The second qualifying event of the 2017 Sailor Jerry Surftag will be held this weekend at Newcastle’s Merewether Beach with defending Surftag Australian Champions North Narrabeen Boardriders beginning their title defence.

Boardriding Clubs from Sydney’s Northern Beaches to Port Macquarie will be looking for a Top 8 finish in the Men’s Division and a Top 3 finish in the Women’s Division to guarantee a spot at the Sailor Jerry Surftag Australian Championships being held on Sydney’s Northern Beaches in May.

North Narrabeen are the most successful club in Surftag history winning 7 Men’s Australian Championships since Surftag began in 2001. Cooper Chapman, Davey Cathels and Kai Warner have been named in the North Narrabeen squad with Northern Beaches rivals North Steyne also naming an experienced squad.

Cooper Chapman of North Narrabeen (Photo Bernadette McAlinden)

The Manly based club are celebrating their 20th year and are looking to turn back the clock and recapture the form that saw them win the Surftag Australian Championships way back in 2003.

Dayyan Neve and Beau Mitchell were part of the original team 14 years ago and will be joined by Blake Levett, Richie Lovett, Kai Otton, Heath Irving and Jamie Krups in this years Sailor Jerry Surftag. With five surfers representing each club North Steyne have plenty of experience and depth in their squad with surf conditions on the day determining their team line up.  

Powerful natural footer Neve recently won the Local Trials at the Australian Open of Surfing on his home break, holding off Queenscliff young gun Ben Penny for a spot in the Main event.

“We have had plenty of good results in the past and it’s good to see the top guys coming back and getting involved after a five year hiatus,” Neve said. “With the club celebrating it’s 20th year things are starting to happen especially at the monthly club comps that are highly contested. We are looking good for the weekend and it definitely feels like the club is re-energized.”

North Narrabeen and North Steyne will face some tough competition from fellow Northern Beaches Clubs Queenscliff and North Avalon as well as the Central Coast’s Avoca Boardriders and Newcastle’s Merewether Surfboard Club.

Ryan Callinan (Merewether), Wade Carmichael (Avoca) and Letty Mortensen (North Avalon) have all had solid results so far this year on the World Surf League Qualifying Series with the focus this weekend turned to leading their local Boardriding Club to victory.  

Round 1 of the Men’s Division will be held on Saturday with both Men’s and Women’s Semi Finals run on Sunday with the Finals scheduled to start at 1.00pm. Straight after the Men’s Final The Beach Hotel will be hosting the Sailor Jerry Surftag After Party and Presentation.

Clubs will be competing for a slice of $3700 prize money in the Men’s Division and $2200 in the Women’s Division at Newcastle, with the Men’s Champions receiving $1500 and Women’s Champions $1000.

The 2017 Sailor Jerry Surftag Australian Series will include Qualifying events at Cronulla, Newcastle and the Gold Coast with the Australian Championships being held on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, 13 & 14 May. Total Series prize money is $60,000 with the Men’s Australian Champions receiving $10,000 and the Women’s Champions $5,000.

2017 Sailor Jerry Surftag Australian Series

• 4/5 March – Cronulla (Area - Bondi to Ulladulla)
• 25/26 March – Newcastle (Area – North Steyne to Port Macquarie)
• 1/2 April – Gold Coast (Area – Coffs Harbour to Noosa)
• 13/14 May – Australian Championships – Northern Beaches, Sydney

(Includes Trials for VIC, TAS, SA & WA Clubs)

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