sinister

Having received notification of the swell from Swellnet almost a week earlier, the Billabong team flew down in advance and were in the water at sunrise, prepared for an entire day of tow surfing. The lineup at Shipsterns included three times world champion Andy Irons (Haw), former world number two Joel Parkinson (Coolangatta), young Australian charger Laurie Towner (Angourie), Dylan Longbottom (Gold Coast) and Brendan Margieson (Gold Coast).

Irons, who had towed into heavy sessions both in Hawaii and last years huge surf at Teahupoo just prior to the Billabong Pro Tahiti, rates Shipsterns and one mean mother of a wave.

Laurie Towner