Surfer Sally Fitzgibbons has plans for the Sydney Int'l Women’s Pro and Int'l Beach Festival to become a "permanent sporting feature as the annual curtain-raiser to summer," according to Amanda Lulham of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. The inaugural event this year "boasted the biggest field of women’s surfers of any tournament in the world." The professional surfer and her business, Fitzgibbons Int'l, are set to fine-tune the Cronulla event, which included "mass-participation events such as a run and ocean swim," an ironwoman invitational featuring top surfers, a boardriders challenge, a pro-assist, fitness classes and Cinema by the Sea. Fitzgibbons was eliminated in the round of 16 of last weekend's event. Not "even that, or an ankle injury she has been forced to manage," has dampened her enthusiasm. She said, "There’s such a great vibe here I could not be happier. As we were building it, it was like organizing a party, where you wonder, is anyone going to come?" An estimated 100,000-plus spectators "made their way through the festival site at Cronulla over the four days" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 11/7).
