An enduring event will continue its tradition of fostering board riding and community spirit at Moffat Beach during the Easter long weekend.
In its 47th year, the Pa & Ma Bendall Memorial Contest is believed to be the second-longest running surfing competition in Australia, behind iconic Bells Classic (60 years).
Named after legendary surfing identities Charles and Marjorie Bendall, it is organised by WindanSea Boardriders Club.
“The event is run by local club members, it’s got a lot of tradition and everyone looks forward to it every year,” club vice president Jason Daley said.
“It’s a good community event and it keeps a simple formula.
“There’s a lot of people who don’t surf who come down and support the competition. It’s a great day out for families.”
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The Bendalls settled in Caloundra in the 1950s and Charles “Pa” formed the Moffateers in 1966, as a club to promote integrity and sportsmanship in surfing.
Juniors were encouraged to join and were offered free membership.
After his passing in 1973, the inaugural Pa Bendall Memorial Contest was first held in his honour in 1974.
After Marjorie “Ma” died in 2001, the event became known as the Pa and Ma Bendall Memorial Contest.
The Moffateers disbanded in the late 1960s and the Caloundra Boardriders Club followed, which in turn became WindanSea Board Riders Club.
Daley said his club continued to follow Moffateers’ principles.
“It was an honour for surfers to join the Moffateers. You had to be an active member of the community,” Daley said. “It wasn’t just about surfing.”
“WindanSea sort of adopts the same role. There’s an expectation of members to be active members of the community.
“The (Pa and Ma Bendall) are the grandparents of the surfing clubs in the region so it’s very apt that this event is named in their honour.”
The contest is rare in that it is essentially open to all board riders, so it attracts relative rookies to full-time professionals.
“Any one is able to enter. It’s been well attended by local board riders, but we’ve always had people coming in from elsewhere,” Daley said.
Regular divisions include junior, cadet, open, senior, masters and legends.
“Masters and legends are the most quickly filled divisions and sometimes the most competitive,” Daley said.
Former three-time world tour runner-up Gary Elkerton is set to compete this year.
In previous years, the event has attracted the likes of Gerry Lopez, Terry Fitzgerald, Michael Peterson, Richard Harvey, Peter Drouyn and Nat Young.
Ex-WindanSea club members and Caloundra products Joel Parkinson, Serena Brooke and Wade Goodall have also taken part.
Among the former winners are Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew, Robbie Sherwell, Ben Silk and five-time champion Dave Reardon-Smith.
Mitch Parkinson and Ellia Mai won the open men’s and women’s divisions in 2019, ahead of Jagger Bartholomew, Oney Anway, Alister Reginato, Lucy Tandler, Jahly Stokes and Holly Anne Williams.
“Over the years the names of people who have entered are right up there in the top rungs of surfing,” Daley said.
“It (the event) is really well contested.
“The calibre of surfers I can already see on this year’s entry list is amazing, with some QS (world Qualifying Series) surfers among them.
“But the good thing about the Pa and Ma Bendall is that surfing against them are people from the community, and many are local board riders.
“There’s a really good spread of people who surf in it.”
A ‘mystery competitor’ is usually announced on the first day of competition and some years there are exhibition events. On one occasion former members of the Moffateers got back in the water to show they still have all the skills.
Organisers have moved the event to other locations due to conditions, including Moffat Beach shore break, Alexandra Headland and nearby Ann Street, which is the home of WindanSea.
The contest has not been held because of poor surf on some occasions. Last year, it was cancelled due to the impact of COVID-19.
“Someone told me they once decided it (the title) by a pie eating competition, in the really early days, when there was no surf one year,” Daley said.
“Whether or not that’s true I don’t know.”
Daley said the competition was, and still is, about people connecting.
“People would come from all over Australia to surf it and then if the conditions weren’t good enough, they used to get up to shenanigans at the Perle Hotel.”
The event still attracts competitors and supporters from around the nation and it finishes with presentations and a good time at Currimundi Hotel.
Daley said WindanSea, now 50 years’ old, was eagerly looking forward to having its first community clubhouse.
They gained approval to build one in December, after a court battle between the club and nearby property owners.
“It was intense, it went for quite a while and it’s taken quite a toll on the club but their (members’) resilience really shone through.” Daley said.
“We’re lining everything up for construction, getting the project ready.
“There’s a lot of co-ordination for it. Once we know we’ve ticked the boxes we’ll be ready to turn dirt.”
It’s estimated it will take three months to build and it is hoped work can begin near the turn of the year.
The clubhouse will be at the end of Buderim St, near the Ann Street break, where they run competitions and training.
“It will be great to have a home, to work those programs out of,” Daley said.
“It will also be a home for Caloundra Malibu Club and other groups.
“It will be able to be used by the community.”
The Pa and Ma Bendall Memorial Surfing Contest will be held at Moffat Beach, Easter long weekend (April 2, 3 & 4), from 9am-5pm.
