Photo: Brooke Cousins
Stand first: More than 20 high school teams from throughout New South Wales set to converge on Newcastle
From Port Macquarie to Moruya, more than 20 high school teams and 140 competitors from throughout New South Wales are set to converge on Nobbys Beach in Newcastle for two days of surfing action in the 2012 Newcastle Now High School Teams Challenge as part of this year’s Surfest.
Celebrating its 11th year in 2012, this unique contest will hit the water on Wednesday 14 March and Thursday 15 March and is open to all schools that participate in the NSW Department of Education school surfing program.
The Newcastle Now High School Teams Challenge will provide competition for both boys and girls and there is no entry fee for schools or competitors.
Unlike contests that focus on individual performance, the Newcastle Now High School Teams Challenge offers a bonus points system that rewards a team for working together and formulating strategy to maximise scoring potential.
The event’s unique tag-team format calls for a team of at least three surfers to catch a maximum of three waves per surfer, with each surfer’s highest individual wave score being the only one relevant to the judge’s tally-sheet.
Teams will be given 20 minutes to maximise their points by bagging a high-scoring “keeper” toward the beginning of their heat, because significant bonus points are up for grabs for those teams whose surfers complete their heats early – six points for those teams whose surfers complete their round inside 15 minutes.
This criteria encourages surfers to “go-for-it” and maximises the incentive to take a chance on busting the big moves that get the judge’s appreciation recorded on the scoresheet.
Chairman of Newcastle Now Edward Duc said the city’s businesses are delighted to work closely with Surfest because the event shows Newcastle at its very best.
Partnering with Surfest allows us to showcase Newcastle’s excellent beaches, product range and its great outdoor lifestyle,” Mr Duc said.
In 2011 junior men’s competition, St Augustine;s College (Brookvale) took out the event narrowly from St Pius X (Adamstown).
In the 2011 junior women’s competition, Northern Beaches Secondary College were victorious over Lake Munmorah High. Schools wishing to
enter a team into the Newcastle High School Teams Challenge can download an entry form from:
http://www.surfest.com/images/Newcastle%20Now%20High_Schools_Team_Challenge_2012.pdf
Please click on the following link for a complimentary image:
https://www.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8a6f65895b6275a86f9f
About the 2012 Surfest Newcastle Australia
The 2012 Surfest Newcastle Australia features the Burton Toyota Pro (Men’s ASP 6-Star) and the Hunter Ports Women’s Classic (Women’s ASP 6-Star), along with eight supporting events. The event is made possible with the support of Burton Toyota, the Hunter Sports Group and the NSW Government through Destination NSW. Surfest Newcastle Australia is conducted over 12 days from March 7-18 at Merewether beach, a recognised Australian National Surfing Reserve. Merewether is home to festival patron and Australia’s most accomplished men’s world professional surfing champion, four-time world champion Mark Richards (1979-82) who presents the winner a trophy in his likeness. 2012 marks the festival’s 27th year and with over 800 national and international competitors, Surfest Newcastle Australia is the largest festival of surfing in the southern hemisphere. Get up-to-the minute updates, photos and interviews, as well as the program of events at surfest.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
Surfest is also part of Destination NSW
It’s on in Newcastle and the Hunter campaign.
On the final weekend of Surfest the region will host a spectacular array of events including:
· CMC Rocks the Hunter16 to 18 March
· NRL Newcastle Knights v Brisbane Broncos 16 March
· Newcastle Regional Show 16 to 18 March
· Sparke Helmore/NBN Television Triathlon Festival 16 to 18 March
· A-League Newcastle Jets v Brisbane Roar 17 March
If it’s on, it’s on www.visitnsw.com/Newcastle
