Happy Easter to all! I hope you’re getting into some waves. Next weekend is the inaugural Kit Deger Memorial Junior Surfing event at Beach House on the Coral Coast.

Young surfers will compete in the Under-12’s and U16 boys and girls divisions.

“Kit” was passionate about surfing and encouraged young kids to take up the sport and discover the passion. This event will definitely honour his energy.

Powerade 16 and under winner Kalani Wakeham has entered and determined to stamp his authority over his competitors. Api Comoro and John Vasea will be keen to outscore Kalani after finishing behind him in the Powerade event.

Kiesha and Kayla Wakeham will again do battle against each other but others like Sienna Gough and Maria Nailawa will push the sisters to perform at their best.

The U12 boys’ is a tough one to pick with so many improving everyday but Kalama McKellar and Darcy Dwyer should feature in the finals.

Entries are filling very quickly and if you’re not quick you will miss out. With the event being straight in front of Beachouse Resort there will be plenty of grassy areas to sit and watch the performances. It should prove a magnificent family day. For last minute entries info@surfingfij.com.fj

CALL FOR SUPPORT

The Fiji Open Surfing team desperately need your support to get to this year’s ISA World Open Surfing Games in Biarritz, France. The event is the pinnacle of international surfing and this is the first time Fiji has sent an open team. The team have been training hard to ensure they’re ready for whatever Biarritz throws at them.

Tevita Gukilau, Lesi Navawui, Inia Nakalevu and Che Slatter will do Fiji proud but without your support they won’t get there. Please go to the FSA Facebook page and click on the link to donate even a small amount to help get them to France.

JUST A GLANCE

Kit Deger, Waterman, Founder of Chair in the Air, volunteer for the Fiji Surfing Association junior programme and all around legend and nice guy, passed away suddenly in Fiji at age 47 after two epic days of surfing Cloudbreak.

Kit had a deep respect for the ocean…a love and appreciation for the beauty in wave. This permeated through to his approach to life…passion for his work and appreciation for all those he met. 
The first time I met Kit was during a first aid course update at the Fiji Beachouse. I remember he jumped in at any chance he could to tell tales of his encounters with dangerous marine creatures. He seemed to have been everywhere. Through my year of volunteering with Kit in the area of junior surfing development in the FSA, I learnt so much from him; in particular, his fluid and cool style of surfing, his strategies in coaching, and the way he communicated with people. He captivated everyone with a story every now and again, reminding us how beautiful yet dangerous and powerful the ocean is.

Kit was committed to the development of surfing in Fiji, especially in regards to junior surfing development. He volunteered countless hours to by helping coordinate competitions. He was around for the whole of the Volcom Fiji Pro 2012, helping out in any way he could. Associations need more people like Kit…people who are willing to volunteer their time and energy into something that really drives them. Kit’s love for surfing permeated through the association and really gave everyone that extra buzz of energy. He could talk for hours of how to enhance the involvement of kids in the villages and how to contact people or gain funding.

Kit and I travelled along the south coast of the main island of Viti Levu with elite surf coach, Ian ‘Porto’ Portingale in July last year. We had a lot of time to chat over beers and sing in Go Surf Fiji’s black monster truck. Listening to them talk about their lives was like absorbing a whole history book on surfing from the 50s through to present day. I was slave to their lame dad jokes and regular road side toilet breaks, but I remember it as one of the most rewarding and hilarious weeks I spent in Fiji whilst working for the FSA.

• Cassandra Thomas, Surfing and Surf Life Saving Education Officer, Fiji Surfing Association