A left-peeling point break located on property owned by the Canadian military in the Cow Bay-area is off limits to surfers, according to a military spokesperson.

“It’s for everybody’s safety. Unfortunately, that’s the way it is,” said Geri Grychowski, public affairs officer with Joint Task Force Atlantic.

According to Grychowski, soldiers regularly fire “certified small arms” at a range on the property. There is also “frequency radiation” in there area when military personnel are “working with different ships,” she said.

The military does not have any plans to announce when it will be conducting operations on the property. As such, the area is off limits to surfers at all times.

“It’s on DND (Department of National Defence) property and there’s no trespassing on DND property at any time,” she said. “You could be fined.”

DND apparently owns the shoreline as well as the water where the point break is located.

“The water is part of the range there, so (surfers) can’t be there,” said Grychowski.

St Mikes, the power point break on the Southern KZN coast will host the 2009 South Coast Tourism South African Surfing Championships, which gets under way this Thursday (May 28) and ends on Sunday (May 31).
Over 100 surfers representing six provincial teams will be action in four different divisions for Men and Women and they will be competing in South Africa's longest running event.

All the participating surfers have been selected for their provincial teams after competing in rigorous trials and will not only be focused on achieving individual glory in one of the four divisions but will also be surfing for team honours and the winning of the 40 year old Presidents Cup.

This will be the seventh time that the Southern KZN Surfing Association will be hosting the premier championship on the Surfing South Africa calendar and the sixth time that St Mikes will play host to the event.Southern KZN Surfing Association hosted its first ever SA Championships at Trafalgar in the mid 70's.
Although the talented Southern KZN surfers have never won the Presidents Cup they came a close second to neighbours KZN in 2003 when the event last took place on the shores of St Mikes.

Southern Natal has produced a couple of Men's and Women's champions in Mark Brodowicz, who won the National title in 1978 in East London, the year his brother Ant won the World Championship title at the same venue and Brian Jacobs, who took honours in 1983.
Southern KZN home grown products, Heather Clark, Kay Holt and Sarah Maritz have won a bunch of Women's titles between them but of the three only Clark, the defending champion will be competing. As usual she is in the Southern KZN team and her local knowledge, experience and determination must make her the favourite to successfully defend her crown.

In 2003 when the SA Championships was last held at St Mikes, Quintin Jones of Western Province won the Open Men's title but he is not competing this year.
2008 Men's champion Shaun Payne will be back surfing for provincial champions Eastern Province this year and the Cape St Francis local is out to make it two in a row.

Australian Titles will this year be decided for the first time in the rapidly growing and now well established discipline of Stand Up Paddle (SUP) Surfing.

Surfing Australia announced the inclusion of the Open SUP division into the Country Energy to be run at Port Macquarie during August.

Globally, Stand Up Paddle Surfing has grown in popularity incredibly over the past three years with an abundance of surfers, longboard and shortboard surfers, including a stand up paddleboard in their essential quivers and many dedicating themselves 100% to this discipline.

“The quality of Stand Up Paddle surfers emerging throughout Australia and the world is exciting and there’s many past and present champions of the sport of surfing now very competent and devoted Stand Up Paddle surfers” said Surfing Australia Chief Executive Officer Andrew Stark.

“Take the two finalists at the recent Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach, Joel Parkinson and Adam Robertson, both often seen in the line up riding waves on Stand Up Paddleboards, and then look at past champions like Luke Egan, Tom Carroll and Simon Anderson, all keen riders” added Stark.

“Stand Up Paddle Surfing has established itself in our sport and we are delighted to incorporate it into our Australian Surfmasters this year – the inaugural champion will take a special place in surfing’s history!”

The “2009 Suzuki Makka Pro” surfing contest, Jamaica’s premiere annual pro surfing event, is set to run on July 4th and 5th 2009 at the Makka surfing beach in Southaven St. Thomas. This marks the third time Jamaica will play host to the region’s best pro surfers who will be trying their luck at the over J$500,000.00 in prize money up for the taking.

The event will be the first of four events making up the Caribbean Surfing Network’s “Caribbean Challenge Cup” series. There will be two events in Barbados and one in Trinidad. “This event will provide the opportunity for local surfers to get a good start in the ‘09 series” said JSA President Billy Wilmot. “In any series if you start with a win in the first event you are number one in the series and can use that to create momentum and our surfers will have home turf advantage. Also, when you are ranked at the top you get better heats going into the next event and everyone else has to play catch up”.

Last year, Jamaican’s did well and finished in the money with second and fifth place in the open division and first and third in the junior’s. The local ladies did not do as well and finished at the bottom of the tables in their division.

Open division defending champ, Barbados’ Jonathan Reece, will be looking to defend his title against the formidable Jamaican charge being led by Wilmot brothers Inilek and Icah. Junior defending champion Jamaica’s Shane Simmonds will have tremendous local support after his crowd pleasing victory performance last year.

The benchmark has been set for the UK Pro Surf tour – and what a benchmark! A Phenomenal standard of surfing prevailed across the weekend. Fantastic weather, consistent, clean swell and a great turnout to watch what proved to be the best start to the tour yet.   

Saturday stood out as possibly the best conditions for The Saltrock Open to date and an exciting surprise for those on celebrity watch as British comedian Justin Lee-Collins turned up to compete in his first ever surf contest. After a 15 minute heat with Russel Winter, and local talent’s Scott Rannochan and Lynden Wake Justin said ‘This is just so great and has been very fortuitous as I was meant to be competing in Newquay in the English Nationals but due to a perforated ear after a sky diving experience it was postphoned to The Saltrock Open.  You guys have been great and it’s been fantastic to be able to take part’. Only a month after taking up surfing Justin Lee Collins gave a very credible performance in Croyde’s challenging conditions, managing to score two waves during his heat.

The main competition started on Sunday having been delayed from Saturday to wait for the building swell. Accompanied by great weather and large crowds the best of the future British talent was on display for day one of the The Saltrock Open and they didn’t disappoint.  Starting the day with a small but clean 1-2ft the waves built to a solid 3-4ft by the afternoon. Spectacular surfing from Lewis Clinton of Newquay helped him clinch the pro junior final. 2nd was Luis Eyre followed closely by Jaycee Robinson and Toby Donachie.

From the insightful mind of professional surfer Bryan Jennings comes "Walking On Water", a film that about finding faith on the journey of a lifetime. "Walking On Water" will be shown on Wednesday, May 26th, in London, for its UK premier.

After a successful US East Coast tour of "Walking On Water", the home premiere of the film on Jan. 24 at the Rock Church in San Diego was a huge success, with more than 2,000 people in attendance.

"The response has been incredible from surfers and non-surfers, from young and old ... and everyone loves it. Everyone has said that they really enjoy watching Luke and Tyler [who are the focus of "Walking On Water"], and getting to know them in the movie," he says. "I think everyone just loves watching the surfers. The main response that we get is that it’s a beautiful film and it’s fun to look at the beautiful waves and the beautiful creation throughout the world."

The story behind the story is as powerful as the film itself. Jennings, who himself went on a life-changing trip at 14, pays the lessons he learned forward, taking young surfers Luke and Tyler around the world. "Walking On Water" documents the pair, who experience life while witnessing the ups and downs throughout the world in places like Hawaii, Peru, Australia, Indonesia, South Africa and France.

"I thought it would be so great now that I've grown up and gone through my own challenges in life to bring a couple of kids around the world, and to then make a movie about seeing life through their perspective as they’re going and seeing this world for their first time," Jennings says.

In the process, Jennings says, viewers also gain tremendously from seeing the film, which was released in September 2007.

"I hope the adults in the audience would maybe come away with remembering what it was like to be child," he says. "For the children in the audience, I would hope they would come away with some more mature perspectives on life."

In addition to the larger-than-life presence of Luke and Tyler, World-renowned surfers like three-time World Champion Tom Curren, twin brothers CJ and Damien Hobgood, "soul surfer" Bethany Hamilton and many others star in the film.

Alejo Muniz was today crowned Oakley Pro Junior Brazil champion in front of a mass of screaming fans at Itajai, heralding his bright future in style.

With a building crowd flocking to Itajai in droves, lining up and down the picturesque pier to cheer on the future of Brazilian surfing, the final day of the Oakley Pro Junior Brazil was all that was expected – and more.

Defeating Jadson Andre in a final worthy for any international event, Muniz got the better of his more fancied opponent with a blistering backhand attack.

Outpointing Andre 15.43 (out of a possible 20) to 12.84 in the final, including a brilliant 8.33 (out of a possible 10), Muniz was over the moon with his result.

“I’m so happy,” Muniz said beaming.

“It’s the best day of my surfing career so far – to beat Jadson in front of my friends, family and fans is amazing.”

Qualifying for the Oakley Global Pro Junior Challenge in Bali as well as being crowned ABRASP champion (Brazilian Champion) / ASP South America and pocketing R$9,0000, Muniz cannot wait to get to Indonesia later this year.

“I love surfing in Bali,” Muniz admitted, salivating at the opportunity gifted to him.

“I have only been once, but I can’t wait to surf against the best surfers in the world in some of the best waves.”

In a riveting 30 minute final at the Billabong Pro Java in Cimaja with just four minutes remaining, ISC Number 2 ranked surfer Lee Wilson came from behind and took over the lead in a hard fought victory against Number 13 ranked Dedy Santoso, scoring a 8 out of 10 on smallish wave that he literally ripped apart all the way into the beach.

Wilson was behind for most of the final and needed a 6.25 to take the lead, true to his trademark style he didn’t hold anything back, almost landing on top of a large rock on the inside section on his last maneuver. Santoso bravely fought back, but couldn’t get the 8 point wave he needed to regain the lead that he had held trough the majority of the final.

Then to leave no doubt about his intent to claim a decisive victory, the Billabong team rider spotted a worthy wave and again ripped it apart, this time adding an air on the end which got him a 9.0 from the judges, as well as the Coca-Cola ISC Best Maneuver Award. “I’m super stoked to have won the event” Wilson beamed, “Especially in Dede’s (Suryana) home town. The people, waves, and hospitality in Cimaja have been great I’m looking forward to getting back here next year”. Wilson wins Rp 10 million (about $1,000 USD) and tallies up 3,000 ISC Championship points.

Sentoso was a worthy opponent, and jumped out into the lead with a series of huge and stylish turns on several waves, leaving Wilson to search the horizon for a suitable wave for his aggressive style of surfing. The ocean would go flat several times during the final as if to be purposely building up the tension to its maximum level, and then a two or three wave set would roll through to give each competitor a chance to show off their best surfing. The crowd on the beach would go crazy after each maneuver, rooting on their chosen favorite.

Local hero Dede Suryana didn’t make it into the final, but gave a brilliant display of surfing to his home fans in Semifinal 1 against Dede Santoso. Normally unflappable, perhaps the pressure of all the expectations got him rattled at the start as several mistakes got him behind. In the final minutes he needed a score of 9.6 to take the lead and seemed to have gotten it, but fell just short getting a 9.35. He lost by a mere .15 of a point.

In a riveting 30 minute final at the Billabong Pro Java in Cimaja with just four minutes remaining, ISC Number 2 ranked surfer Lee Wilson came from behind and took over the lead in a hard fought victory against Number 13 ranked Dedy Santoso, scoring a 8 out of 10 on smallish wave that he literally ripped apart all the way into the beach.

Wilson was behind for most of the final and needed a 6.25 to take the lead, true to his trademark style he didn’t hold anything back, almost landing on top of a large rock on the inside section on his last maneuver. Santoso bravely fought back, but couldn’t get the 8 point wave he needed to regain the lead that he had held trough the majority of the final.

Then to leave no doubt about his intent to claim a decisive victory, the Billabong team rider spotted a worthy wave and again ripped it apart, this time adding an air on the end which got him a 9.0 from the judges, as well as the Coca-Cola ISC Best Maneuver Award. “I’m super stoked to have won the event” Wilson beamed, “Especially in Dede’s (Suryana) home town. The people, waves, and hospitality in Cimaja have been great I’m looking forward to getting back here next year”. Wilson wins Rp 10 million (about $1,000 USD) and tallies up 3,000 ISC Championship points.

Sentoso was a worthy opponent, and jumped out into the lead with a series of huge and stylish turns on several waves, leaving Wilson to search the horizon for a suitable wave for his aggressive style of surfing. The ocean would go flat several times during the final as if to be purposely building up the tension to its maximum level, and then a two or three wave set would roll through to give each competitor a chance to show off their best surfing. The crowd on the beach would go crazy after each maneuver, rooting on their chosen favorite.

Local hero Dede Suryana didn’t make it into the final, but gave a brilliant display of surfing to his home fans in Semifinal 1 against Dede Santoso. Normally unflappable, perhaps the pressure of all the expectations got him rattled at the start as several mistakes got him behind. In the final minutes he needed a score of 9.6 to take the lead and seemed to have gotten it, but fell just short getting a 9.35. He lost by a mere .15 of a point.

Alejo Muniz was today crowned Oakley Pro Junior Brazil champion in front of a mass of screaming fans at Itajai, heralding his bright future in style.

With a building crowd flocking to Itajai in droves, lining up and down the picturesque pier to cheer on the future of Brazilian surfing, the final day of the Oakley Pro Junior Brazil was all that was expected – and more.

Defeating Jadson Andre in a final worthy for any international event, Muniz got the better of his more fancied opponent with a blistering backhand attack.

Outpointing Andre 15.43 (out of a possible 20) to 12.84 in the final, including a brilliant 8.33 (out of a possible 10), Muniz was over the moon with his result.

“I’m so happy,” Muniz said beaming.

“It’s the best day of my surfing career so far – to beat Jadson in front of my friends, family and fans is amazing.”

Qualifying for the Oakley Global Pro Junior Challenge in Bali as well as being crowned ABRASP champion (Brazilian Champion) / ASP South America and pocketing R$9,0000, Muniz cannot wait to get to Indonesia later this year.

“I love surfing in Bali,” Muniz admitted, salivating at the opportunity gifted to him.

“I have only been once, but I can’t wait to surf against the best surfers in the world in some of the best waves.”