James Griffi n: WSL

WSL Championship Tour

JAMES GRIFFIN WITH BETHANY HAMILTON

NSW PREMIER, GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN WITH MANLY MP JAMES GRIFFIN, MOLLY PICKLUM  SHELLY BEACH, NSW (LEFT) AND PAIGE HAREB  NEW ZEALAND (RIGHT).

THE WSL SYDNEY SURF PRO, HOSTED IN MANLY, WAS ONE OF THE LAST MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS IN AUSTRALIA BEFORE COVID-19 HEALTH RESTRICTIONS CAME INTO AFFECT.

AFTER THAT, WEEKEND PUBLIC SPORTS EVENTS COULD NO LONGER ACCOMMODATE CROWDS AND THE BUSINESS THAT FOLLOWED DRIED UP FOR OUR CAFES, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS. The event itself was a great experience for locals and visitors coming to Manly to watch the surfi ng and enjoy the area. Our beaches enjoyed casual onlookers as well as people traveling to watch a nail biting fi nish. Australian Matt Banting was only just beaten by less than 0.14 points. We were all completely unaware that this would be the last occasion many of us could gather and celebrate in such numbers again.

It is only fi tting then that as we carefully roll back restrictions with over a month of no community transmission in NSW and vaccines being rolled out, that the fi rst major events returning to the Northern Beaches will be the World Surfi ng League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) in Narrabeen.

Announced in February, I joined Member for Pittwater Rob Stokes to announce that NSW was going to be the new home for the CT as WSL looked to secure its surfi ng calendar for 2021. The Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic will make its way to the Northern Beaches from April 16-26, bringing competitors and spectators to our beaches, hotels and cafes. The timing could not be better as the beaches rebuilds from the summer close down and the NSW Government invests back in the area through the Dine and Discover $25 voucher program. It is not just about bringing the surfi ng to Narrabeen, but the business and the confi dence that will follow with it.

The beaches made hard sacrifi ces in response to the outbreak in December and after responding quickly and effectively, we now have the opportunity to reap the benefi ts.

It’s our job to open up Manly and welcome visitors from across Australia, encouraging them to dine and stay here while the surfi ng is on in Narrabeen.

In Manly, we have so much to give from our beautiful natural environment to the diversity of entertainment and experiences on offer. I think we are all looking forward to new beginnings this year as we move past the adversity of 2020.

I am anticipating a year where Manly can emerge stronger and offer more to the local traveller coming to Sydney. •

beenb nbeebeebe APRIL 16-26

JAMES GRIFFIN, MP FOR MANLY