Surfing Victoria, The Bolt Blowers and the Surf Coast Shire Council are stoked to announce the Bolt Blowers Invitational, a surf event to raise money for mental health awareness, will take place this Easter Saturday at Bells Beach.
After the disappointing cancellation of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, this event will fill the place of the event for 2021 whilst raising money for mental health charity One In Five and Aboriginal mentoring organization, Strong Brother, Strong Sister.
The funds donated to Strong Brother, Strong Sister will allow Aboriginal young people to access a positive Aboriginal Mentor once a fortnight to learn how to surf, water safety, surf development training but most importantly to improve their health and wellbeing.
The funds donated to One in Five will be used to help fund medical research into mental health. One In Five supports leading Australian mental illness experts at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and Monash Health.
“We are in awe of the work that the Bolt Blowers community have done over the past 16 years” said Surfing Victoria CEO Adam Robertson.
“They have been ahead of the curve in shining a light on mental health and raising money for mental health focused charities.”
“With the cancellation of the 2021 Rip Curl Pro, this was the perfect opportunity to raise the profile of this event and the issues around mental health we are all facing after a tough 12 months.”
The event is run as a team format with each team having 7 surfers competing in succession with their total wave scores tallied to find the winner. All surfers must ride either an original single or twin fin board that pre-dates 1983.
“We are humbled to be invited to take Bolt Blowers to Bells on Easter Saturday. It highlights even more the power of people coming together with the one voice” said the Bolt Blowers Committee.
“We work with grass roots programs that create real change within communities and thanks to Surfing Victoria and the Surf Coast Shire we are able to continue to shine light for mental health”
Teams who have previously supported the event will get first priority to enter the event, with entries opening to the public on the 9th March. The event can only accept 24 team entries.
Surf Coast Shire Council Mayor Libby Stapleton welcomed the event to iconic Bells Beach.
“Through disappointment comes opportunity – the cancellation of the Rip Curl Pro has created the window for something new and I am delighted the Bolt Blowers Invitational is ready and willing to take on the famous Bells Easter swell this year.
“Further, I am excited that through surfing we have an opportunity to support important mental health research and the acclaimed Strong Sister Strong Brother program.
“Respect and promotion of indigenous culture is one of our management principles for Bells Beach so the Bolt Blowers Invitational is an ideal fit for 2021.”
More information will be released in the coming weeks via www.surfingvic.com
The Bolt Blowers Invitational is supported by the Surf Coast Shire Council and Surfing Victoria.
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