Gold Coast surfer Holly-Daze Coffey will be taking on the world’s best at the Hurley Australian Open of Surfing in Manly on Thursday thanks to Surfing Australia’s latest documentary Wildcard.
Wildcard is a one-hour documentary that follows four junior female surfers selected during the recent Be the Influence Australian Boardriders Battle in Cronulla and who are given the chance of a lifetime to win a valuable wildcard spot into this week’s event in Manly.
The four surfers were Kara Durante (Elouera Boardriders), Eliza Greene (Yallingup Boardriders), Alysse Cooper (Queenscliff Boardriders) and Coffey (Snapper Rocks Surfriders).
Immediately following the Be the Influence Australian Boardriders Battle, the four were flown to the Hurley Surfing Australia High Performance Centre (HPC) in Casuarina and put to the test during a four-day selection camp with seven-time world champion Layne Beachley, ASP world no 3 Sally Fitzgibbons, Surfing Australia national coach Andy King and Surfing Australia sport science manager Dr Jeremy Shappard to see who will win the wildcard.
The 16-year-old Coffey, who already has an Australian under-18 title to her name, won the coveted wildcard into the Australian Open of Surfing following the camp and will be paddling out against some of the world’s best on Thursday.
‘The Wildcard experience has been so amazing,’ said Coffey. ‘To get the opportunity to go to the HPC and train with Layne Beachley, Sally Fitzgibbons and the whole crew up there was incredible.
‘They put me through my paces at the camp. Training with Sally – she is such a machine, so fit, and such an athlete. I’m definitely ready for my chance at the Australian Open of Surfing. I’m really pumped.’
Surfing Australia CEO Andrew Stark said the documentary will give women’s surfing more national exposure.
‘This is a fantastic promotion for women’s surfing and clearly shows a pathway from our national club program to the HPC to elite events,’ said Stark.
‘Holly was a worthy winner and will certainly benefit from the life-changing experience from spending time with Layne and Sally and from the chance to build her own profile through the show.’
This program was made possible by the Australian Sports Commission through the Australian government’s Women in Sport Media Grants program, an initiative to increase the exposure and reach of women’s sport in the Australian media.
The support enabled Surfing Australia to produce A Two Wave Total in 2012 followed by The Next Wave in 2013 and now Wildcard.
A Two Wave Total and The Next Wave were also televised nationally and both are available to view on Surfing Australia TV.
Wildcard will air on Channel 9 at 1.30pm on Sunday 23 March, except in Queensland, when it will air on Saturday 22 March at 12.30pm.
View The Next Wave.
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