of how much work is involved in an event like this, but everyone on the course has been working hard to bring it all together and we’re all looking forward to it.”

Apart from the glory of victory, winners will walk away with a variety of surfing accessories and merchandise.

The Tweed Coast Cup will take place on today Monday, May 11, on the northern side of Cabarita Beach (near the Surf Life Saving Club), conditions permitting.

The event is presented by Base Surfboards and supported by Surfing Queensland, Australian Surfing Life Magazine, New Tweed Coast Adventures, Rush Surf Company, Tweed Bulk Warehouse, Surfing Services Base Surfboards, Firewire and Surfing Australia.

Photo opportunity: Media are invited to attend at approximately 12.30pm for the end of the final heats and the lifting of the cup. Please contact before attending to confirm time and location. Photo: Diploma of Sports Management (Surfing Sudies) students Janine Kroenen (centre) and (L-R)Karina Irby, Yuki Kagawa and Nikki Jackson.