Surfers to take to the waves this weekend

This Gold Coast surfing competition is a favourite for our surfers.

IF there’s one thing surfers agree on, it’s that the Burleigh Single Fin Classic is one of the best events around.

Gold Coast surfing legends Cheyne Horan and Joel Parkinson and up and coming star Liam O’Brien all pick the Single Fin as one of their favourite events on the calendar.

The competition starts today and sees a line-up of 105 surfers competing over men’s, women’s, junior’s and legend’s divisions.

Horan will be surfing in the legends heat alongside Tom Carroll, Mark Ochiluppo, Brad Gerlach and 1980 Stubbies Classic Champion Peter Harris and said he’s excited for it.

“I’m really looking forward to surfing Burleigh with the legends. A lot of them are my friends,” he said.

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While Horan said he should go well, he’s just out there to have fun and will be surfing on a single fun from 1983 which he won Bell’s on.

Cheyne Horan wins at Bells Beach in 1984. Photo: cheynehoran.com.au

“I like the single fin and I like Burleigh so I should go OK,” he said.

“I know this place quite well, so I’ll probably be giving the other guys a few waves because they’re coming from overseas and a few from Sydney, but I’ll be looking to get some good waves out there.”

I just want to have a lot of fun- Burleigh is a really good fun wave.”

Horan said Burleigh is his favourite competition.

“It’s a great event. I haven’t been able to surf in it for a few years, but this year they’ve found time to have the legends heat and I’m really looking forward to being able to surf,” he said.

Meanwhile, Parko and our next surfing star Liam O’Brien, 19, will be competing in the 64 strong men’s division.

Burleigh’s Liam O’Brien will be surfing in the Single Fin Classic.

Parko has come out of his recent retirement to compete in the event.

“I enjoy this weekend and I enjoy the single fin,” he said.

After a stellar 2018, O’Brien said he’s looking forward to kicking off 2019 with the Single Fin.

“I don’t get to do something like this that often so it should be good fun,” he said.

O’Brien said he’s aiming to have another strong year on the Qualifying Series and work his way up through the ranks in hopes to qualify.

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However, the Burleigh boy isn’t not putting too much pressure on himself heading into the Single Fin.

“I’m feeling good, I’m not expecting too much of myself- just get out there and have a bit of fun,” he said.

“It’s good to be home. I’ve been away a fair bit this year so it’s nice to be back and always good to surf on the home break.”

The Single Fin Classic is a unique event where surfers will be competing on single fin boards, made pre-1985.

It will also see a junior division of 24 surfers and women’s division of 12.

The classic runs today and tomorrow.