Easties looking for young blood

A GROUP of local surfers began their campaign to build the younger side of their club on Sunday.

East Corrimal Boardriders, a group of about 60 surfers who come together 12 times a year to compete in a social surfing competition, had their first meeting of the year at East Corrimal Beach over the Australia Day weekend.

The registration and junior development day marked the start of the season for the surfers, but official point scores don’t begin until the next event.

In the lead up to Sunday’s event East Corrimal Boardriders President, and long time local surfer Michael Van Opstal said the inaugural meeting of ‘Easty Boardriders’ was about encouraging more young people to join the club.

“This Sunday is a registration and junior development day so we’re trying to coach some of the junior kids and we do a few trial runs and a few drills with the juniors,” he said last week.

East Corrimal Boardriders is entering its 3rd year in 2008.

The club’s member numbers have been climbing steadily since it was founded, with those in the 12-18 year age bracket making up about 15-20 of the current 60 members.

Mr Van Opstal said it is hard for the club to retain members around the age of 17 because there are a lot of other things vying for their time at that age.

The club is particularly interested in recruiting people who like to surf between Bellambi and Wollongong.

East Corrimal Boardriders run 12 events every year, and have a presentation at the end of the year to award the top-scoring surfers.

They also try and organise trips away each year, and encourage older surfers to act as mentors to junior riders.

For more information on East Corrimal Boardriders please contact Michael Van Opstal on 0402 803 385.

Information is also available online at www.eastyboardriders.com.au.

Interested surfers can still join East Corrimal Boardriders at the first pointscore event on Sunday, February 3.