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Brazil is boasts eco-friendly surfing contest
by George Mojo
23/08/2007:// Brazil is boasting the most eco-friendly surfing contest site in the world.
The Billabong Girls Pro Itacare is being staged at Praia Da Tiririca and is part of the women's world pro surfing tour.
Situated on one of the most idyllic beaches on the ASP circuit, the contest site is boasting a globally unique design.
Developed by environmental NGO Yonic, in collaboration with Billabong and the Itacaré Town Council, the venue is made up mostly of recycled materials and one of the few such events, to leave no damage to the natural environment when the competition is over.
Comprised of recycled plastic bricks, coconut sheath paneling, abandoned wood (wood that is picked up off the floor) fencing, chairs and benches made from woven recycled newspaper and abandoned wood, as well as natural waterfall showers created from small forest streams, the event site is as much a paradise as the area itself.
“The sport of surfing is so much a part of nature that our objective at this event was to build a 100% ecological structure,” said Geraldine Belmont, co-founder of Yonic and project manager.
“The idea was that the community would work together to build a structure that would benefit both the people of Itacaré as well as nature, leaving only good behind.”
Belmont has been working on this event for the past two years but is also heavily involved in finding solutions to trash in her hometown of Itacaré.
According to Belmont, between 80 – 300 tons of rubbish is produced by the population of Itacaré daily, all of which would ordinarily be dumped in the rainforest.
“We decided on a handicraft solution to rubbish,” Belmont explained. “We encourage the community to use a hands-on approach to fighting waste, so that they will have the opportunity to build their skills, rather than an industrial solution which causes more pollution in the long run.”
With a large factory outside the town, Yonic takes a non discriminatory approach to trash and believes that everything (expect hospital waste and batteries) can be recycled into consumable goods.
All of the rubbish created by the eight day Billabong Pro will be processed into a large trophy by the Yonic factory and auctioned off on the last day of the event. The proceeds of this auction will go back into purchasing basic foods stuffs for the impoverished community.
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Layne Beachley (AUS), 36, has officially announced her retirement from full-time competition, effective at the end of the year
Former Exeter University student Josh Lewin first heat at the Ocean and Earth Pro in the Canary Islands has been delayed because the 2ft surf was deemed uncontestable
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