Kelly Slater Launches NSR website

Fri, 12 March, 2010

Bondi Beach (Australia) One ‘iconic’ Australian beach has made the cut to become the first of three inaugural World Surfing Reserves, it will be announced here tomorrow.

The National Surfing Reserves (NSR) movement, which enshrines exceptional and culturally significant waves and beaches in Australia, has inspired a global effort to do the same. World Surfing Reserves (WSR), a nonprofit organization launched in California in December of 2008, seeks to identify and enshrine the most important and cherished surf areas around the world.

This Saturday NSR will be joined by nine-times professional World Surfing Champion ‘King’ Kelly Slater, who will announce the first World Surfing Reserves.

Waikiki in Hawaii and Malibu in the USA, along with one Australian beach have been put forward as the first WSRs. They were selected from over 150 iconic beaches nominated by 34 national surfing governing bodies.

Waikiki is generally recognized as the birthplace of modern surfing, and while the near-shore environment there has become a colossus of concrete and glass, the beach itself remains host to the world’s longest-standing surf culture, the sport of ancient Polynesian kings. Malibu Beach, California was the scene of surfing’s rise to media prominence via the beach-oriented films created by nearby Hollywood studios. Malibu was also the place where the modern lightweight surfboard was developed and popularized in the 1950s and ’60s.

Australia, with 10,685 beaches, is considered to be the foremost surfing nation in the world and some of its beaches are now being recognized as the ‘jewels in the crown’ internationally.

“In Australia, surfing has become a way of life for millions, it’s emblematic of our national cultural identity and this announcement shows we’re No. 1”, said Brad Farmer, Chairman of National Surfing Reserves, a partner in WSR.

Only one Australian beach will be honoured as a WSR in 2010. NSR intend to ask the Prime Minister of Australia to make the final announcement later this year.

Beyond its cultural significance, each WSR is a meeting of land and sea selected for the unique and salutary nature of its waves and natural setting. The dedication of each WSR seeks the protection of this coastal zone of waves and habitat from wanton destruction and exploitation, through no other mechanism but the positive force of appreciation and valuation.

Conjunct with the announcement of the first WSR, Kelly Slater will join with NSR founder and Chairman Brad Farmer and co-founder Professor Andy Short OAM in launching a new NSR website, which offers access to this exciting new vision to people all over the world. (www.surfingreserves.org)


WHEN: 9.30AM (TBC 0413 031870) SATURDAY MARCH 13, 2010
WHERE: BONDI BEACH (SOUTH) VENUE: BONDI ICEBERGS ENTRANCE

Link: www.surfingreserves.org