MATT Wilkinson will return next month to defend his Surfest crown after it proved the “perfect” start to his breakout season in 2016.
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The world No.5 is expected to be the men’s top seed when fields for the 6000-point qualifying series contests at Merewether from February 20-26 are announced this week.
Fellow Central Coast surfer Glen Hall, the 2010 Surfest champion, started coaching Wilkinson last year and confirmed the goofy-footer would be chasing back-to-back titles at Merewether.
“He’s in, he’s going to be there for sure,” Hall said.
“He enjoys Newcastle and competing in the waves around there. He thought it was the right thing to do as well, to come back and defend his title.”
Wilkinson was a standout at Surfest last year before dominating Italian Leonardo Fioravanti in the final 17.83 to 13.33. It was the start of a career-best streak taking in his first CT win, at the opening event at Snapper Rocks, and another at stop three, Bells Beach. A second at the Fiji Pro in June kept him in the world title race until a round-two exit at the penultimate event in Portugal.
Despite the late disappointment, the 28-year-old’s fifth-place finish on the CT easily eclipsed his previous best of 18th in 2015.
“Surfest was a perfect year-starter for Wilko,” Hall said. “There were some good rights, he got into his groove and got his comp head on. He found some good form there, got the win and that without doubt helped him at Snapper and Bells.
“He found himself in the title race for almost the whole year. Unfortunately he didn’t finish on top, but you can’t deny he had a pretty amazing year from where he came from the year before.”
Hall, making his debut as a coach after retiring from competition, also had a remarkable year. As well as guiding Wilkinson, Hall helped Tyler Wright to a maiden world championship and Laura Enever to a career-best season of 10th.
Hall said Wright would not be coming to Surfest after having “a lot of time off”.
“She didn’t feel she’d be ready to compete at the top level then, so she didn’t want to commit and only do it half-arsed,” he said. “But she’s in full swing training and surfing.”
Enever, though, was a chance to compete at Surfest.
“She’s entered but she’s carrying a knee injury from throwing herself over the falls at Jaws,” Hall said. “Hopefully she’ll be right.”
Hall also helps Wright’s brother, former world No.3 Owen Wright, who is recovering from a brain injury suffered in fall at Pipeline in late 2015. Hall said Owen was talking about a Surfest return and “wanted to be there, but he’s not quite ready yet”.
“He’s slowly making his progress towards a comeback, but the timeframe is still unknown for everyone, even himself,” he said.
“He’s just taking it easy and easing his way into it. He’s surfing and training and he’s really happy, which is a good thing. He’s past the real serious side of the brain injury and he’s in a position where he can slowly get his back into the groove.”
Hall himself was looking forward to starting the year off in Merewether and catching up with the likes of Surfest chief Warren Smith.
“It was a pretty special year for me last year and I’ve obviously got a sincere passion for Surfest,” he said.
“I’ve been going there forever, staying at the Smiths’ house as a grom, then winning it eventually and being there last year coaching Wilko to the win.
“It’s a pretty special event for me.”
Hall has also taken on coaching American Conner Coffin, who he said would not be coming to Surfest.