THE surfing season kicks off today with the annual Craig McElrath Memorial surfing event.
The event this year will feature Longboard and SUP surfing around the Namotu Island Resort.
Competition should be strong as the van guard of Fiji surfing come up against the young guns.
Ian Muller and Romeo McKellar have represented Fiji at several Melanesian Cups and had many victories but the new guns such as Saviri and Sunia will ensure they earn every point.
In the juniors Kalani Wakeham will head a strong group of grommets, all relatively new to the art of longboarding.
Classic longboard manoeuvres like the quasimoto stance, dead coachrouch, cross-stepping and hanging ten along with the more radical style of longboarding will all be apart of the skills on display.
The surfing form of Stand Up Paddling is relatively new in Fiji and after the great exhibition of SUP surfing at the recent World SUP titles there is a new energy around the sport.
Local surfers such as Scotty O’Connor and Bruce Climo will ensure the standard is high, performing all the in-vogue modern surfing manoeuvres..
Transport for the competitors will leave by 8.30am courtesy of Fiji Surf Co and Namotu Island donating their boats.
Special thanks also to McDonald’s for their sponsorship of the event.