Australian Stephanie Gilmore, three-times World Surfing Champion, was named Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year 2010.

The female surfer beated windsurfer Antoine Albeau and fellow surfer Mick Fanning. Chris Cole and Danny MacAskill were also shortlisted for the award.

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt has been named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for the second consecutive time.

World-class surfers Kelly Slater, Taj Burrow and Owen Wright will be busting out their best moves for the Boost Mobile SurfSho presented by Samsung, taking place on Bondi Beach this weekend (12th to 14th March 2010).

The first international surfing competition to take place on Bondi Beach in over 20 years, the three-day event is free to attend and will see the most exciting aerial surfers from across the globe competing for a $30,000 prize on Bondi’s famous waves.

According to Swellnet the conditions are looking great for the event, “ Friday morning should offer solid 3-4ft sets before easing a little during the day. Winds look to remain moderate from the south-east all day, so although conditions will be bumpy, the surf should be quite peaky with good launch pads for aerials.

Australian surfer Dane Bird celebrated his 23rd birthday today by eliminating former world champion Mark Occhilupo on day three of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) 4-Star rated Burton Toyota Pro.

But there remains some doubt as to whether he will continue surfing in the event or attend the funeral of his grandmother who passed away last Saturday.

The funeral is scheduled for tomorrow in Brisbane and Bird is torn between competing and being with his family.

The idyllic surf town of Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is set to stage the largest surf festival in the world, when the Global Surf Industries Noosa Festival of Surfing 2010 presented by Golden Breed kicks off from March 14 -21.

Now in it’s 19th year, the Festival to be staged around two of the world’s perfect longboarding waves First Point and Noosa West (Access 12), will host over 700 competitors across 20 divisions ranging from the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Longboard Qualifying Series (Pro), to Amateur, Stand-up Paddle and Specialty divisions.

“The entry field this year has been unprecedented,” said festival director Phil Jarratt from Noosa this week. “We have an exceptionally strong Pro field in the Men’s division and the specialty Noserider trials and Suncorp Stand-up Paddle events have seen a surge in entries this year. With many of the world’s top athletes competing, next week’s festival promises to showcase some of the finest surfing as well as entertainment for the whole family.”

Storm Surfers – New Zealand is the sequel to the highly successful Storm Surfers – Dangerous Banks.

This time big wave surfing legends Ross Clarke-Jones and two time world champion Tom Carroll will be hunting waves off the South Island of New Zealand.

They are aiming to test new GPS and impact technologies and to work up new designs of their boards with advanced wave testing. And of course there will be the usual antics.

They will attempt to tow-in to a 4,000 foot ski slope on their big-wave boards, search for dinosaurs in remote national parks and hunt a pig for a traditional Hangi feast.

Trailer #1 – Storm Surfers New Zealand by Ross Clarke-Jones and Tom Carroll

The Professional Longboard Association kicked off its 2010 season two weeks ago, and couldn’t have asked for a more exciting event, as surfers and PLA staff were flooded with Tsunami warnings, and higher than usual tides and waves caused by the earthquake in Chile.

The first two rounds of OB Pro was smooth and on schedule, but as the day wore on and the women started to compete, the Tsunami weather kicked in and put a hold on the contest for about thirty min. Luckily the clouds opened up and the contest was able to resume. The second day, started off just like the first day ended, as the contest saw high tides and big waves that closed the pier, and kept PLA staff and surfers off the beach for the better part of the day. With large waves, and confident surfers the PLA was able to run a successful event through all the natural weather conditions.

In anticipation of the Boost Surf Sho on March 12th 2010, Australian surfing prodigies Tyler and Mikey Wright will be joining Habbo Australia (www.habbo.com.au) – the world’s most popular virtual world for teenagers – live on Thursday 11th March 2010 at 6PM AEST to discuss life in between the waves.

This unique opportunity will give fans the chance to discuss all things surfing with two of Australia’s youngest and most talented female and male junior surfers, as they prepare to surf with the world’s best at the largest aerial surf event, The Boost Surf Sho.

At only 15 years of age, Tyler is the youngest ever winner of an Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Women’s World Tour, the Beachly Classic. Mikey, now at age 13 was one of the world’s youngest sponsored surfers at age 8. Both Mickey and Tyler will discuss with Habbo users their dreams to follow the success of their brother Owen Wright, who is seeded 32 in the world.

Ohope surfer Dylan Barnfield barnstormed his way to a national title today (Sunday 7th March) winning the Open Men’s Division at the Hyundai National Longboard Championships held at Whangamata Beach over the weekend.

The surf remained large for the final day of the event with 2.0m waves hammering the Whangamata Beach as well as the remaining surfers in the event.

For Barnfield, regarded as one of the most talented young longboarders in New Zealand, it was by far the biggest win of his career. The twenty-year-old surfer has won events on the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour in the past but the added prestige of this event doubling as the National Championships bested all of his previous feats.

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 22, reigning three-time ASP Women’s World Champion and defending event winner, has taken out the 2010 Roxy Pro Gold Coast in punchy two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves at Snapper Rocks over fellow Finalist Melanie Bartels (HAW), 27.

The opening event of the 2010 ASP Women’s World Tour season, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast enjoyed an exciting final day of competition, culminating in Gilmore’s emphatic win in front of a raucous hometown crowd.

In a deja vu version of last year’s event, the Australian and Hawaiian squared off once again in the Final, with Gilmore taking the win and the dream start to her 2010 campaign for a fourth ASP Women’s World Title.

The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) will honor surfing legend Tom Curren as Waterman of the Year, environmental leader Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as Environmentalist of the Year, and iconic surfboard shaper Al Merrick with the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award, as part of the association’s annual Waterman’s Weekend environmental fundraiser.

The 2010 Waterman’s Weekend will be held July 8-9 and will raise funds for 19 ocean conservation organizations. The weekend begins Thursday, July 8, with the Waterman’s Classic Golf Tournament at the Monarch Beach Golf Links, and culminates on Friday, July 9, with the 21st annual Waterman’s Ball and auction to be held at The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, Calif.

“The SIMA Board of Directors and Environmental Fund are humbled by the honorees selected for Waterman’s Weekend 2010,” said Paul Naude, Chairman of the Waterman’s Weekend Event Committee and President of the SIMA Environmental Fund Board of Directors. “On behalf of the surf industry, SIMA is proud to honor a duo like no other, Tom Curren and Al Merrick, for their unique and powerful influence on the sport and industry of surfing. We are also incredibly thrilled to celebrate Robert F. Kennedy’s commitment to protecting and preserving the ocean and waterways at the 21st annual Waterman’s Ball.”