Once again it’s time to start fine-tuning your soul-arches, put away the clippers, start growing those side burns and dust off the old twin fins as the annual ‘Paul Baxter Shield’ retro themed tag-team surfing comp will soon be on again (Saturday July 25).
For those that aren’t familiar with the event, the annual tag team surfing competition is in honour of colourful Maroubra local Paul ‘The Animal’ Baxter who died in 1984 in the seas off Ballina. This special surfing event has been growing in stature every year and the focus is really on just having as much fun as possible to honour the late Paul Baxter.
Although the day is run by Southend Boardriders it is really an event for the whole community to get into and be a part of. We are encouraging all local surfers and spectators to come down on the day and be a part of the great atmosphere, have some food, listen to some funky music and watch some good surfing.
Competing surfers are allocated into teams and surfing is on ‘retro’ twin-fin and single-fin surfboards in an effort to claim the coveted Paul Baxter Shield. All members of the winning team have their names etched into local surfing history, placed on the perpetual trophy (a surfboard) on permanent display at the Sands Hotel Maroubra. Normal contest surfing is very much an individually focused discipline whereas surfing for a team involves different strategies and skills but more importantly is a heap of fun.
Entry is open to anyone aged 14 and over and is a bargain at only $10, which includes breakfast, drinks, great prizes, special guests, live entertainment and the chance to have your name forever etched in surfing history. This contest is an open pre-paid surfing event with only a limited amount of surfing spots available and will be on a ‘first in, first served’ basis. (keep in mind that there is only a maximum of 80 competing surfers and we currently have well over 150 members at Southend - so get in early to guarantee your spot).
After surfing, eating, dancing and making ‘free love’, the Paul Baxter presentation will once again be held up at the Sands Hotel, with plenty of KB, Tooheys Red, cheese fondue and psychedelic tunes. There will be prizes galore for the best retro dressed, and various maneuvers on the day. There is also the chance for lucky punters to win 2 custom made surfboards!
For further information about the event stay tuned as we will keep updating information on the site and once again don’t forget to register at the Sands Hotel Friday July 17 (or before) in order to guarantee yourself a spot in one of the teams! |