The Australian cities of Gold Coast and Newcastle formed with nine international cities the World Surf Cities Network with the aim of promoting the sport of surfing as an economic driver.

The representatives of the nine cities - which includes Donostoa-San Sebastian in Spain, Arica in Chile, Durban in South Africa, Ericeira in Portugal, Hossegor in France, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Spain and Santos in Brazil - are meeting Wednesday in Donostoa-San Sebastian to formally create the network.

The group, which seeks to promote surfing as an economic driving force that contributes to business, wealth and job creation, is holding its meeting at the Kursaal Conference Centre with "Surf and Innovation" as the theme of the gab.

Besides formally launching the network, the two-day event will also discuss successful international business and research case studies with keynote speakers from surf industry experts.

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Gold Coast just won last week the bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, beating Hambantota in Sri Lanka with a vote of 43-27.  The city, located 94 kilometres south of Queensland's capital, Brisbane, is the most populous non-capital city in Australia. It is a major tourist destination known for its subtropical climates, surfing beaches and waterways.

An indicator of how popular surfing has become is that Hawaiian Airlines and the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing offered on Tuesday to award 250,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles to the surfer who will execute the most excepti0nal single aerial maneouver of the Vans Triple Crown series. The stunt must be done at the ongoing Reef Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa from Nov. 12 to 23 and continuing through the Vans World Cup of Surfing from Nov. 25 to Dec. 6 and the Billabong Pipe Masters from Dec. 8 to 20.

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