Surfers descend on Scotts Head for the 37th Logger Heads Malibu Classic Property/Sports/Opinion - popup ad Sport Sport Results by News Of The Area - Modern Media - July 20, 2023 Nambucca Heads local and a finalist from last year’s Logger Heads Malibu Classic, Geoff Gardner puts some polish on his form in the lead up to this years event. Photo: Geoff STONE. LONGBOARD surfers from all over Australia will descend on Scotts Head this weekend for the 37th Logger Heads Malibu Classic. Nearly 200 surfers from 11 to 75 years old will compete across three days, 21 – 23 July, in a longboard competition that boasts a national reputation for being as competitive as it is fun. A reason the Logger Heads Malibu Classic has remained one of the country’s most-popular longboard competitions is that Scotts Head offers surfers a long, sand-bottom, point ride. Well protected from the winter southerly winds, ideal surf conditions can last all day enabling competitors time to demonstrate their ability on the longboards. All competitors will be riding 9-foot-plus longboards, including the Old Malibu division, where surfers will be riding original pre-1965 longboards. These boards are much heavier than the modern day longboards, which dictates the style of manoeuvres competitors can master. There are 15 divisions in the Logger Heads Malibu Classic, from the under 18 junior ladies and men, through to over 70s men and over 40s women. President of the Logger Heads Malibu Club, Barry Jagoe, told News Of The Area competition would be tough. “Many past winners will be returning to defend their titles, including Jack Norton from Newcastle, past winner of the Galleria Open Logs, Josh Dunn from Shelly Beach MC who was last year’s winner of the Golden Sands Tavern Old Mal division, Danny Bond from Arrawarra in the Eungai Rail Store over 70s and Alan Sheldon a Logger Heads Life member, in the Bennett Surfboards over 65s.” “Local surfers to watch are Mark Fuller in the Munro Surfboards over 60s, Manda Godfrey in the Catalyst Surfboards over 40s Ladies, Lilly Lawson in the Surf ‘N Raks Junior Ladies and her father, Jamie Lawson in the iQuarry over 45s, Logs and Troy Martin in the Reflection Holiday Parks over 50’s,” Barry said. The Logger Heads Malibu Club advises that Scotts Head beach offers spectators great vantage spots to watch the surfing action over the three days and visitors are welcome to attend a social gatherings at Club Scotts on Saturday night, 22 July, where the band ‘Loose Cannons’ will provide entertainment. In conjunction with the classic each year, the Logger Heads Malibu Club runs a charity raffle, donating proceeds to organisations such as the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and the Nambucca Valley Cancer Support Group. By Mick BIRTLES Looking forward to competing on his home break, Scotts Head man Tony Burton prepares for the 37th Logger Heads Malibu Classic. Photo: Geoff STONE.
