WSL looks to add Boatramps (again) to backup venue for Margaret River Pro
The good residents of Margaret River sure ain't lacking for entertainment at the moment.
Nary a month goes by without another influx of tourists coming to an increasingly busy town as attraction after attraction gets added to the growing list, be it food, mountain bike or surf related.
Now the World Surf League is looking to expand its cache of waves on hand to include Boatramp for the 2018 Margaret River Pro.
If successful, this will bring it's tally up to four: Mainbreak, The Box, North Point and Boatramp - the region's premier big-wave paddle venue situated directly off the golden sands of Gnarabup.
Earlier this year, WA's tourism minister Paul Papalia made the surprise announcement. The event, said to generate "$5.4million in economic impact for the region", would remain on the WSL calendar for at least the next two years (now extended to five, according to the Shire of Augusta Margaret River).
It was a surprise because the announcement came from the WA government and not the WSL - typically not how it does business.
The move to North Point last year, repeatedly hailed as "historic" by Turpel, Pottz etc, resulted in access to the town being restricted for one day and the entire rock shelf at North Point closed off to all but a few cheeky grommets who'd snuck past the bouncers posted to prevent such things.
And the result? A couple windy drainers and Sebastian Zietz's 10-point ride.
Worth it? Maybe, maybe not.
Turning attention to Boatramp though, it's an often overlooked fact the WSL already had it in its pocket a couple years back but now it wants it back again.
The reef is a big wave aficionado's dream, capable of throwing up huge throaty barrels, long roping walls and even longer hold-downs.
// LP MICHAELS
Comments
It's never been called "boat ramps" until Kelly slater made some comment last year, "the ramp""the boat ramp"or even "boaties" but never "boat ramps" Another fragile dune and cliff system for the wsl to erect scaffolds on and spectators to climb all over , expansion of the footprint to claim almost all of the public beaches in Prevelly and Gnarabup during a school holiday and long weekend period,more surf spots to lock down from the public in the name of a good contest( both boaties and north point / Gracetown are the general overflow spots for the recreational surfers when the surfers point is locked down.There is already a lot of public sentiment (surfer and non surfing beach users alike) against this proposal and the contest in general with 2 week event in reality being 4 with set up and pull down and comments can be submitted to the AMR Shire planning (find proposal on their website before the 12th), also a public forum to be held early feb. Take take take WSL. Maybe pushing the goodwill of the local community and Shire generosity has gone to far this time. Greedy fuckers
Was called Boat Ramps back in the 90’s when I was surfing it.
It was called Boat ramps back in the 80's when I surfed it too.
There has always been just one ramp to put your boat in the water there hence the Boat ramp . I though you were dead MP! you were fucking great at Margarets
Ha ha......Margarets hey? But there's only one river.
Surfed it from 1968 to around 80 and some people called it Boatramps and some didn't. People always whinged about insignificant shit though.
As a 49y/o frother, I love watching the worlds best go to battle and to watch JJF reign supreme at Margaret's last year was incredible and the Box the year before was next level gold. I am not so convinced to hold heats at slow Nth point when it is not even properly firing, it was really a bit of a waste. It would have been better to hold an expression session with some of the locals invited, with local knowledge, you would not have seen any of the good waves go unridden and the worlds best would have been truly challenged. Boaties, now that is a completely different question, it breaks a long way out, a full 15minute straight full steam paddle at best, further when its really big. It will not make for good live spectator viewing and as Campbell already pointed out the dune and cliff area is fragile and it also does not present a natural amphitheatre like Margaret's Main Break does. It has held a special place in many locals hearts for a long time and only really starts to break when over 6 + foot solid, it does not want to be approached by fools who see the worlds best surf it and are made to think it is an easy wave. Really, isn't Marg's and The Box enough, c'mon.
WA surfers know when they're being sold a dud.
There is a raft of environmental and local issues as to why this shouldn't happen but why would the WSL/Surfing WA want to add a 'big wave break' to an already overcooked event when they dodged the only really big day at Margarets in their window for a long time to go to sub-par Norths in 2017? Surfing WA are desperately trying to hang onto this event and make it relevant after pro's whinged about Margarets not being a performance wave. Those same pro's were noticeably silent after JJF's performance out there last year and the few that did comment spoke of how tricky and challenging they find the wave. Stick to Mainbreak WSL/Surfing WA, the CT surfers just need to put some decent time in out there and the cream will rise.
View the proposal on the Augusta Margaret River Shires website on amrshire.wa.gov.au under events proposed or just submit your thoughts on the matter to spdplanning@amrshire.wa.gov.au with the title ref # P217724 before the 12 jan ( this date has been extended from the original date of the 5thdue to the lack of transparency of the organisers by lodging the proposal just before the shire and everybody else went on christmas holidays with a deadline of 2 weeks) sneaky tricks wsl.
I guess with all the ski assist and drone, fixed camera footage, the ramp would be viable. Spectators will be pretty disadvantaged on the live action, but it would make some pretty good viewing to see a comp at 10-15 foot out there (assuming the wind played the part)
Viable for who? The online audience? Definitely not viable for the local community on many levels. The WSL had their chance at that sort of surf in 2017 and walked away from it for poor North Point. I wasn't privy to the conversation but was told Luke Egan called the move from Margarets to North Point last year the second worst call in ASP history after Cloudbreak in 2012 with Parsons and Mel commenting they could of run a BWWT event at Margarets that day. The WSL weren't interested, the surfers didn't have the boards so why try for this?
"Luke Egan called the move from Margarets to North Point last year the second worst call in ASP history after Cloudbreak in 2012"
It's gonna take some topping to beat that one.
Funny not having the right boards ....pros right? ......couldn't understand the pros turning up to Cloudbreak knowing it was going to be huge .......and only taking boards under 7-0......or smaller.
Ronnie Blakey said that, while they didn't get prime North Point, it did show the refreshing value of not just having the WSL at the same breaks every year. I think that's right.
Stinks of cooperate greed and desperation. A bunch of promoters from Perth trying to sell out a place they don't live or don't surf, trying their hardest to stay in the Pro Surfer set with maximum lip service to the wsl, regardless of common sense or even a bit of gratitude for what they have been given over the years.Where else do you get 4weeks free exclusive use of the towns main beach and surf spot, be allowed to climb all over protected dunes and places the locals have been rehabilitating the other 11months and still they want more?One comment from KS and surfing WA go into emergency mode. Community forum? Sharpen those pitchforks i think things are going to get interesting and it could well end in a scaling down rather than an adding too of their ever increasing demands
Campbell knows best - has the right equipment and the ethos of all those that care about the place. Tom Hoye once told me I'd need at least a chunky 9'0" to get the best of the inside section of boaties, 10'0" and up to get anywhere near to the outer peak.
WSL, you're wasting our lives and tearing the heart out of Margaret River.
Everyone else, do as Campbell says.
Can't see why they need Boaties. Typically if Boaties is breaking so is Mainbreak.
I like the contest but it gets enough of Margaret River's soul.
Leave it at three venues.
They Always Dodge Margies when its big, a wave that breaks consistently in the same spot.......
Boatys breaks hundreds of yards area and they think they can use that break to compete......FKN Dimwits !
Using Boatramp for a pro contest is truely Wank a PRo Parasites
Spot on JE, Boat Ramps has a huge playing field, nothing like mainies. Not many waves will be caught in a comp. Having said that I was out there with TC just a few years ago and he was running rings around most, getting more than his fair share. Judging will be difficult from that distance. I totally agree that it is not a good call at all, it's a very bad call and one that will not be backed locally.
I reckon gas bay would be the go as well hollow pits split peak better than margy burgers
Not many swells where you could see them make the call to run at Boaties over the options they already have. Especially if the competitors packing 6’3 “stepups” have their say. But fuck, the greed and ignorance of the “surfers” involved in running the show really boggles the mind. Keep up the good fight Campbell.
That's a great point. If Boaties is on, then it'll be big enough for North Point, both prefer similar conditions too. Why create another quandary? They've already shown the difficulties in choosing between Main Break and Box, and Main Break and North Point.
The day they moved to Nortpoint the swell was too South. If it was SW-W everyone would of been getting barrelled. Some of the photos I saw from Main break that day it was very contestable.
Not really ben, because the ramp is good on south swell and not on west .
Thats the opposite of the N.p which seems to be good when theres a very west swell ! & doesn't recieve south swell (as you saw last year )
My point being - do they really need to lock down an individual location for every kind of swell/tide/wind combo? Why stop at four breaks: how about a small wave reef or beachie that'll cope much better with <3ft days than Mainbreak? Then they'll have the event properly covered.
Do you reckon that Dirk will be cool with the surfers of WA getting exclusive access to his wavepools for nothing ?
Only for 2 weeks of the year of course.
Ben, his point is that the WSL should mind their P and Q's seeing that " they're " basically an individual and singular , rich American fella by the name of Dirk Ziff that has never been to WA , never introduced himself to the surf community , never communicated his intent to the direction he wishes to take the mainstream idea of OUR culture .
Let alone ever laid atop a surfboard in a choppy sea.
So why are West Australian surfers being locked out of the unowneable ocean just because a rich dude from a foreign country wants to host a theatrical event to profit his private business ?
Some surfers seem to struggle with the idea that an epic surf line up is worth more than a few dollar signs $$$$.
Great debate
I have no time for wsl pro surfing in general
Such a pack of leeches
A load of spank the whole World Tour bullocks.
Industry exams for a select few handsome /hot marketable robots for the fashion masses to ogle and pretend to be like.
Vomit.
Yep agree, they all Blo goats.
Got it's namewhen the boatramp was built during the Abbott Govt. I said to Tony 'Tony ya can't be serious! Why would ya build a boatramp here? there are 20 ft bombs out back!' to which Tony replied 'I told the electorate I'd stop the boats. So here you have it - no boats or children overboard - take your pick!'
I went to the comp a few years ago and half way through they shifted to the Box. Been at the site became strange as all you could do was watch it on the big screen. When they were at Mainbreak it was a great experience watch the wave and then spin round and watch the replay on the big screen
They all seem to froth on the Box but in the meantime when they had shifted even at that size there were some seriously large and great waves straight out the front.
Why do they need to shift it at all. Margies handles any size and to call it a mushburger at size I think is pretty ignorant as if you pick a good left there are some challenging and amazing sections that would sort the men out from the boys.
They get a bit of exposure from the webcast but I think someone is bullshiting about audience and reach so the main benefit to the town can only be from the influx of spectators. So why not stick it at Mainbreak with their crazy city they build.
One day who ever is funding the circus is going to wake up and realise that a sporting event that rruns over 8 hours, consists often of two people bobbing up and down is not going to become like tennis or golf
when they are on a wave for most non surfers it all looks the same and is as boring as batshit. About the only thing that gets non surfers interested is big waves and even this is limited to a short wow factor.
Even the number of surfers actually interested is limited.
It will go full circle back to the clothing companies who actually make a dollar out of promoting their product and "surf stars" will be back to pick up the pieces
even one ofthe few things going for it which is the end of year drama of Hawaii and world titles, triple crowns and requalification dramas with cinderella stories and hearbreak they want to throw away.
they start to actualy build some history and now are going to trash its for some bizarre play off where it will come down to the guy at the top winning or losing one heat
Lets forget telecasting the surfing lets get a camera inside the meetings where they are coming up with this stuff as I think it would just be gold the flow of bullshit that must be coming out of these guys mouths to whoever is writing the cheques
“Lets forget telecasting the surfing lets get a camera inside the meetings where they are coming up with this stuff as I think it would just be gold the flow of bullshit that must be coming out of these guys mouths to whoever is writing the cheques“
Bloody oath!
Is the Zirf Dirfer making any money outta pro surfing really fellows??
Although Leroy thinks the W.A gov didnt need to annouce this.. Leroy also thinks better to keep this on the low down and if it gets perfect then move to the reef if needs must, but only as a forth option kind of a deal.. Leroy thinks there might be some pissed off locals. Leroy thinks if you go out there for a competition then no shark protection devices.
Know thy masochism. Know thy white pointer, and come to love and respect thy man in grey suit.. And as always, if in doubt -wear a condom.
"I'd be honoured to be eaten by a shark" -Kelly Slater.
He said that.. no bullshit.
Gary is down with your turn of phrase, Leroy
"I'd be honoured to be eaten by a shark" -Kelly Slater.
When he sees that thing munching on his leg for lunch i think he would retract that statement....but hey sounds cool eh.
If they hadn't made it mobile then we never would have experienced the
https://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/38161/miguel-pupo-first-wave-wipeo…
Margs. The only comp where the organisers and competitors are desperate to hold the event anywhere but the main event site.
I’ve said it before, Margs just doesn’t cut it at CT level. The grab for Boaties just confirms it.
It’s pretty clear if it weren’t for the generous government subsidies the WSL wouldn’t touch Margs.
It should be noted that you’d barely need one hand to count the days at Boaties each year that resemble the photo above, both in wave quality and in crowd numbers. (That’s crowded! I’m guessing the pic was taken during the comp with the surfers being exiles from their beloved Main Break, probably on ‘John John Saturday’ - the best day at Margs in years, if not ever, and unlikely to be surpassed anytime soon).
Like Box and the Bay chances of the event being held at Boaties are miniscule. But Margs seems to need a gimmick each year to survive through to the next contract signing, in addition to the extra fistfuls of cash.
Interesting to see which way the now green majority Shire Council votes on Boaties particularly given there are very few spots to watch the distant surf from other than on top of hooded plover nests in the dunes. This before anyone pulls the Prevelly/Gnarabup bushfire trap card?
The WSL, Surfing WA and the state government ought to be wary of overreach and the subsequent backlash that is slowly fomenting.
If this forum is any gauge then it should be voted down.
Hi
I would like to register my concern re extending the WSL Margs comp venues to include the surf spot know as "Boaties".
As a principal coastal engineer with over 15 experience in coastal engineering and assessing impacts from human involvement I would strongly suggest that the Shire does not accept this proposal as it will negatively impact the community.
•The surf event already has 2 spots available to them (with the potential of 3rd North-point if agreed again). This is more than any other WSL event on tour.
•There is absolutely ZERO benefit to the local community for increasing the comp area to include boaties.
•The ecosystem where the event would be staged is a soft beach scape (sand dunes and soft vegetation). The beach is very narrow in this area which means that the dunes will be impacted. This dune system is a last line of coastal defence protecting neighbouring residential properties from storm surges. Disruption to this dune system is unacceptable.
•Access to the beach at Boaties is very limited and parking is insufficient. The access point would need to be extremely close to the blind corner along Prevelly road creating a significant safety issue with cars coming from the North. Closing the road is unacceptable.
Yours faithfully
“There is absolutely ZERO benefit to the local community for increasing the comp area to include boaties.”
Depends on whether the World Ziff League demands the entire comp be contingent on access to Boaties, like it has with North Point. My guess is they won’t.
Well then they can fuck off and go play in their wave pool...
Your right ernie !
Final day to lodge submissions against this latest WSL land grab today. Ive seen a more recent management plan including Bouncers lining the dunes to keep spectators at bay, so well thought out stuff. Submissions don't have to be long and involved (even better if they are and seems you guys can write down your thoughts on things like this pretty well) sheer numbers of comments count, email details and ref number for sending comments above in my earlier post on this page. Help support recreational surfers to keep in the water where they belong, it could be your beach one day.
Margaret River and its surf can sell itself these days and doesn't need a bunch of greedy promoters with a ever expanding contest to do it for us . Appreciate your help, thank you.
Well spotted Campbell,
Link to register a concern (or support!) is here-well worth a look either way.
https://yoursay.amrshire.wa.gov.au/margaret-river-pro
If successful and they do pull the trigger, it appears the judges tower (6m x 6m x3m) will be set up either on the beach or the dunes at Gnarabup with boat ramp access restricted to "mariners and WSL jet skis" on the day should it run. Competitors will get 12 bays in the bottom carpark and WSL allotted 10 spots up top and one can assume which 10 spots they will be!
Nothing to indicate if the entire top (or bottom for that matter) carpark will be closed in the event of it running.
Have a look here: https://yoursay.amrshire.wa.gov.au/margaret-river-pro/documents
Yes Anthony, there is a story there for you, (non for profit) Surfing WA claiming a 5 million dollar injection into the local economy with this contest, it might be time for an audit to see where the money trail goes, just how much is spend on the nightly parties held onsite at the VIP tent for the duration of the event, the 24 hr lighting and security etc etc The continuing standover techniques of these promotors " give us more or we may take your contest away" might be starting to wear a bit thin. Years ago the Surf Pro or various labels it ran under was the ONLY event in Margaret River in the year (other than the Ag Show anyhow), it concluded on a set date and attracted hundreds maybe thousands even for the final weekend,usually with a concert or the like on the sat night, these days our town has an event every weekend,wine food, sports, writers ( a mardi gras is coming even! )you name it, some of these bring ten of thousands of participants, their supporters and tourists for the weekend all spending money, filling up restaurants, accom and with much less impact to the town and local population than the Surf Pro does in its 2 weeks (read 4 weeks with set up /pull down, the contest does not come close to this, the tourism angle just doesn't cut it either, sure seeing Tom Carrol tramping wine or MR wondering dumbstruck in the Forrest gets out to the online audience but they are mostly just surfers watching a surf contest online and mostly already know Margaret River has good surf, not high dollar tourists in any capacity. The very fact that they feel the need for more and more breaks to showcase just screams desperation of the lack of product they have. I've said it before Margaret River can and does sell itself without needing a overblown, over budget surfing contest to do this. The surf was pumping earlier this week and the beach was busy all day, tourists everywhere, watching surfing and surfers and not a contest in sight.
Your right there Campbell...
i support your quest for shutting these ho-daddy parasite posers down.....
Fight the good fight !
Ironic that the last two days of a phenomenonal superbomb groundswell with conditions as good as they get for both breaks, Bommie was the pick over Boaties (at least for the four or so total hours that I watched). Maybe WSL should apply for Bommie access too!
Autumn should be reserved for the locals that wait all year for the primo months. Not get it handed over to a bunch of FKN Dimwits !!!
what a joke , they can't surf the main break lefts so why do they think the boaty left will be any easier? felipe Toledo won't even be able to catch a wave out at boats ramp. what sort of wave do they think it is, cloud break ?
There will be an open public meeting to discuss the application to use Boat Ramp as part of the Margaret River Pro on thursday at 6pm at the Margaret River Rec Centre.More people that turn up to throw in their two bob the better.
Turn out there are many facets of the contest and its ever widening footprint that have been unchecked and unregulated for a while now, getting green lit by public servants that don't really have the authority to do so and have strayed a long way from the current approved Shire Surfing Policy. Boat Ramp has never been an approved spot (regardless of the "again " stated above) for surfing competitions in this policy as well as time frames extending well over agreed policy guidelines for current contest/exclusive use, number of competitors and spectators involved. Seems by pushing the limits of local goodwill and generosity with land grabs of more and more spots may turn out to have been a less than shrewd move by the profiteers/organisers. Turn up, bring a log to chuck in the fire.
Good work Campbell. Keep these pricks in check.
I just don't understand the rationale behind this. Not a particularly contestable wave compared with the existing options o Main Break, Box & NP.
I can't imagine any of the pro's turning up with suitable boards if it was looking primo and if the swell was big enough for it to properly fire, what chance they cancel it due to 'competitor safety' the way Fiji was cancelled when it was huge.
Is there a bigger political or money issue at play here?
WSL told in no uncertain terms where to go at tonight’s public consultation on Boaties.
Great result for Margaret River and the recreational surfing community in general , a resounding NO to the request for Boaties and Gnarabup beach to be used and abused like the rest of the spots for the surf pro. The submission was withdrawn by Surfing WA after a very insightful public forum on thursday evening. A good turn out and more light shone on some seriously flawed management and duty of care processes that have been in place with this event in general. The blasé "oh we will just fix the damage we do"and "oh thats just progress and the evolution of surfing so suck it up people" attitude sank the boat. The use of North Point decision is to still go under a council vote later this month. Thanks to all those that supported us on this .
Top stuff. Hopefully North Point get's given back to the people and then it pumps throughout the waiting period.
Yes, stupidity loses, nice work.
Well done to all involved