Glenn Hall: mai 2010

Simon Anderson grew up in the 60's at Collaroy on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. He was lucky enough to witness the evolution of the modern day surfboard in his own backyard, ridden by a host of world class surfers including Nat and Chris Young, Butch and Steve Cooney, Rob Holt etc.

From the early 60's 9'6 longboard to the ultra short 5'4" single fin in '68, surfing was going through a dramatic design revolution; massive vee bottoms, trackers, tear drops, pins, double enders. Every 6 months there was a new leap forward and an extra 6" cut off the length of the board.

Simon Anderson gravitated to North Narrabeen in '69, to a culture of hardcore surfing with a strong link to board manufacturing at nearby Brookvale. He entered the industry as a ding fixer at Shane Surfboards in '70. His shaping career began at 17 after winning the '71 Australian Junior Title at Bells Beach from Peter Townend and the hottest junior of that year Andrew McKinnon.

Drawing inspiration from legendary local surfer/ shapers Bob Kennerson, Terry Fitzgerald, Geoff McCoy and Col Smith as well as the stella staff at Shane's, Frank Latta, Ted Spencer and Butch Cooney, Simon Anderson had the best possible apprenticeship.

In 1973 Simon Anderson competed in the first professional Australian contest at Bells Beach placing 3rd behind winner MP and 2nd Anthony Hardwick (NN Surfer). '76 saw the beginning of the World Tour. Simon Anderson had wins in '77 at Bells and the Coke 2SM Surfabout finishing the year ranked No 3. In 1981 he had 3 more victories the Bells/ Coke double again and the Pipe Masters on a new innovation "the Thruster", the modern day surfboard.

Simon Anderson is still motivated to improve surfboard design to benefit his own surfing, team riders and surfers in general, including Kelly Slater in 2005 who won at J - Bay and Trestles riding one of Simon's shapes. Simon Anderson uses his many years of experience in shaping, surfing and working with team riders to create the best possible boards for all wave conditions.

Sessions in OZ with Smico

Flying in Scotland

2nd of the Vendee Pro

Glen Hall (IRL) finished second at the Protest Vendee Pro his best result at this event and the outright lead on the European Men’s Series ratings. Holding priority for the majority of the final Hall found himself in a do or die situation as the clock ran down. Needing to get back into the final Hall made a last ditched effort to haul back Duru’s commanding lead but unfortunately his wave ion was off allowing his opponent the advantage of a much higher points scoring potential wave.

“I’m not too disappointed with the overall results and it was the waves that let me down a little bit in the final. I feel like I did a few errors with my priority but it was probably more the fact that I was just trying to get into the game because I hadn’t had a wave yet so that’s why I took that wave.”

Fewer and fewer sets came through leaving both finalists surprised at the situation they found themselves in.

“We were both sitting out there getting cold thinking where have the waves gone so it was just one of those things and Joan came out on top so good on him.”

“The European title is really the goal behind the goal,” continued Hall on his European ratings lead. “I want to qualify for the WCT but they come together because if you do well here in Europe in the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) then you are up there on the European ratings so it is really good for me to be in the lead now. It’s my best result here for sure because I’ve only been here once before so I’ll be back for sure next year.”

Freaksurfmag Interview

I met Soöruz new teamate Glenn Hall a.k.a "Micro". It was in la Sauzaie, during the Protest Vendée Pro 4 star. Micro took the second place. This guy is small in size but B.I.G in talent. Powerfull surfer, he can boost airs too. After a good season last year, he's making a great start this season. Micro...on the way to the Dream Tour...

Freaksurf Mag : Hey Glenn, but where does this nickname of " Micro come from " ?

Glenn Hall : My nickname was given to me when i was really young and just started surfing (about 10 years old). The local surfers just started calling me micro. And it stucks.

FSM : Where do you actually live ? And where do you really come from ?

G H : My home beach in Oz is Umina Beach in NSW. I grew up there and now spend the year between there and France and Ireland when i can get there between comps.

FSM : As we consider yourself as Irish, does it still hard to be European on Tour ?

G H : No its not hard being european. I already get along with everyone on tour, so all the europeans are really nice guys and have been really good to me. And my aussie friends who i grew up with are still my friends so it's no different at all really.

FSM : A word on your european sponsor SOÖRUZ ?

G H : I signed with a really good management company called initial 7 and Herve from the company worked out the deal for me. Herve was really smart and Sooruz were interested so they spoke and worked out a good deal. Sooruz have been amazing.i went in and met them and they are all really cool guys running a really cool company. So i'm so stoked to be working with them and helping to promote sooruz.

FSM : 2009 was a good year for you: 3rd place at Zarautz, Pantin and Newquay.
Quarter de final at Sunset Beach Hawaii WQS 6* Prime.
Top 20 WQS World Ranking.
3rd WQS Europe 2009

G H : Yeah last year was a good year.i could look at the year in two different ways. Negative- i fell just a heat away from qualifying. Or i can look at it possitively- i had some great results and ended the year really close to qualifying. So i try and be positive and think it was a good year.

FSM : Amazing start this year with your victory on the Burton Toyota Pro, and a final on this Protest Pro , you seem very confident this year?

G H : Yeah ive had a good start with the win in newcastle and this final at the Vendée Pro. So it was good to get some confidence at the start of the year. But the big points are in the 6 star prime events. So i need to do well in those.

FSM : Did you make a special training for this season ?

G H : I have been training hard. boxing. Mountain bike riding everyday. Core stregthening work. Stretching, and just surfing loads. Its been good.

FSM : Do you think the asp new format is good for every body?

G H : I think the new format has pros and cons. It will all be good a few years down the track . But i think there will be a few cracks in the new system that will need to be fixed along the way.

FSM : What's your goal for this year ?

G H : My goal this year is just to keep working hard and get some good results,photos and exposure. And my ultimate goal is to qualify for the wct. So i need results in the prime events.

Thank you mate see you in Europe !

Interview and Photo credit : Johann Mouchel

Winner of the 4 stars Burton Toyota Surfest

MEREWETHER, New South Wales/Australia (Sunday, March 14, 2010) - Twenty-eight-year old Glenn "Micro' Hall racked up his first win on the world surfing tour today when he defeated South African Brandon Jackson to claim the ASP 4-star Burton Toyota Pro at Merewether Beach.
The Umina (New South Wales) surfer, who competes under an Irish passport for ease of competing in European surfing competitions, contested his first ever world tour event at Newle 14 years ago when he was just a grommet with a dream.

"I won $300 here when I was14 and convinced Mum to let me use it to enter the QS the next week.
"I stayed at Warren Smith's house with Rhys and a heap of other groms. Newle has great memories for me," he said.

And after today's convincing win where Micro's surfing ability was never in doubt, Newle will no doubt provide great plenty of great memories for the future too.
After a week of mostly ordinary conditions affected by onshore winds and average surf, Merewether turned it on today with blue skies and offshore winds.
The morning offered clean 1-1.5 metre waves and provided contestants with the opportunity to get some of the best scores of the week.

Thousands of locals and visitors descended onto Merewether to witness the final of the Burton Toyota Pro.
"I've never really been on the podium all that much and it's a real honour to be here when I think about all the great surfers that have won this competition.

"Mark Richards has always been a hero to me and to have him here today when I won is just terrific," he said.

Hall never looked in doubt once he'd etched a 9.17 on the final's tally-sheet and his total of 16.67 ensured his South African opponent was always going to be struggling to better him.

Jackson could only muster a 9.43.
"I was happy to make the final. This is a great start to my Aussie leg and well done to Glenn," the Capetown surfer said.
Hall had to leave Newle almost immediately to get to Sydney airport and catch an evening flight to Perth to line up in the Margaret River Drug Aware Pro
He's then off to Tasmania and then back to his Ireland base to compete on the European tour.
But Hall assured organisers he'd be back in 2011 to defend the title he won today.
"Newle's a great contest and great fun. I'll be here for sure."

The 2010 Burton Toyota Surfest (March 2-14) is based at Merewether beach in Newle, New South Wales. It has attracted more than 650 competitors from 12 different countries. The main event is the WQS 4-star $US85,000 Burton Toyota Pro (March 9-14).