Mental health support: Retro surf contest on boards shaped before 1985

It was back to the future as Surfing Sutherland Shire boardriders held their second annual Retro Surf contest at the North Cronulla Alley in support of mental health support on Saturday.

This year’s event raised almost $5000 for mental health training initiatives for the local surfing community-in 2023 20 surfers were put through this training because of the Retro Contest funds raised.

Hosted by the Cronulla Boardriders club, the event organised and started by Dan Larter with help from friends, family and his club saw 72 surfers battle it out on surfboards shaped before 1985.

There were plenty of old surfboards on offer to ride with favourites being closely followed and hidden as each heat progressed.

The three finned Thruster surfboard that is ridden today came into being in 1981, before that the twin fin held dominance after Mark Richards three world titles which preceded the single fin shortboard era that had evolved after the longboard era.

At the end of 23 long heats it was a battle between three goofy footers with the 2023 inaugural champion Jay Brown going back to back to lift the silver fin trophy over young gun Soren Smith and Matt Gall – Cronulla Sharks Boardriders champion Hayden Blair, team mate Rhys Young and Kurnell’s Ben Morgan also made the final. Smith looked a favourite from heat one but Brown shrugged of a recent injury to keep the diminutive Smith riding one of his father’s surfboards chasing him for the whole final.

Organiser Dan Larter thanked surfers, sponsors and everyone who helped support the event.

“The waves weren’t great, but the vibe was and the local surfing community turned up in force and really got behind the contest making it a fantastic day for all”

He thanked the hand on sponsors who all also put on a competition rash shirt RB99, Hairyman Brewery, Hydro Logic Solutions, Mountain Assets and Cronulla Surf Design for their help in making the event viable.

“Who knows next year we might even have a fin-less division, and get right back to surfing’s roots” he said

Words/Images: John Veage