Promising future for Coast surfers
Tue 11 April 2006
Jonathan Williams, Journalism
The Sunshine Coast is gaining a reputation as a breeding ground for some of Australia’s best young surfers.
Former professional surfer Robbie Sherwell has witnessed hundreds of surfers come through the ranks on the Sunshine Coast.
He does not doubt their talent, but believes they need to step up a gear mentally.
“The kids here have definitely got the skill and the talent, to compete at the highest level, they just really need to apply themselves a bit better,” Sherwell said.
He also believes they do not have to follow the likes of Joel Parkinson and Serena Brooke who went to the Gold Coast to further their careers.
“If they apply themselves, someone’s not too far away from winning a world surfing championship based on the Sunshine Coast. The only reason they go south is to chase the dollars, which is fair enough, but I think it can be done from here,” Sherwell said.
The Sunshine Coast currently has a promising crop of junior surfers.
Mitch Coleborn and Leigh Sedley are both WQS surfers. Then there is Julian Wilson – arguably the Coast’s most talented current junior and possibly the best ever. The 17-year-old loves the Sunshine Coast lifestyle.
"I just cruise, relax, sleep in, maybe have a couple of surfs, just hang out with my mates," Wilson said.
The surf scene is not restricted to short boarders. The Sunshine Coast also boasts some of the country’s best long boarders, in particular Alexandra Headland’s Grant Thomas and Noosa’s Josh Constable.
Both are world ranked surfers, who are fierce rivals in the water and good mates out of it.
Constable recently competed in the Noosa Festival of Surfing competition with a neck injury.
"[It was the] biggest contest of the year, on my home break, I wasn’t going to miss out on it," Constable said.
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