Organisers of the Noosa Festival of Surfing hope a rising swell will allow them to host the marquee divisions at iconic First Point during the next few days.
The famous break has had mostly benign conditions for the past four or five days, with competition moved to Noosa Woods and Castaways Beach.
But it’s hoped the surf will be more co-operative for the rest of the festival, with open longboard, logger and the new twin fin event on the schedule.
“We’ve had some good days despite a lack of swell,” organiser Josh Allen said.
“Contest director Tully St John has made the most of some pretty bad conditions and so have the surfers.
“We’re expecting the swell to increase, and we should get a nice run of waves.
“Fingers crossed we’ll be at First Point for the rest of the festival, with fun 2-3ft waves.”
If the conditions don’t suit, the competition would likely be moved up the beach to Access 11 at Noosa Woods.
The open divisions started Wednesday and the professional surfers are primed to compete during the next few days, coinciding with the rising swell.
Defending logger champion Matt Chojnacki is expected to be hard to beat, while locals Zye Norris and Harrison Roach are among other men set to impress.
Noosa’s Lethbridge sisters, Emily and Charlotte, will be ones to watch, as will Sierra Lerback and Hawaiian Mason Schremmer, who now calls Noosa home.
“There are so many professionals competing, even though we don’t have our usual internationals here. It’s a very strong national level,” Mr Allen said.
The new twin fin competition is expected to be well contested on Saturday. Competitors must surf on a board made before 1985.
“So, there will be a whole lot of twin fins at the beach and a lot of very good surfers taking to the line-up,” Mr Allen said.
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The nine-day festival, which is celebrating 30 years, isn’t just about competition.
“There are plenty of venues around town that host festivities like film nights and surf art,” Mr Allen said.
On Thursday evening, a surf photography and film session will be held at the relatively new Noosa Surfing Museum on Hilton Terrace. More than 140 people are expected to attend.
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On Saturday, seven-time world surfing champion Layne Beachley will be at the museum hosting the documentary ‘Surfing to Survive’.
It tells the story of how surfing and the ocean help Byron Bay’s Karen Ochsner in her daily struggles with a rare illness.
The nine-day festival also boasts music, entertainment, bars, a link with the Noosa World Surfing Reserve and the inaugural Chiggy’s Skate Fest at Noosa Woods.
The festival essentially started in 1992 when the Noosa Malibu Club ran the Noosa Malibu Classic.
The club still retains the rights to the event, which is presented by Heads of Noosa and has been run by World Surfaris since 2019.
