Curly Mal Jam this weekend

Great to see an event that includes some wooden boards and heritage of early Australian surfing.


" Curl Curl Longboarers Inc presents what is a truly unique sporting event at Curl Curl Beach on the 30th of April 2011. The MALJAM, as it is known, combines all aspects of the art of modern and traditional longboard surfing that has evolved over the last sixty years.

The Event is an amalgam of the pre modern era of the 1950’s “toothpick” cruiser, the glide and expression of the 1960’s where the board was the instrument of creation at the feet of the “logger ”and the aggressive take no prisoner attitude of the contemporary exponent who elicits every ounce of speed and maneuver out of the pulsing wall of water and foam.

Some say it is attitude some say it is perception but no matter what your notion of beauty and creativity is you will find all at the expo at Curl Curl Beach. Add to this a martial arts display by some of Australia’s best and a trade display of the coolest surf equipment and fashion in captivity and you have a day that will live with you for years.
This is a Pro Event that has been designed to attract the best surfers in Australia and indeed the world. Australian, American and World Champions will compete in the three disciplines that are the basis of modern longboard surfing. Reminiscent of 1964, when Midget Farrelly became the first ever World Surfing Champ, the Northern Beaches returns to showcase the cutting edge of the excitement and visual beauty of the sport of longboard surfing.
The toothpick event is by invitation only because of the immense skill and water knowledge that the riders must possess – some of the invitees have grown up in the modern age of surfing and spectators will be gob smacked with the skill that these athletes display as they glide into the waves on their fifteen foot plywood and metal craft that are the beasts of a bygone era. The cult of surfing from the 1940’s and !950’s will jump out and grab the attention and admiration of onlookers who will see, many for the first time, the grace, beauty and danger inherent in guiding these monsters from takeoff zone to the beach.
“Logger” is the name used to describe the surfer that chooses the traditional board from the 1960’s, or replica thereof, as the instrument to carve an impression on the ocean face. These are not warriors they are the artists of the lineup and their intention is to gracefully extract the most out of every wave they launch into. Stylish bottom turns, looping cutbacks and round outs are punctuated with deft walking of the “plank” and neat hanging fives and tens. These are the guys and girls who conceive surfing as an art form and refuse to conform to the formula that dictates to the exponents of the modern short board approach – To them the wave is the music to which they dance. The wave is their canvass and their board an instrument of creation.
Enter now the contemporary longboarder who probably rides all types of boards from the snappy responsive short board through to the graceful and traditional standup paddle. These warriors need to dominate the line and perform amazing rips, reentries, three sixties, aerials, tail slides as well as the walking and hanging techniques used by the loggers. The approach is not one of grace but of extreme functionality and spectacular moves that attempt to tame forces of nature. The wave will eventually dictate but these guys and gals are reticent to surrender to the vagaries of the ocean.
Join us at Curl Curl Beach on the 30th of April 2011 and enjoy the exhilaration of a day that moves forward by looking back and showcases the beauty and awe of the sport of longboard surfing. "

Find out more at : www.curlymaljampro.com