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TRUE TALES FROM THE WORLD TOUR: GOLD COAST
Megan Abubo and friends make memories on Australia's Gold Coast
By:
Megan Abubo
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March 9, 2008
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Torrential rains and wind struck the North Shore in early February so I took off to Australia for the Roxy Pro Gold Coast a couple weeks earlier than normal this year.
And of course I wanted to be there because one of my best buds, Serena Brooke, was going to throw me a big 30th birthday bash with some of my friends from down under. I love starting the New Year fresh and getting all amped to compete, especially after having spent the last two months in my own bed.
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Outfit of the party probably had to go to Jessi Miley-Dyer for her impression of me. It was hilarious! She was all time, she even painted herself. Then there was an anti-racial crew of girls that were funny. Everyone was in fine form. The drums were played. And Brodie Carr, the CEO of ASP Intl. went as part of a Japanese ping pong team. Oh, and I can't forget Kate Skarrat's husband Mick Wilcombs who dressed as Mr. Shito, an annoying Japanese paparazzi. So after recuperating from saying goodbye to my 20s, we got dolled up for the best ASP Banquet I've been to in all the years I have been a pro surfer. Steph Gilmore gave an amazing speech for such a young woman, I was proud to be a pro surfer that night. The Red Bull after party was pretty sweet as well. And we went clubbing in high heels and formal dresses, a sight that anyone would have paid to see! I had an awesome time staying with Serena. It is so good to see her back on tour. She worked really hard on the WQS to get back here and it isn't easy with today's new crop of surfers. She and I have spent many years together and I truly was excited to have an old friend back on tour. Crazy too, but Sauce (Serena's nickname) is fitter and more focused than I have ever seen her before. Geeze, must be something about your 30s! Everyday was fun and we rode motorbikes, skateboards, played smash ball, or swam in the pool when we weren't surfing. Life is so hard, isn't it? It felt like home away from home. Everyday was fun and we rode motorbikes, skateboards, played smash ball, or swam in the pool when we weren't surfing. Life is so hard, isn't it?
The Roxy Pro was a bit like the movie Groundhog Day, waking up each morning to the same thing: No contest, bad waves. That was, until we were finally blessed with really fun D-bah. I love that little beachie. It brings out great things in your surfing because it's so punchy. All the girls were ripping and going for broke and the contest was on. It was really consistent so it was just a matter of getting the right waves because everyone was surfing so well. After that, the Round 3 match-ups were pretty stacked and, of course, I drew the only other Hawaiian in the draw. Oh well, that's the way it goes sometimes. Unlucky for me, Melanie Bartels was on fire. We had a good heat and she always brings the best out in my surfing so I was really excited to have her, but bummed because I lost. There were some really good heats throughout the event and Carissa blew my mind once again. That kid is something else. But Sam Cornish managed to stop her, and eventually Sam was defeated by Sofia who was out for blood since she finished runner-up for the World Title in 2007. I remember the year I got runner up, I came back and won the first event, too. It's weird like that. Sometimes it makes you hungrier, having been so close to victory but still just missing out. All in all, I had some good food, good wine, good laughs, and really enjoyed my time on the Gold Coast. But then I heard the waves have been all time back on Oahu so I decided to live the real surfer's dream and pull out of an up-coming Aussie WQS event to go surf perfect waves at home. Kind of like going home for a surf trip, then it's back down under to Bells for the Rip Curl Pro, which is my favorite contest ever. MORE WOMENS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |