The 14th Annual Whalebone Classic is the final of four regional ASP World Longboarding Qualifying Series events and is the last chance for Australia’s best loggers to gain qualification points for the 2011 World Longboard Tour.
The Whalebone Classic will be held at Cottesloe, Perth from 16th – 17th July. Contest Organiser Peter Dunn is keen to invite the punters come down and have a look at the surfboard demos, surf bands, a giant tent full of sponsor’s products and of course the world’s best longboarders competing on WA soil.
“The Whalebone Classic is the only ASP LQS in Western Australia,” Dunn said. “We’ve never had another professional longboarding event in WA. Without this event our junior surfers wouldn’t have met the top surfers and it’s lifted the standard of longboarding in WA. But this isn’t all about competing, it’s about having fun, camaraderie and family.”
Michael Cottier (Cronulla, NSW) the oldest competitor in the field at 55-years-old, is as excited as a grommet to head to WA for the Whalebone Classic.
“I’ve been going to the event for 8 years and it’s one of those amphitheater events. Everyone standing right on the sand and has the best seat in the house. It’s the best venue for an event I’ve ever seen. One of the special features of this event is nature, we have everything – 100kmph winds, sunny offshore, whales and dolphins and birds taking fish out of the water. But the best thing is the people, they’re so welcoming. You can tell I love this event, I even got The Happiest Competitor Award a few years back.”
Ben Proudfoot, originally from Cabarita on the NSW North Coast has been living in Perth for 8 years and believes the local knowledge could help history repeat from 2009 when he won the Whalebone Classic.
“The conditions were really nice 2 to 3 foot,” Proudfoot said. “It was a special weekend because my best mate won the old mal comp and it was my first win in after competing for 8 years. I’m very hungry for a win this year, I’ve just returned from a study trip to America and didn’t surf much over there, so it’s great to be back in Australian and back in the surf.”
The Whalebone Classic will be held at Cottesloe, Perth from 16th – 17th of July. If you’re in the area come and be a part of this event, experience the beach and family culture and watch the world’s best longboarders put on a show. Stay tuned to http://www.whaleboneclassic.com.au for updates and event news.
