The promotions and advertising manager at the time for Coca-Cola bottlers Sydney was Colin Gelling who was instrumental in televising the event and was executive producer.
It also followed the man on man format, previously devised by Peter Drouyn for the 1977 Stubbies at Burleigh Heads, Queensland, and this added further excitement for spectators and television viewers In 1979 down to the round of 16, Sydney went completely flat and showed no signs of improving.
Six light aircraft flew over Bells Beach to find a beautiful 8 ft swell lined up off Point Rincon.
In 1991 Coke ran a promotion giving the winner of a "pick the best wave" television competition a spot competing in the Surfabout.
This was controversial among professional surfers because it would put some couch potato into a contest which had, at the time, the second-highest prize money on the world tour.