billy legendery sedgenary

Yeah, Sedge's been playing under the moniker 'Billy February' for around fifteen years or more. Checks Swellnet regularly too! Had a few emails from him over the years (usually asking why the surfcam's offline).

He was playing at Sunny's 60th at the Penong jetty a few months back so he's still around.

I had a chat to him at Angourie last year. He said he had been living around there for a few years.

Rumour has it he won one of the state titles at the Dump at possibly some of the biggest south coast waves ever! Apparently Bullies was too big (I didn't know there was such a thing...) and the comp was held at the Dump. Any photo's in the archives Ben??

Wasn't it the '75 Aussie Titles? I haven't seen pics but apparently it was held in mackin' waves at The Dump, and also sizeable Kings Head (also heard a few crew paddled from Kings to West Island?).

I think I heard it was in W.A the year that he won. Geraldton maybe. I heard it was in some kind of beach break and he was carving some sick cutback turns. Apparently thats what won it for him. He had a sick cutback!

Just on the 75 Aus titles..a mate of mines older brother showed me an old SW Mag that did a feature article on the event. They lucked into conditions as good as the can get downsouth with some of the event being at Middleton and all time 6'+ at the Dump...there were a few pictures of Kings..but no mention of Bullies from what i can remember.

Oh and by the way how good is that 'wave of the day' shot today...possibly a close out but still..sensational shot.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Billy and I tell you one thing, there is no way that he was even competing at the 75 aussies.
He was laying his guitar at the Marion Bay hotel and he managed to completely bore the shit out of us for a whole week and when we thought we were rid of him he showed up on our doorstep at home in vicco about 3 months later and proceeded to couch surf there for about 2 months before we worded him up.
All in all a nice enough guy but one that should be kept at arms length. Maybe someone out there could give him a real job and he would do much better.
Na all good, it was interesting to meet Billy and have a bit of a laugh with him. Good on ya Billy Feb!

Billy marches to the beat of his own drum no doubt. But gee non-local you fair roasted him! However no one can take that Aussie Tittle away from him. A ledgendary effort. Thats why they used to call him Sedge the Ledge!

Bill won the Aussie Title in good waves with a cunning strategy plan.He outsurfed his opposition.You know, best on the field on the day.(Dave Mc Cauley came second...In lefts no less).
The year before, Bill came second in the Aussie Juniors at Newport Headland (point? )Weasel has posted Bill's performance on his website.Google it! After he won the Aussie Title he came home to the usual tall-poppy shit that we deal out so well .He then largely faded into obscurity surfing-wise.As for the 75 titles,Bill was in nappies.Peter 'Scuge' Winter has footage of a lot of it.

Garry Weed..can you post the 2 links you mentioned..interested to have a look..is the footage of 75 titles on there?

I was only just speaking to sedgo a few weeks ago. He told me something interesting that he is the the numer one rated surfer in south australia through world rankings. not sure but i think he said he was 7th in the world one year not too sure but he said surfing south australia wont let that out? would be interesting to know?

How high did Chappy Jennings get?(i think SA can claim him)..prob wasnt top 7..but would of been close to top 20.

Have put a call into Surfing SA to settle this..initial response was "Unfortunately I do not know the answer to your question. I can ask around and see if I can find out."..lets how good they are..in the meantime feel free to place your bets

I havenet had any further response from Surfing SA.. i sent them another email today asking. Jeez Victor sounds a bit heavy re halting the thread.

far-out very interesting

Im no expert on historical contest results regarding the ASP but wasnt there a time when the old ISP run by Randy Rarick was in transition to what became the ASP and some amateur results did count towards world rankings? Im not sure what year Sedge pulled his big result and if that corresponded to that transition? Its probably the only way that Billy's claimed 7th in the world could be possile??

yorkesurfer..whats your take on what Victor said or wont say about this thread or are we risking get a knock on the door from the CIA.

The illumanati and their men in black suits are everywhere and all knowing! They monitor this site and im fully aware and expecting a knock on the door at anytime. Surfing S.A are part of the conspiracy to deny Billy Feb his rightful place in surfing's history!!

I think Victor is right...The silence from SSA is defening.

C'mon you guys. Didn't you know Surfing SA aren't interested in surfing.

They are only interested in organising music festival's on remote islands to feather the nest of an expensive ferry service which is propped up by State Government money to promote tourism to an island no one really has any interest in going to.

Some would say the music festival was a mild success, however the 6-star rated surf contest was a disaster with only around 70 entries for a WQS event. Tell's a story don't you think.

I get the impression that SSA office is only manned part-time so my question is probably not high on there 'to do list'. Dont worry i will find out.

Ryder i think your being a bit harsh "Surfing SA aren't interested in surfing" they do a pretty good job with coaching and encouraging the Youth with there programs.

Your second comment might be right re the ferry & state govt, but the contest got more media exposure compared to any other contest held in SA. I think more international tourists go to KI than anywhere else in SA..have you been there?..its a great place to visit.

"70 entries" how many more to be succesful?..not sure why..hard to get to or the expected crappy surf maybe..

Easy to be critical, what suggestions have you got for them to do a better job?..

There was alot of tonge-in-cheek in the first paragraph amb.

You are right, SSA do some really good stuff with the juniors and the events they run for the juniors however the WQS 6-Star proved that they are way out of their league and not ready to mix it with the likes of the Margaret River Pro or the Australian Open to be held in Manly 2012.

The KI event had 72 listed competitors (around 10 of these guys were local ring-ins) and the Thurso event in Scotland listed 94 competitors. The remaining 6-star events averaged 140 competitors each event.

Very bad timing. Not only is November a notoriously bad month for swell and winds, the event was also smack bang before the Hawaiian leg and when the majority of ratings points have already been finalised.

And lets not mention the shithouse webcast, remembering SSA had up to 6 months (and even longer) to test the webcast for any streaming issues. What they didn't account for was 2,000 grommets at a music festival with mobile phones trying to all use the only Telstra tower in the region. Situation overload.

An 6-star event in SA will never be successful when it's is going to be held in an inferior location that has been forced upon SSA by State Government money and all in the name of tourism. I don't believe Tourism SA got themselves good dollar value.

Ryder..fair call & well explained..What location & time of the year do you suggest?.

A mobile event in July/August in the National Park at Yorkes. Marion Bay is the perfect base. Plenty of accommodation and an amazing pub that i'm sure would appreciate the influx of patrons in what would normally be a quiet winter.

Tourism is about filling empty holiday accommodation and packing out the local pub, not camping in a cow paddock.

I will resist the temptation to just say fuck off ryder...

The truth is Surfing S.A have tried that one on already but thankfully the National Parks said NO WAY. They do not wish for more than two major surfing events to be held in the Park per year to protect the fragile enviroment. The two are the Yorkes Classic and the State Tittles.

When the WQS first started the Yorkes Classic was rated as such for one year. After the event a vote was taken and the majority of the competitors voted to keep it a home grown local event.

You may argue what about the enviroment at Vivonne Bay and I would agree with you. But the fact is its not a National Park. Thankfully Innes National Park was proclaimed in1975 or the whole clifftop coastline would look like Torquay/Jan Juc by now!

Maybe they could do it at Streaky Bay? Im sure Jeff Schmucker would welcome them with open arms!!

Don't take offence YS. Just seemed to be the most logical and obvious choice. I was unaware of the National Parks stand on major contests in the area.

With that said, lets keep it at KI then. We'll watch as the state government pump thousands of dollars into a white elephant and within a couple of years all deals between Surfing SA, Sealink and the State Government would have been extinguished ultimately realising that KI isn't the holiday destination it's cracked up to be.

Any chance of a 6-Star event in SA will be off the table for a good decade, leaving many local surfers happy, content and at peace again.

Enough said. Now, back to Billy February.

Billy Feb is an enigma of the SA surf scene. I have over the last decades heard of rumors of both triumph and tragedy that would follow him around the SA coast. He was older than me and I would bump into him in the surf at the most unlikely times and places. He also used to shape some decent boards?

As for for the KI contest why at Vivonne bay? one of the lamest breaks on the island. Apparently Sealink had a deal with the state government that as part of the contest deal the gov would pay $$$ to upgrade the vivonne site area (that Sealink own) so they can on sell for future holiday homes????

And yorkes surfer I am waiting with baited breath for the inaugural JS streaky bay surf classic sponsored by everyone and anyone.

Billy actually emailed us again today - I've sent him a link to this thread. Billy said:

"You may always ask me about all my surfing results and where and what
I am free for and interview any time ...
I am very proud of what I am doing and what I've done
Cheers Billy"

Hopefully he'll join us shortly to continue this discussion.

Love to read an interview with him Thermal..

Hi Fellow surfers guys & girls happy to help .
Its Sedunary, but now its Billy February .
Ive read some of the low down here, cool cool .
For starters, never got 7th in the world ,it was 4th in the world juniors in the 1982 world titles in Qld . which Tom Curren .
And 11th in the Open, surfing as a junior. They had all the juniors surfing in the opens as well.
So i had that rating from 1982 to the 1984 world titles as were held ever two years .
Than in 1983 i won the open mens the big one in WA it was such a clean win . With that win i clearly kicked ass and i dont mine saying so i worked so hard for that you would never believe.
Very proud, of that because i was on my backhand against 3 goofies at 6 to 7 foot south point. Our team from SA partied hard that night big time it was huge it was like we all won . Then me and Sqizzy Tayor got droped off at cactus on the way back to Adelaide Weasel and crew living there luv it. And had two weeks of pumping surf caves etcTo top it off .Then when we got back to the Mid coast some one had put a sign on the street at seaford where my parents lived . The sign read " Kong Killer " or something like that. Then i went back to Qld i was riding my push bike to Pipedreams and a car pulled over in front of me on the hyway and Bruce Lee the surfer jump out and was just peaking that i won, the snapper boys went off ....
Over all ive made 4 Australian teams and been team captain 1983 etc...
like 12 or more State teams 4 being school boys Teams .
Many many comps on the east coast. I was a menber of the Snappers Rocks Boardriders then the best club in oz. And a menber of the mighty Roaders SA .Also highlights? well heaps. Man on manat the mango teams comp Kirra point. may be around 2000 people watching i was surfing against Brenden Hill North End i had to beat him for newport plus team to win Tom Caroll etc.... so those guys were cheering me on big time . So i won and they were very happy, could not thank me enough, that day the snapper team got third. Ive also won the Male Athlete of the Year 1984 sports Australia award and that was given to me by Kong & MR themselves. Also Nomination for Aust team of the year another year. anyway guys and girls hope this helps for now theres so much stuff to talk about. All over some pretty cool stuff and wild storys and yes i am a shaper and the folk who ride and have my boards luv them . Theses days iam a full time full time entertainer. all for now Billy February Ps i luv the mid ..

Billy ..thanks for taking the time to respond.

11th in the world in 1982 is magnificient effort especially for a SA surfer. And as such i reckon puts us (SA) as the 4th possibly 3rd highest surfing state (in terms of rating results) in Aus ahead of Vic and possibly WA..(might of gone a bit early on this one).

A few unanswered question though Bill..why the name change?..and where your living and up to these days.

All the best.

Thought Id mention Billy Feburary rocked up at the Yorkes/Daly Heads Reunion last weekend! Not sure if he got on the microphone and did a few songs as I wasnt paying attention.
But im in Adelaide for the weekend and just saw him riding his bike along the beachfront at Seaford! Maybe he is living on the Mid Coast again? He gets around old Billy!

Gee vic dont be too hard on him. He has got a bit of a gut on him nowdays but he is pushing 50, so what? He probably surfs his own boards. I saw him surfing down at westcape last week so he still gets in the water. And I heard recently that Chris Issac gave him the Billy Feburary nickname(theres an old singer by that name) after seeing him perform. Dont know if its true or not. Be good to hear more from him though. He is quite a character!

mr feburary, you may know me , we have a mutual friend by the name of morley, think about 2 years ago you came to my house ,on the MNC , morley from southen sydney , ring a bell.
great fella billy was a gentleman but he cracks me up with his chooks he names for them and all .girlie comes to mind, ah yamba

Yes i had a pet chook called chicky babe she rocked up at my flat one day at angourie and never left she stay for 3and half years till a giant carpet snake got her i hit the snake till it let go then she layed there one eye open looked at me one more breath and passed on i put her in the ground where she liked to hand out now she is with elvis thats all i have to say on that ..... to all the folk out there that come to my gigs or surf with me and enjoy this great gig we all have cheers to you /you can see me on u tube ...
Billy february the lonely song / Billy February ABC / Billy february the rooster crows...
just played a cool show at G land for my friend DB and 60 others people on ukulele great times back in the mid windy cold gray and blue shys and i love that all so i perform all over folks so come catch a show or i do house contests get me at billyfebruary.com or on face book .... Also people have spoken on surfing south Australia i have always been a guy if theres nothing nice to say dont say any thing at all ... But in this case ive always tryed to help theses guys but Ive seen nothing but crooks over the years and so many people just shut up when they know what is going on cause there hand is also in the cooky jar... even knowing what there doing is wrong its one of the sad very sad things in surfing south australia sport sould be clean and sharp and down the line theres always a little gang that whats there way its like the blind leading the blind at times and i still try to help hoping theses people will some how see the light and come good and do the right thing south Australia sould be a strong force in surfing in this country we have some of the great waves in the world here and a junior surfer born here or any where in Australia with the right info and the good folks around him or Her can take it to the world and the up and coming surfers can follow ...yes its true iam the highest ranking surfer for surfing south australia and have been and done surfing on the east coast with the best of the best for years but surfing SA here would like to listen to people who have done Fuck all and keep this great state a laughing matter to the other states or over having some money in there pocket and the junior surfers wear all the crap again and never get where they sould be very few surfers here have the balls to take it to the other states some days i just want to bang my head on a pole seeing what goes on here but have to stand back and just watch even know my hand is in the air willing to help this has been the way for years and i still hope it will change in the future for the best i never give in never give up no matter what this is how you win and i still have not given up on our state Iam south Australia Born and very proud of it always .I hope the powers at be will jump on board the winning team one day and take our great state to where it sould be. You just have to believe in your self and you can do anything .... Thats all i have to say on this.. Cheers all hope to see you in the waves or at a gig one day cheers Billy :-)

Hi young Bill,I remember when you were about 13 years old, classic case of hard core grommet,you suffered your fair share of abuse from us older guys over at Yorkes,remember that time at Warooka pub,we all tipped the dregs of our beers(cockles)into a jug added salt,pepper,mustard,meat,brussel sprouts and anything else handy and then started tossing coins onto the table daring you to scull it.You waited until the pool got to about 30 bucks and then did the deed with barely a dry reach.I think you preferred it to the usual bong water.

hey Billy,

how's ya teeth after that first wave at gland ?

What happened to Chappy Jennings?.. arguably SA's second most successful surfer after Billy (probably should be a new thread)

Chappy was a naturally gifted surfer but in my humble opinion the main reason he went places was because when he was 18 he looked about 10 and was the most classic looking little grommet around and Rabbit took him under his wing,a bit like Liberace and Jamie Redfern(hope not). In terms of contest results and rankings I'm afraid it looks like Billy could be the man.

yeah, but Billy never ate shit at Pipe like the chapstik did... priceless.

Billy would go ! The real issue here is the way Bill's success was ignored or/and lampooned by the general surfing community in South Australia. All of 'our' success stories have spent so much time elsewhere that they are barely South Aussies. Why...Because largely they have to.The majority of contested waves here are sluggish and don't cater for 'performance' surfing.The waves that do are remote and therefore don't provide the competitive atmosphere that is required to advance one's (competitive) surfing.Our surfboard makers are probably the real mavericks,though the majority of those no longer consider themselves South Australians.Maybe we will do well in the SUP stakes (Ha)

Geez Victor, you holding a grudge or something?

I found this pic of Bill taken at Waits about 10? years ago after he busted his leg surfing in the state titles.