Bali’s sea turtles get help on the Gold Coast

Environment Updates

Bali Cleanup Effort hits the shores of Australia

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 March, 2013 : - - Quiksilver Indonesia, Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia, and Garuda Airlines have joined with the Quiksilver Foundation at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast 2013 in Coolangatta Queensland to both show off their progress and to elicit support in their on-going efforts to clean up Bali’s beaches, support the Bali lifeguards and ensure the survival of Bali’s sea turtles.

Set up in the Quiksilver Foundation tent at the Quiksilver Pro, where the world’s best professional men and women surfers are currently competing in the first ASP World Tour competition of 2013, the attendees can see images and get detailed information on the efforts and progress that has been made since Quiksilver Indonesia and Coca-Cola AmatilIndonesia started their campaign to clean up Bali in 2008, having just recently been joined by Garuda Indonesia earlier this year.

"The Quiksilver Pro is the first event of the ASP world tour season, with thousands of spectators visiting the event each day to watch the world’s best put on their most spectacular performances,” says Quiksilver’s Marketing Executive for SEA Holly Monkman.  “So we thought this would be a great opportunity to share with everyone what Quiksilver isdoing to make their next holiday in Bali a great one. So far we've had a really great positive response and people have been really excited to chat with our local surfers and staff and see what we’ve been up to in Bali."

According to recent statistics, of the approximately 3 million tourists that Bali welcomes to its shores each year, Australia sends the most, some 60,000 each month, many of who are surfers.

Quiksilver surfing legends Mark Richards, Tom Carroll, Martin Potter, Matt Hoy, and Jake Paterson all hail from Australia and have been actively involved in the effort to help clean up Bali over the last severalyears, participating in the annual Bali Big Eco Weekend on Kuta Beach, organized by Quiksilver and CCAI.  They are on hand at the Quiksilver Pro to help spread the word, signing posters and even auctioning off exact replicas of their most famous surfboards to raise money for the cause.

"It was an incredible experience being at the Quiksilver Coca-Cola Bali Big Eco Weekend last year with my kids,” said 1989 World Champion Martin Potter.  “It's so valuable to educate the next generation about the environment and the problems that exist in Bali. As Australians who travel there, we should all understand the problem and do our bit to help out. My kids are not used to seeing beaches left in that state, and it really hit home for them."

Making the trip down to the Gold Coast from Baliwere Quiksilver Sports Marketing Manager Tipi Jabrik, team riders Dede Suryana, Arip “Mencos” Nurhidayat, and 13 year old super grom Rio Waida, along with several members of the Coca-Cola Amatil CSR team plus Gusti Ngurah Tresna “Pak Agung” and Wayan Wiradnyana from the Kuta Beach Sea Turtle Conservation.

The Bali contingent is at the Quiksilver Foundation tent each day, answering questions, chatting, handing out stickers, and soliciting donations to help with the on-going programs, as well as having hats and t-shirts for sale.  They also held a Quiksilver Legend’s surfboard auction on March 4th at the Snapper Rocks Surfriders Club to raise money for a new Barber Surf Rake beach cleaner, where 1989 World Champion Martin “Pottz” Potter’s championship replica surfboard received the high bid of the evening, a whopping $5,500!

In addition to the Bali beach cleaning efforts and supporting the Bali Lifeguards, one of the most successful projects is that of saving the Bali sea turtles, thanks to the tireless efforts of Mr. GustiNgurah Tresna “Pak Agung” and Mr. Wayan Wiradnyana of the Kuta Beach Sea Turtle Conservation.  While on the Gold Coast, accompanied by Rara Haryanto from CCAI, Mr. Tresna and Mr. Wiradnyana had the chance to visit nearby SeaWorld where they met with their counterparts and exchanged information regarding their favorite subject.

"We are thrilled to have visited Sea World Gold Coast-Australia, where we acquired expert knowledge on their Marine Turtle Rehabilitation program, particularly on how to rescue the sick and injured turtles, and return them to their natural habitat. We encounter a similar problem at Kuta beach, and they have been running their program since 1973.  It was a very great experience, and we’re so happy for the chance to come here," said Mr. Tresna.

Their trip was sponsored by Quiksilver Indonesiaand Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia, who are both sponsors of the Kuta Beach SeaTurtle Conservation.

"We are committed to investing our time, expertise and resources to help develop and maintain vibrant and sustainable programs with local communities in which we operate. Pak Agung and Pak Wayan have done amazing work with KBSTC and we are very proud to be part of this journey with them,” said CCAI’s National Corporate Affairs Manager Wanda Harahap.

Quiksilver CEO of SEA Paul Hutson is very passionate and committed about sustaining the on-going Bali clean up efforts and has taken every opportunity available to spread the word.  “The largest single group of tourists that come to Bali each year are Australians,” he explains.  “I don't think there would be a surfer in the line up at Snapper that hasn't been to Bali.

It was Australian surfers in the 70's that pioneered the adventure of surfing in Asia and found Bali and other perfectwaves throughout the Indonesian archipelago. We know there are serious environmental issues in Bali and around Indonesia and we think it’s absolutely mandatory to do something about it, so we are.  But we need help to do it, so we’re reaching out by coming to the Quiksilver Pro.  We hope this can make a big impact on the future of Bali, so we all can continue to enjoy it for generations to come.”

www.quiksilver.com

Source: Quiksilver

Author: Holly Monkman

Tags: Bali, Sea Turtles, Quiksilver Pro

Environment: Surfersvillage