Supporters rue golden opportunity missed

The popular Pacific Palms surf spot was the WSL's preferred choice after Victoria's Bells Beach was deemed unsuitable to host an event in the next two months because of the state's COVID-19 situation.

However, opposition to the international exposure the beach would have received as a result of the two-day event saw the WSL opt to take it north, leaving some feeling like a golden opportunity had been missed.

Among them was Boomerang Beach Boardriders' founder, Gary Hughes, who felt the local kids had been deprived of a chance to meet some of their heroes, including seven time world champion Stephanie Gilmore.

With two local surfers to be awarded wildcards into the event, he believed it was a further shame that some of the area's brightest talent had missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show their surfing to the world.

"I think it would've been good for so many reasons," Mr Hughes said.

"The kids, the club and the community would've all benefitted."

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Also rueing the lost opportunity was member for Myall Lakes, Stephen Bromhead, who was a big supporter of the WSL's proposal to host the event in the area.

"This would've been something that would've highlighted Myall Lakes around the country and the world," Mr Bromhead said.

"We've missed out on a huge opportunity."

MidCoast Council growth, economic development and tourism manager, Deb Tuckerman, said while the event was intended to be a broadcast spectacle only, local businesses would've benefitted from the visiting competitors, event staff and support media.

Like Mr Bromhead, she also felt it would've been a great opportunity to showcase the region to an international audience.

"We are disappointed we didn't get the opportunity for further discussions about holding such a prestige event in our area but we respect the decision of the organisers," Ms Tuckerman said.

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Despite support from a number of significant parties, WSL Australia/Asia general manager, Andrew Stark, said the organisation was not prepared to hold the event at a location where it was not wholly welcomed.

"We conducted community consultation and we were not convinced there was overwhelming support for us to bring the event to that region; in fact it was clear to the WSL that there were people within the community who did not want us to come at all," Mr Stark said.

Pacific Palms' surfer and business-owner, Kirk Owers, was among those who objected to the event on the grounds that it would lead to overcrowding in the surf.

"The main thing is we've had quite a few contests here over the years, but this would've been a pretty big escalation in that it would've been televised all around the world," he said.

"It would've been the biggest exposure we've ever had in terms of surfing."

But Mr Hughes believed Boomerang Beach was already one of the more well-known surfing spots on Australia's East Coast.

"It's not a secret spot anymore," he said.

"People just don't want it to be crowded in the surf but it's crowded every weekend."

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Mr Owers also felt the event wouldn't have benefitted the community as widely as its advocates believed it would.

"I think with contests they tend to benefit a small amount of people and a larger number are left disadvantaged," he said.

The Australian Grand Slam of Surfing will showcase Australia's top professional surfers at three events throughout September and October while international competitions remain shut down because of COVID-19.

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