East Coast swell lures international surfers

Current world number one surfer Joel Parkinson and 1999 World Champion Mark Occhilupo will get to taste what many visting surfers miss on their travels to New Zealand – a solid East Coast swell.

With the run of good conditions set to continue this week, the duo will travel to either Coromandel or Bay of Plenty on Thursday May 27 and Gisborne on Friday May 28 as part of the Corona Surf Trips. Hitting the best surf on offer is the focus of the four day whirl wind visit and the swell forecasts could deliver just what the two Australians want.

A strong easterly weather pattern is currently forming out to sea from the North Island. This system will develop a solid easterly swell by mid week. Come late Thursday the winds turn to a more favourable westerly direction which should clean up the swell and hopefully provide the perfection that the surfers are looking for.

A careful watch on the weather over the next few days will determine whether “Parko” and “Occy” visit the Coromandel or Mount Maunganui on Thursday.

Friday will see the two surfers fly to Gisborne where the easterly swell is forecast to produce solid swells and light offshore winds by the end of the week. New Zealand surfers and Gisborne locals Maz Quinn and Bobby Hansen will join the boys on arrival, providing valuable local knowledge and additional fireworks in the free-surfing display.

As well as surfing at each destination, Parko and Occy will sign autographs from the beach.

Surfing website www.surf2surf.com will provide up to date information, exhibition times and exact locations of the Corona Surf Trips as they come to hand.