Beach Soccer comes to Kirra this July!

You would probably be aware that last year we successfully sponsored a pilot of Beach Soccer at Kirra Beach. We have now been successful in attracting a larger event which has grown out of last year’s trial. We have committed sponsorship to the new event, which has a website that can be found here.  

Beach Soccer is massive internationally, particularly in the Western states of the USA and in Brazil and, with our international airport, we see tremendous potential for it to bring national and international recognition and visitations to our region.

About Beach Soccer
Although a relatively new sport in Australia the first games of Beach Soccer started more than 30 years ago on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The game quickly became an art form with highly skilled players doing diving headers, bicycle kick and spectacular tricks. Beach soccer also known as Sand Soccer is now widely played on beaches all over the world.

The participation of internationally renowned players such as flamboyant Frenchman and Manchester United legend Eric Cantona has helped to expand television coverage to large audiences in over 170 countries worldwide, making Beach Soccer one of the fastest growing sports in the world. In 1994, the first North American Sand Soccer Championships took place in Virginia Beach, Vancouver. This tournament has grown from 28 teams in 1994 to over 950 in 2009.

In 2004 FIFA made Beach Soccer an official sport under their banner. A year later, the inaugural Beach Soccer World Cup was played in Brazil. The first Beach Soccer World Cup was won by a French team coached by Eric Cantona. In 2009 the first Australian Men’s Beach Football team competed in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 Asian Qualifiers in Dubai. The tournament involved 16 nations including United Arab Emirates, Portugal, Uruguay, Solomom Islands, Spain, Cote d Ivoire, El Salvador, Russia, Costa Rica, Argentina, Italy, Brazil, Nigeria and Switzerland.

For the best Kirra Accommodation during this event, stay at Kirra Surf Apartments

 June 4-14, 2010

THOUSANDS of people converge on the border towns of Coolangatta, Kirra and Tweed Heads for Australia’s leading rock ‘n’ roll nostalgia retro event – a celebration of rock ‘n’ roll music, all things Elvis, classic cars and great dancing.

Held around the first week in June, Wintersun delivers two weeks of day and night events across various venues including concerts, dancing and dance workshops, classic and vintage car parades, music quizzes, kids entertainment and a street parade. View the 2009 Wintersun program for an idea of what to expect.

Many of the events are free, with some held in the streets and others in the local clubs and shopping centres.
The 2009 festival was held from May 29 to June 8 and attracted around 80,000 visitors, with the final weekend of the festival luring the biggest crowds.
Winter usually brings fabulous weather on the Gold Coast, creating ideal conditions for outdoor concerts and car shows.

Wintersun veteran Kevin Megee, of Tweed Heads, celebrated his 15th visit to the festival in 2009 and said the Gold Coast-Tweed location was perfect.
“There’s no other venue like this,” he said. “It’s got everything – the ocean, the river, the high-rises, the accommodation, parking for more than 60,000 people – it doesn’t equate anywhere else.”
For a program and ticketing information for the 2010 event, keep an eye on the official Wintersun website. For specific questions you can contact the organisers directly on (07) 5536 9509.
Accommodation for Wintersun tends to be booked from one year to the next, so be sure to get in early. Browse beds in the area online otherwise the Tweed Visitor Information Centre is in regular contact with accommodation providers and will know what is available – call (07) 5536 6737. 

A little history
The Wintersun Car Show is for pre-1974 vehicles only, so FJ Holdens line up alongside XP Falcons as side-burned drivers reminisce about Bill Hayley and the Comets.
The festival began as a local carnival in 1978 and by 1988 had evolved into an annual rock ‘n’ roll festival.
By 1995, the Wintersun dancing competition was offering trips to Graceland Elvis’ home as the major prize and the first Wintersun music CD was released.

The festival continued to grow and record crowds enjoyed record entries in the car shows.
By 2003, the Roulettes were performing their aerobatic routines in the skies over the festival and in 2004 fans could tune into Wintersun Radio for the duration of the festival it has come a long way since 1978!
In 2009, 80,000 visitors attended the festival which pumped some $20 million into the local economy. Despite the event’s success, there is continued speculation over shifting the event to a new location due to issues of council compliance and funding. The event is safe for 2010, however, and organisers have promised to give the community 12 months’ notice if it is to be moved.

February-March, 2010
Snapper Rocks, Coolangatta

The Roxy Pro Gold Coast event kicks off the women’s ASP World Championship Tour,luring the world’s top femaile surfing talent to Snapper Rocks, Coolangatta, on the Gold Coast.
The event takes place just before the men’s Quiksilver Pro at the end of February, and the lads often turn up early to check out the conditions.
A US$90,000 prize pool, the Snapper Superbank, near-guaranteed sunshine and the infamous Gold Coast nightlife combine to make the Cooly event one of the most popular on the world surfing calendar.

Gold Coast supremo and two-time world surfing champion Stephanie Gilmore dominated the 2009 final against Hawaiian Melanie Bartels, scoring a combined two-wave total of 16.07 to 12.50 in front of thousands of fans.
It is the first time Gilmore, who is a member of the Snapper Rocks Surfriders club, has won her home event since taking the title as a 17-year-old schoolgirl in 2005.

Coolangatta is the ideal location for a world surfing contest, with Snapper Rocks infamous Superbank one of the best right-handers on the planet. Roxy Pro folks make Cooly their HQ but if the wave gods arent smiling there are plenty of first class options nearby such as Duranbah, Kirra and Burleigh Heads.

There is loads of accommodation along the Gold Coast strip but as it’s best to book ahead in peak tourist season – check out nearby accommodation options here.

It is a great spectator event because at all venues there are good vantage points from the beach and headlands last year’s event attracted some 8000 fans, one of the biggest crowds ever seen at a surfing content on the Coast.
The Gold Coast nightlife makes the Quiky Pro a favourite with visiting surfers with plenty of post-surf party places to be found, from Conrad Jupiters casino to the famous nightclub strip off Cavill Mall in Surfers Paradise.

For the best daily coverage of the Quiksilver Pro visit www.goldcoast.com.au and buy the Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper.
For more information, visit the ASP website.

February 27 – March 10, 2010
Snapper Rocks, Coolangatta

The first World Tour event of the season, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast attracts the cream of the world surfing community to Snapper Rocks, Coolangatta, on the Gold Coast.

The 2009 event ran February 28 to March 11, with a prize pool of US$340,000 up for grabs.

Gold Coast surfer Joel Parkinson scored two perfect 10-point rides in epic 3m cyclone surf at Kirra to claim the crown.
And the homegrown advantage is big, with Coolangatta champ Fanning winning in 2007 and 2005, following Joel Parkinson in 2002 and Dean Morrison in 2003 respectively. In fact, Kelly Slater is the only non-Australian to win the event.
It was the first time a World Tour event has been held at the famed right-hand point break in 12 years.

The event is based at Coolangatta and aim to stage the competition at the iconic Snapper Rocks surf break, famous for its Superbank, but it’s a mobile feast. If the waves aren’t working there, organisers have an enviable array of options with Duranbah, Kirra and Burleigh Heads all world class spots close by, both for the competitor and the spectator.
It is a great spectator event because at all venues there are good vantage points from the beach and headlands.
There is loads of accommodation along the Gold Coast strip but as it’s best to book ahead in peak tourist season – check out nearby accommodation options here

The Gold Coast nightlife makes the Quiky Pro a favourite with visiting surfers with plenty of post-surf party places to be found, from Conrad Jupiters casino to the famous nightclub strip off Cavill Mall in Surfers Paradise.
For more, visit http://www.quiksilverpro.com.au/Home.aspx