Snapper riffing

[alakaboo]

Yeah, the dredged sand is not going to improve surf quality, unless they somehow manage to make a wave focussing sand slug in the perfect location.

Braithy, I don't know why it changed, but in 2011 the event could go to Burleigh and in 2012 it couldn't.
Suspect as Steve said it is because of the number of other events there.

The event is based at Coolangatta and aims to stage the competition at the iconic Snapper Rocks surf break, famous for its Superbank, but it’s a mobile feast. If the waves aren’t working there, organisers have an enviable array of options with Duranbah, Kirra and Burleigh Heads all world class spots close by, both for the competitor and the spectator.

And while the Quiksilver Pro is based at Snapper Rocks, the event can move between Duranbah Beach and Kirra to find the best waves.

[steve shearer]

Surely the Burleigh bank would have copped a hammering in the last event?

No point moving up there for the rockbreak.

[crabmeat thompson]

Not sure, haven't seen it myself, just told of it. The cove through to the rock break was linking up.

The banks around me didn't change too much after the last storms, if they did it might have even been for the better, so it's conceivable it's all in good shape up there.

[Nick Carroll]

Ah yeah look there's this thing called the fcuken webcast gents.

It's also a satellite broadcast (on Fuel)

This requires a lot of technology all of which is based in the Snapper Rocks set-up.

Thus v limited mobility.

You can't set up the technology at two places just in case, it costs a fcuken fortune, and as one may have gathered, surf companies do not have those fortunes right now.

So no Burleigh.

It's nothing to do with the council, hell the council already gives 'em legal rights over a piece of coastline which is not the case at any other surf contest in the world. Yes if you try to surf Snapper while the contest is on they can actually arrest you.

Nay the council would pretty much give the event whatever it wanted re spot access.

But that webcast is everything to an event like the Quik Pro and thus everything has to bend to its needs.

[crabmeat thompson]

Interesting, re the money limiting them to only setting up at one place. Technically, they'll be just as screwed if they have move it all to dbah or kirra.

I wonder if Zosea will be limited like this in their budget next season?

[steve shearer]

Interesting, re the money limiting them to only setting up at one place. Technically, they'll be just as screwed if they have move it all to dbah or kirra.

Exactly.

Whats the diff from moving it a kay to set it up at Kirra/D-bah and moving it ten kay to set up at Burleigh?

[alakaboo]

Burleigh Heads is inside a National Park, least from the Cove end. Wouldn't be surprised if that places an extra layer of complexity on getting the webcast infrastructure in there with short notice.

It's nothing to do with the council, hell the council already gives 'em legal rights over a piece of coastline which is not the case at any other surf contest in the world. Yes if you try to surf Snapper while the contest is on they can actually arrest you.

Nick, you've mentioned this before and alluded to Waterways legislation being the mechanism.
Have you got any more info?
I struggle to see how this would apply or be enforced. Who would be arresting you? It would presumably have to be either water police or a council officer.

[Nick Carroll]

Interesting, re the money limiting them to only setting up at one place. Technically, they'll be just as screwed if they have move it all to dbah or kirra.

I wonder if Zosea will be limited like this in their budget next season?

No they won't be as screwed.

You can run a cable over to DBah and you can get line of sight microwave transmission up to Snapper from Kirra.

You can't move nine cameras and several truckloads of editing and web/broadcast equipment 15 kilometres and reset in 20 minutes.

ZoSea won't have any kind of magic wand that will make that complication go away.

These contests look like club contests but they are more like movie sets, there is a huge amount of shit going on behind the scenes. A mobile WCT would have to be planned very differently to any of the current ones.

[Beanpole]

I guess thats one thing appealing about Keramas as a destination. It appears to be totally set up for dropping a contest into.

[Nick Carroll]

Nick, you've mentioned this before and alluded to Waterways legislation being the mechanism.
Have you got any more info?
I struggle to see how this would apply or be enforced. Who would be arresting you? It would presumably have to be either water police or a council officer.

It'd be the police. I don't know the legislative details but it's through the Qld state govt somehow.
In reality there's no need for enforcement, that event is a pinnacle moment for the Goldie surf culture, nobody's gonna get in its way.

[Beanpole]

Particularly with the current crop of world champs.

[crabmeat thompson]

One certainty. Lots of brown water on tap.

This'll be one wet week.

[tiger]

Uncertainty in the forecast, and likely some onshoreish, unclassic snapper are sure making it hard to pin down a fantasy team.

The ability to read what a wave is going to do from behind the rock at snapper will be somewhat nullified. The playing field levelled. I don't think the local knowledge will be as relevant if the conditions are "challenging". This thing could get scrappy.

I think we've got 15 participants in the Fantasy surfer comp so far, if you're not already in, get onboard. Details are in the other thread. It can take a few tries to get their registering process to work sometimes, so try again if it tells you you've got the wrong password or somesuch.

[Donweather]

I think they'll go close to running the event in the first few days of the waiting period. Contestable 2-4ft surf during this time and SE winds. This is of course assuming they get the bank in some sort of shape by then?

[crabmeat thompson]

I'd almost be willing to bet my left plum, Don, that the bank will be stuffed. I can't see the hole filling up between now and saturday.

They might hold out for a big swell to bring the wide storm bar into play? It looks like we're entering a pretty active phase out in the coral, no?

[Donweather]

They might hold out for a big swell to bring the wide storm bar into play? It looks like we're entering a pretty active phase out in the coral, no?

MJO is pushing out onto the east coast soonish, but it's also forecast to weaken at the same time (and this is evident by the small tropical low progged by EC in the long term). Some models are hinting at the MJO stalling and reintensifying in the long term??

I don't think they can sit and wait this weekend. With swell and SE winds, they will run it at least this Sat/Sun IMO.

[el rancho]

Braithy, I don't know why it changed, but in 2011 the event could go to Burleigh and in 2012 it couldn't.
Suspect as Steve said it is because of the number of other events there.

it's not about the surfing.
Surfing is simply the tool to draw the peanut gallery into the vortex that is the Quiksilver Pro marketing village.
Brand loyalty, team Quiksilver/Roxy, they're recruiting young teenage girls as much as boys.

how can we possibly be expected to enjoy a surf competition without the full Quiksilver brand experience??

[alakaboo]

Well with inconsistent waves, brown water, rain, wind and a bunch of diehards and hangers-on struggling to maintain interest on an eroded beach, it's going to be a pretty shitty experience for most people.
Pretty good analogy for the recent performance of the major surf labels, actually.