Australian Surfing Awards - Hall of Fame

Hi from Gold Coast,

Stephanie Gilmore being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Photo: joliphotos.com

It’s been a busy couple of weeks with two big awards ceremonies and the hype surrounding the first WCT events of the year, the Quiksilver Pro and Roxy Pro’s here on the Gold Coast.

This gallery is all about the  50 year Anniversary of Surfing Australia and the Australian Surfing Awards which incorporate the Hall of Fame Awards It was a black tie function held in the Darling Harbor region of Sydney attended by Australia's surfing royalty, politicians and leading industry figures.

Mark Richards and Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan. Photo joliphotos.com

Four times World Champion Mark Richards was named Australia’s Most Influential Surfer 1963-2013. The  Top 10, in order of votes received from the public and the Hall of Fame members, was: Mark Richards, Simon Anderson, Nat Young, Michael ‘MP’ Peterson, Midget Farrelly, Tom Carroll, Layne Beachley, Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew, Mark Occhilupo and Bob McTavish.

Five times Women’s World Surfing Champion, Stephanie Gilmore was inducted into the Hall of Fame as well as receiving the award as Female Surfer if the Year while 2012 World Surfing Champion Joel Parkinson was the Male Surfer of the Year.

I was honored to take out the Nikon Surf Photo of the Year award with a shot of Mark Healey’s surfboard stuck in the lip of the a Cloudbreak monster shot during that massive swell last June. It’s the second time in four years that I’ve received the Award and I can tell you I was stoked.

Peter 'Joli Wilson-The proud owner of a new Nikon D4. Photo by mrsjoli

Here’s the list of awards handed out during the night:

2013 AUSTRALIAN SURFING AWARDS WINNERS

Australian Surfing Hall of Fame Inductee: Stephanie Gilmore
Australia’s Most Influential Surfer 1963-2013: Mark Richards
Male Surfer of the Year: Joel Parkinson
Female Surfer of the Year: Stephanie Gilmore
Rising Star: Jack Freestone
Waterman of the Year: Jamie Mitchell
ASB Surfing Spirit Award: Misfit Aid
Peter Troy Lifestyle Award: Bob Smith
Surf Culture Award: The Reef - by the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Tura New Music
Simon Anderson Club Award: Kirra Surfriders Club
Nikon Surf Movie of the Year: Storm Surfers 3D
Nikon Surf Photo of the Year: Peter ‘Joli’ Wilson

The Boys Get Busy.

Hi from Snapper Rocks,

Dane Reynolds blowing the tail out at Rainbow Bay. Photo by joliphotos.com

A lay day was called for the Quiksilver Pro and the Roxy Pro here on the Gold Coast today so it’s given me a chance to sit down at the computer and catch up with a bit of photo editing.

The first heats of the year are out of the way in both the Men’s and Women’s WCT with a few surprise results recorded. Parko finished a nail biting 0.03 points behind Matty Wilkinson in their first round heat yesterday while Kelly Slater, riding a tiny five fin board, struggled to get going early before finally getting the board to do what he wanted and nailing the win.

Jody Smith threw his big frame around for a convincing heat win while Gabriel Medina won his heat on a twisted ankle before rushing off to hospital for tests and x-rays.

We’ve got a cyclone (Sandra?) brewing off the mid north coast of Queensland which could send swell our way later this week. Hopefully this time around it will be waves and not the cyclonic weather that have smashed our sand banks, especially at Snapper, and giving us weeks of onshore winds and flooding rains.

I’ve loaded images into this Gallery from the last few days action and lifestyle and will continue to add images as the action unfolds. Tomorrow’s call is at 6.30 am and there is even a chance the heats could run at Kirra after three days at Rainbow Bay and Greenmount.