On snow trick tips

After what was a pretty epic season up at our snowfields coaching the next generation of rippers, I spent some time at Mt Hotham's park breaking down a few tricks to basics. I had so much fun filming the first series of trick tips for Anakie Outerwear, with the help from head designer the lovely Erin Height. If you want to check out some good ways to approach boxes, rails and step up from 50-50's check out the video!

And if you aren't able to hit the hill till next season, keep these tips in mind for next time.

Watch this space for some more trick tips, and always remember don't let fear hold you back too much, get out there and Have some Fun!

On the field with GVTV

Earlier this winter I joined forces with a dedicated crew to help produce and co-host the first season of Gridiron Victoria Television - GVTV. I've been loving getting out on the field, catching some exciting Gridiron action, interviewing the guys post-game and throwing a ball in between takes.

They're about to head into the finals series, so it's only going to get more exciting. Even if you don't know the game, it's a blast to watch, and pretty cool to catch when it's on in your locale. Head to their website or facebook to find out more, in the mean time, here's a few clips from Episode 2, where I profile the Croydon Rangers and Gippsland Gladiators, and help create a buzz around the first ever Victorian Women's side, the Western Foxes.

You can catch GVTV monthly, on the second Monday of the month, on Channel 31, Digital 44 at 6:30pm. 

Reporting from the Rip Curl Pro

This year's Rip Curl Pro was another epic week of surfing from the world's best, and Bells Beach was firing all week. The aerial surfing and epic battles made it super exciting to wait for the scores to drop, and watch the stories unfold. I was down on-site to catch some of the action on the beach, and it was sweet to watch the men's finals with the sand between my toes. I had the opportunity to catch up with some more of my idols and the people that make an event like this happen. Herb Corona captured it for News Geelong, in between his heat analysis. You can check out the story here.

Our local Vicco surfers also represented and it was awesome to catch up with Nikki van Dijk and Nic Muscroft after their impressive surfing, winning the Trials and competing against the best.

Here's some more coverage I put together - 'Victorians step it up at the Pro'.

Helping protect Bells Beach

Apart from being home to a rich Indigenous history and some of the most best known quality surf breaks in the world, Bells Beach on Victoria’s Surf Coast is also a raw and beautiful reserve that needs protection from high visitation and over-development. Population increase and growing numbers of visitors means places like Bells are under even more pressure than ever before from human impacts.

Luckily, caring members of the community have taken Bells under their wing; as part of groups like the Surfrider Foundation, Bells Beach Preservation Society and Surfers Appreciating NaturalEnvironment.

Clean Up Australia Day at Bells in March was just one of many environmental events Surf Coast Surfrider Foundation initiate each year, and the day saw the groups get together to clean up Bells with the help of over 50 volunteers from the community. If you haven’t been part of an environmental action day yet, it is just awesome to see the energy, sense of community and good feelings going round, knowing that you are doing something to keep these patches of paradise protected and respected, and raising awareness about the area at the same time.

Surfrider’s Surf Coast Branch president Rich Bennett told me about the local groups’ long history of protecting the Bells reserve; check out what he had to say here.