BODY SLAM

WORDS CRAIG TANSLEY

STRETCH YOURSELF

Get your laidback groove on with a Gyrotonic session. Combining elements from dance, gymnastics, yoga, swimming and tai chi, sessions are on specially designed machines and are either one-on-one or one-on-two. Master trainer Dana Rader of Energy Kinetics Studio in Melbourne (Studio A, 2 Percy St, Prahran, tel: +61 (3) 9533 8400) says: “The exercise doesn’t only make your body look better, it makes you feel good as well.” There are gyrotonic studios across Australia and New Zealand.

BRISBANE BY THE BOOTS

Pull on your walking boots and check out the city with this new self-guided walking tour of Brisbane. Weaving through shopping precincts to historic buildings and rivers, the City Walk connects Brisbane’s three inner-city parks. Get your free map at the Queen Street Mall Information Centre in Brisbane’s CBD.

BACK ON BOARD

Kieren Perrow, a former top 10 pro surfer, is back onto the World Championship Tour (WCT) after three years’ absence. We spoke to the 31-year-old comeback kid from Byron Bay.

How does it feel to be back in the big league – stressful?

Exciting! I’m just happy to be back, I didn’t want to end my career on the Qualifying Series.

You must have enjoyed competing at Bells Beach?

Bells is such a cool part of the country. But it’s hard to prepare because sometimes they have to move the event down the coast.

How hard was it, having to qualify after losing your place on the WCT for 2005?

It was devastating not being able to compete at the level I had been. I questioned the reasons why I was doing it and I almost wanted to walk away, I was so disheartened.

How do your train for the WCT?

I surf as much as I can. I stretch and do yoga but I don’t have a training program.

How do you manage to train when you’re on the road so often?

It’s hard to be motivated when time is short and you’re jetlagged. You also have to be mentally prepared which can be difficult.

What do surfers do when they have so many lay-days?

I go exploring or read if the weather is terrible. A lot of the guys love golf.

What’s your home beach?

Tallow Beach. It’s beautiful, usually empty and has good waves at either end. It’s an escape from the world.

What’s it like travelling with your three-year-old son?

It’s great to see his reaction to the foreign sights and sounds… he picked up a few French words last year and was so proud of himself.