October 8, 2011, Kuta, Bali – The annual Rip Curl Surf & Music Festival kicked off today with a full schedule of surfing action at Bali’s world famous Kuta Beach, which saw the Men’s Open Division completing its first two rounds including two trial heats, and then all heats of the Women’s and GromSearch Divisions with just their finals remaining for tomorrow.
The Rip Curl Surf & Music Festival is a dual sanctioned Coca-Cola Indonesian Surfing Championship and Asian Surfing Championship 6-star event offering a total prize purse of Rp. 50 million (approximately $5,600 USD), and is the final event of the 2011 ISC tour season. It is the fifth of the seven stops on the 2011 ASC tour, the remaining events to be held in Taiwan and Malaysia.
Over 90 competitors from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, and Thailand arrived at Halfway’s at Kuta Beach this morning in hopes of winning their heats and progressing into the finals that will be held tomorrow afternoon.
Of the 12 women who competed today, it will be an all Indonesian affair with Yasnyiar Gea and Febrie Rahmaningsih from Sumatra, Gemala Hanafiah from Jakarta, and Dea from East Java meeting in tomorrow’s final to compete for the first place trophy. Yasnyiar Gea is the 4-time Coca-Cola ISC Women’s champion and looks to be the in-form women surfer to beat.
In the National GromSearch competition today the 12 best-of-the-best Indonesian and Thai groms battled it out for a finals berth and the chance to be crowned the 2011 Rip Curl GromSearch Asian Champion and win the trip to compete against the world’s best groms next year in the International GromSearch Final at Bells Beach. Making into the final are Jeren Kiring, Raju Sena, and Ediana Putra from Bali, and Deden Sutendi from Java. Kiring was the standout grom of the day’s competition, surfing beyond his years and making winning heats look easy in the often testing conditions.
The ISC/ASC Men’s Open surfers got through their first two rounds today, and the most skillful will take on the top seeds tomorrow in Round 3 and if luck is with them, progress all the way into the final. The 2011 Coca-Cola ISC Open Division Championship has already been sewn up by Marlon Gerber, but the race is still on for points in the ASC, with Raditya Rondi (Bali) currently sitting in the top spot being chased by Pepen Hendrik, (Bali), Marlon Gerber (Bali) and Lee Wilson (Bali).
In today’s Men’s Open action, it was Indonesia’s sole ASP World Qualifying Series representative Dede Suryana who put up the highest score of the session, a whopping 7.83 (out of a possible 10) to win his Round 2 heat and advance to Round 3. Look for him to show off some even bigger moves tomorrow as wave conditions are expected to improve in the morning for the start of Round 3, which will kick off early at approximately 6:30 am.
There were plenty of other activities going on during the day, like the Rip Curl Mirage Boardshort and Surfboard Test Drive Center where anybody and everybody has the opportunity to try out the latest Rip Curl surfboards from top shapers like DHD, EMERY, Tokoro, T. Patterson, Phil Byrne. Over 50 boards in all shapes and sizes are available to take for a spin during the weekend. The latest Mirage boardshorts are available for test-drives as well. All boards, boardshorts, fins, and leg ropes come with a 10% discount during the two days, so get on it!
Over at the Rip Curl Skate Park, the skaters were practicing up for tomorrow’s competition at the half pipe and street course, where about 60 of Indonesia’s top skaters are expected to wow the crowd and impress the judges while competing for the Rp 5 million that is up for grabs.
Back on the beach the Beach Hut girls were cruising around in their bikinis making sure that everyone had enough sun screen on. Beach Hut specializes in spray-on SPF 75 sunblock for bodies and for hair, and for each product purchased they are giving away a Frisbee or a waterproof camera.
Next to the Beach Hut was one of the most popular tents on the beach, especially later in the afternoon; the Brewers “Green” Beer Garden. Rip Curl and the Brewers Beer Garden have teemed up and produced reusable beer mugs for this year’s Surf and Music Festival. Just buy your first beer for Rp 25k and you’ll get a mug that you can refill for only Rp 20k. Keep it as a souvenir and help reduce the amount of plastic in Bali and around the world!
A launch party for the new Rip Curl Mirage Boardshorts was also held at the Brewer’s Beer Garden in Legian with a screening of the new Rip Curl Search documentary, “Float,” which chronicles last year’s Tip2Tip mission throughout Indonesia. Plenty of beer was consumed in a fitting end to an action packed day.
Tomorrow will see skating and surfing action and champions crowned including the Mirage Air Show where the most high-flying surfer will win Rp 5 million cash, and of course as Bali’s largest boardsports and beach concert party the Rip Curl Surf & Music Festival will conclude on Sunday night with an award-winning lineup of some of Indonesia’s best bands on the sands of Kuta Beach.
Band Lineup and Schedule for Tomorrow
All musical performances will take place Sunday beginning at 6 pm, following the Coca-Cola ISC and ASC awards ceremony. The lineup is:
King Of Panda: The festival’s opening act, this band officially formed in July of 2008. Also known as the “King of Teenagers” and “The King of Youngsters,” the band strives to be a role model for youth in a positive way. King of Panda’s genre is a pop/punk/hardcore mixture. In every song there are breakdowns, group vocals and singalongs.
Nymphea: People say that Nymphea has one of the most impressive female vocalists in Indonesia. With a powerful character that combines gracefully with the music arrangements and sounds, Nymphea has gone on to commercial success, including distribution by one of Indonesia’s major labels, Virgo Ramayana Records.
Teenage Death Star: Formed in Bandung in late 2001, Teenage Death Star combines a touch of rock n ‘roll with feedback noise, crunchy riff guitar, and a 70’s punk style to maximum raw power. Amplifier worship, booze, liquor, magic fog, sweat, crowd, smell, teens spirit. Here we go Teenage Death Star!
Endank Soekamti: Another rock band from Yogyakarta, Endank Soekamti consists of Ari (drums), Dori (guitar) and Erik (bass and vocals). The band’s genre could best be described as punk, though not always carrying its fierce ideology. The lyrics impress a funny, sometimes coarse and eccentric vibe – a typical Yogyakarta humor.
Shaggy Dog: The popular Jogja-based band is the headline act at this year’s Surf & Music Festival. Heru, Richard, Raymond, Bandizt, Lilik and Yoyo call the music they “Doggy Stylee,” a blend of several musical elements, including ska, reggae, jazz, swing and rock n ‘roll.
Photos by Hamish Humphries except Dede Suryana by Tim Hain
The Rip Curl Surf & Music festival 2011 is sponsored by Beach Hut, GUS, Smirnoff Ice. With media support by MAXIM, FHM, TRAX, Alam TV, JUICE, Area, SISTER, Oz radio Bali, Surf Time, Lines, Magic Wave, Baliwaves, Royal Video Magazine and sanctioned by the Coca-Cola Indonesian Surfing Championships and Asian Surfing Championships.
many congratulations and regards from panama city republic of panama.