By Justin Flynn
A 12-HOUR road trip up to Sydney is not all that bad when a major surf comp awaits at the other end.
Young Ocean Grove surfer Charlie Mahoney is off to Whale Beach, on Sydney’s northern beaches, to compete in the 11th annual Hurley Barton Lynch’s Blast Off this week.
The 12-year-old Our Lady Star of the Sea Year 6 student was chosen to surf in the unique under-14 surfing festival – that attracts the largest field of any kids’ surfing event in the world, and is by far the biggest grom surfing event in Australia – with the focus firmly on fun and self-improvement.
Charlie commenced his trip up to Sydney by car today with a stopover in Albury with his dad and brother. The heats start on Monday.
“I hope to make it to the semi-finals,” Charlie said.
“I enjoy surfing because it makes me feel relaxed when I’m out on the water.”
Charlie had his appendix out only four weeks ago and is still building up his strength to compete.
He combines surfing with surf life saving at Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club and plays football for the Collendina Cobras.
He enjoys surf life saving and wants to be a volunteer life saver when he’s old enough.
“It’s not something I’d do forever, but it would be good to help the community when I’m a teenager,” he said.
There a few things Charlie wants to work on with his surfing including reading the waves better, but “meeting people and having fun” are his priorities at the moment as well as improving in general.
More than 360 groms will hit the beach for the Blast Off and they will get the opportunity to meet event founder Barton Lynch as well as the likes of legends Layne Beachley, Tom Carroll, Rabbit Bartholomew, Terry Richardson, Damien Hardman, Ozzie Wright, Richie Lovett, and upcoming surfers like Cooper Chapman.
