The World Surf League Championship is due to be held in January next year at the Tupira Surf Club in the Bogia District of Madang province.
According to PNG Surfing Association President, Andrew Abel, it has taken PNG almost 10 years to be granted the opportunity to host such a global event and have PNG a permanent feature on the world stage.
With the growth of surfing in coastal and island provinces continuing to increase slowly but surely every year, the PNG Surfing Association’s (PNGSA) vision of expending to various parts of Papua New Guinea in promoting surfing and surf tourism is fast becoming a reality.
Abel, together with his team, are now setting sights on established surf clubs in the country which the association will donate long boards to in order to encourage both male and female surfers to become accustomed to them.
Nationwide, there are 500 affiliate surfers, however the general attraction to most of them is the short boards.
For these reasons, the emphasis of the association right now is to provide the necessary long board equipment to empower young and aspiring surfers to train in preparation for the world tour event coming to PNG next year.
Interestingly, PNGSA in conjunction with PNG Tourism Promotion Authority has planned joint marketing activities aimed at the greater international audience in an effort to raise Papua New Guinea’s profile as a favourable tourism destination.
