1999 World Champion Mark “Occy” Occhilupo will be surfing a board from the days before he was a household name at the world famous point break of Burleigh Heads, for the 2009 Honolua Burleigh Boardriders Single Fin Classic. The event is one of the most prized on the surfing calendar, soul surfing on boards over 23 years old, some 30 years or older. Real surfing, back to the days where getting your board and going surfing somewhere with your mates was the dream tour, not contests and prize money.
Occy will also be attending the Burleigh Boardriders Charity Luncheon on Friday, those not there to hear from stories from Occy and chat with the legend on Friday, will be lining Burleigh Point on Saturday when the former world champion takes to the water, and competes on one fin, something he hasn’t done since 1980.
The 3 day festival starts on Friday with the legendary Burleigh Boardriders Charity Luncheon, to be held at Burleigh Bears Leagues Club, guests speakers include NRL legend Craig Wing, World Champion long distance open ocean paddler Jamie Mitchell, Channel 9 celebrity chef Pete Evans, Mark Ochilupo and WCT surfer Bede Durbidge. The lunch is to be hosted by legendary funnyman Freddo Lang, who will have plenty of stories from his tour of Iraq with Angry Anderson and Tania Zannetti. Gold Coast WCT surfers will also be in attendance, plus a host of former World Tour Pros from the single fin era. A giant photography & sport memorabilia auction will also be held, charities include the NSW Down Syndrome Association and Burleigh Boardriders Junior Development.
Limited places are available, a few tables remain for the Burleigh Boardriders Single Fin Charity Luncheon, tickets are $100 per person and include food and refreshments. Tickets for the luncheon are available from Burleigh Bears Leagues Club, or Burleigh Boardriders Vice President Ash Humphries by calling 0439762018, or Club president Edward Lindores, on 0413 757 551