Welcome to 2019/20 Season

Welcome to season:

Welcome to the PIBC 2019/20 season,

First off, I'd like to introduce the 2019/20 PIBC Committee:

  • President, Dylan Matthews

  • Vice President, Kyle Ross

  • Treasurer, Marcus Wright

  • Secretary, Carolyn Simonds

  • Club Captain, Harry De Roth

  • Media & Communications, Caigan Meade

  • Social Secretary, Francis Meade

  • Committee Member, Taylor Holub

  • Committee Member, Geoff Russell

  • Committee Member, Kyme Farley

  • Committee Member, Carl Wright

  • Committee Member, Ty Sorati

The committee has a breadth of surfing and professional experience, with state champions and WSL level judges combining with local surfers to create a highly competent and diverse committee.

Calling All Hands Working Bee

Our first and most important item of business this season will be an 'all hands working bee' at the PIBC clubrooms on Saturday October 18th and Sunday October 19th (if needed). We’ve spent the last few months securing materials for a great deal of hands on work that needs to be done around the clubrooms, including the usuals such as painting, rubbish removal and tip runs, plastering, carpentry, plumbing, AV and antenna, window washing, landscaping and general cleaning. We also have some special projects related to making the clubrooms more fun to be around at presentations and social events, for both kids and adults alike, but you have to be there in person to learn more about these.

We are calling all members who are available on the Saturday to come down to the clubrooms and lend a hand for a few hours to help us get through the long list of things that need to be done. We'll provide a free BBQ and drinks for everyone who helps out.

Register your interest via this Facebook Event so we know who to expect, otherwise email contact@pibc.com.au or text message 0411 612 165 to let us know if you can help out and what skills you bring (carpenter, plumber, electrician etc.).

Events, Divisions and Formats

We've been working hard in the off season planning a range of events, formats and divisions to get the most out of the coming months of what we hope will be excellent waves.

Seniors

The event dates for the Seniors 2019/20 season are as follows:

  • PIBC Seniors Aggregate 1: Saturday 23rd November, default location Cape Woolamai 2nd Carpark (Sunday 24th backup)

  • PIBC Seniors Aggregate 2: Saturday 14th December, default location Cape Woolamai 2nd Carpark (Sunday 15th backup)

  • PIBC Aggregate 3: Saturday 8th February, default location Cape Woolamai 2nd Carpark (Sunday 9th backup)

  • PIBC Aggregate 4: Saturday 7th March, default location Cape Woolamai 2nd Carpark (Sunday 8th backup)

  • PIBC Aggregate 5: Saturday 4th April, default location Cape Woolamai 2nd Carpark (Sunday 5th backup)

Aggregate divisions for the Seniors 2019/2020 season are:

  • Under 18 Male

  • Under 18 Female

  • Open Men

  • Open Women

  • Legends (50 +)

  • Malibus (Male and Female combined)

  • Expression Session (40-60 minutes, Male & Female combined)

Senior members will be able to surf in as many divisions as you want this season, with all divisions having the opportunity to surf in at least 2 heats for each event. As events will be single day and Saturday only, If timing issues arise due to too many registrations in secondary divisions, preference will go those who are division regulars at PIBC Club Captain discretion. For example, if a 16 year old member enters under 18s, Opens and Malibus and we need to cull heats to finish the day before 4pm, the under 18 may be cut from the Malibu division.

Alongside our aggregate events, there will be a number of one-off specialty events, looking to mix up the old school and the new and diversify the competition at PIBC. Our specialty events can be split into 2 groups, January Summer Events and Floating Events:

January Events

  • Single Fin & Twin Fin Special: Saturday 11th January 2020. This event will be all about unconventional surfboards, with all crafts allowed that don’t have 3 fins. Judging criteria, formats and structure TBC closer to the date but will likely prioritise style and flow.

  • Soft board & Foamie Summer Bash: Saturday 25th January 2020. This event will be 100% soft tops and foamies with a judging criteria to match. More details for this event will be released closer to the date.

Floating Events

Utilising the format of the WSL Big Wave World Tour (RED, ORANGE and GREEN lights), we have secured permits to run wave and location specific surfing events over a floating period from October 1st 2019 to April 1st 2020. These are experimental events with limited entries and will only run when the conditions are perfect for that spot. If the waves and conditions aren’t cooperating, it won’t run. Also, we will be relying on individuals who know these spots to make the call as well as prioritising the entrants based on competency at those spots. Our floating events include:

  • Express Point, 16 entrants, format/progressions TBC. Event Manager TBC. This event will be focused on the EP specialists.

  • Speedies, 16 entrants, format/progressions TBC. Event Manager TBC. This event will be focused on 14 and under surfers.

  • Summerlands/Penguins, 16 entrants, format/progressions TBC. Event Manager TBC. This will be a Malibu focused event.

  • Cat Bay/Shellies, 20 entrants, format/progressions TBC, Event Manager TBC. This event will be focused on supergroms and parents of supergroms.

Supergroms

This season the Supergrom program is being revamped with the assistance from Island Surfboards. This means our new default location for Supergroms will be Smiths Beach and not YCW and we’ll have a dedicated supervisor from Island Surfboards for each age group, Mini Groms (4-7 years), Super Groms (8-10 years) and Master Groms (10-14 years). Like all previous years, it will be mandatory that a parent or guardian accompany each grom surfer and parents will be responsible for their children’s safety.

The Supergroms dates for 2019/2020 season are (exactly the same as the seniors):

PIBC Supergroms Event 1: Saturday 23rd November, default location Smiths Beach

PIBC Supergroms Event 2: Saturday 14th December, default location Smiths Beach

PIBC Supergroms Event 3: Saturday 8th February, default location Smiths Beach

PIBC Supergroms Event 4: Saturday 7th March, default location Smiths Beach

PIBC Supergroms Event 5: Saturday 4th April, default location Smiths Beach

Little Rippers

We are also excited to announce a new program called the PIBC Little Rippers, which will run over 1/3 days between Boxing Day and New Years Eve 2019 (dates TBC), including full surf lessons from Island Surfboards and a specialised water safety session called Surfers Rescue 24/7, delivered by Surfing Victoria representatives, focused on how to understand rips, water safety and how to perform rescues with normal surfboards, all designed and taught by those who are in and around our local surf breaks over the entire year, not just the summer months. It will also include free BBQ at the PIBC clubrooms each day, giving everyone the opportunity to socialise, watch video footage from the day of surfing, possibly some high profile guest speakers and for the grooms to be in line for fantastic prizes from our many sponsors.

The Little Rippers program will be open to the public as well as members, but limited places will be available given the dedicated coaching component. Supergrom members will be able to sign up at a discounted rate, with non-members paying a premium price (cost TBC). More information regarding the specifics of this new initiative will be available on our website and social media accounts over the coming weeks as we finalise the numbers.

If you are interested in this program please email us directly at contact@pibc.com.au to secure a spot on the waiting list.

Ando

Another important event for this season is the drawing of the raffle and fundraiser for long time club member and legend Matt Anderson. Ando was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and with that comes many costs for treatment and helping Ando and his family during this tough time.

On the 30th of October from 6pm, the official fire pit raffle drawing and fundraiser will be held at the PIBC clubrooms, with amazing items up for grabs and a keg with all proceeds and donations going towards Matty Ando and his family. As a club, lets band together support Ando and his family during this tough time.

Victorian Teams Titles

Next weekend on Sunday 13th October at Bells Beach, the PIBC Elite Team will be travelling to Bells Beach to compete in the Victorian Teams Titles. We’ll be getting a small bus to bring the team over, but will have space available for anyone keen to support the team against our long time rivals Torquay Boardriders Club.

Australian Boardriders Battle and Phillip Island Pro WQS

The Phillip Island Pro WQS event will return to our beaches from Thursday 7th November to Tuesday 12th November. It’s likely we’ll have many local competitors against national and international QS warriors, as well as the two PIBC wildcards, both Open Male and Female champions from last season, Harry De Roth and Sage Goldsbury.

This year, WSL, Surfing Australia and Surfing Victoria have decided to run the Australian Boardriders Battle Victorian Qualifying round during the PI Pro event window on Saturday 9th November, location TBC based on conditions. After two very successful years at ABB on the national level, the PIBC team need your support to once again get to Newcastle to compete on the big stage. If you’re around on that weekend, make sure to keep an eye on our social media accounts to know where the event is being held and to get around our elite team.

We are really looking forward to the 2019/20 season and cant wait to see what it brings.

Kyle Ross, on behalf of the PIBC Committee

Caigan Meade