The way we were….and are. Stoked!

Noosa legends 2000. Standing left to right: Reno Abellira, Bill Hamilton, Jock Sutherland, Jeff Hakman, John Peck, Bob McTavish, Rusty Miller. Sitting: Bob Pearson, Rabbit Kekai.

The Global Surf Industries Noosa Festival of Surfing 2010, presented by Golden Breed, will be the 19^th year of this great event, which has grown to become the biggest surf festival in the world, attracting more than 600 competitors and thousands of spectators.

The first event, in 1992, was the brainchild of Noosa surfer Jamie Pradella, who wanted to attract as many top longboarders to Noosa as possible for his movie in the making, “Malibu Heaven”. The idea was enthusiastically jumped on by the membership of the Noosa Malibu Club, Pepsi was secured as naming rights sponsor and the Pepsi Noosa Malibu Classic was run over three days in March, with Ray Gleave winning the Open Mens. A couple of the sponsors of that first event – Classic Malibu Surfboards and Seven Local News – are still with the event today.

In 1994, John Lee took over as contest director and introduced a pro division, with Jason Blewitt taking home the first prize cheque. That year also marked the start of The Blue Group’s involvement with the event, a partnership that continues today as Back Beach Noosa. By 1995, word had spread and international competitors started to flock to Noosa, not just for the prize money on offer but to experience the perfect waves of our five points. Hawaii’s Bonga Perkins was one of the first, and he took out three Noosa titles in succession.

In 1997, the Noosa Classic enjoyed the best waves in its history to that point, and, while watching the finals go down in immaculate shoulder-high waves, Phil Jarratt, John Brasen and John Lee hatched a plan to turn a great longboard event into a week-long celebration of surfing. Lee brought in dairy manufacturers Pauls Ltd as major sponsors, and in 1998 the Breaka Noosa Festival of Surfing was born, with Jarratt, Brasen and Lee running the pro divisions and off-beach entertainment, while the Noosa Malibu Club ran the amateurs. This successful partnership between the club and event entrepreneurs is one that continues today.

Legends night at Noosa 99. Greg Noll and Evonne Cawley.

The 1999 Breaka Festival was the biggest yet, with legends of surfing coming from all over the world. High points included Midget Farrelly winning a re-enactment of the 1964 world titles, and Noosa locals Chris De Aboitiz and Meredith Saunders taking out the first ever world tandem title. Even though not a single heat was held at First Point, many people still look back on ’99 as one of the high points in the event’s history.

In 2000, Bob McTavish cemented his long association with Noosa by taking naming rights for the men’s pro, and reborn Aussie surf brand Golden Breed came on board with a new event, the Golden Breed Noserider, won convincingly by Joel Tudor.

Through the first decade of the new century, the Noosa festival went through a couple of lean years, but the hard work of the Noosa Mal Club kept it alive, and in 2007, the event got a new lease on life with Global Surf Industries coming on board as naming sponsor. In 2009, Global was joined by Golden Breed as presenting sponsor, and the festival enjoyed another vintage year.

Going forward, event director Phil Jarratt says that he and contest director Alan Atkins are optimistic for the future of the event, with hosts the Noosa Malibu Club stronger than ever, and a healthy level of sponsorship in place for 2010.