Gallery: North Shore Boardriders Win The Battle Of Burleigh
Gallery: North Shore Boardriders Win The Battle Of Burleigh
Last weekend, 42 boardriders clubs from around Australia assembled at Burleigh Heads for the finals of the Australian Boardriders Battle. On both days the surf hovered between three and five feet, clean in the mornings, bumpy in the afternoons, but always incredibly consistent. No heats were decided by a lack of waves which made for non-stop entertainment.
The final included North Shore, Torquay, Merewether, Snapper Rocks, North End, and Byron Bay, yet it turned into a three-way battles between North Shore, Torquay, and Merewether.
Merewether's Morgan Cibilic kicked off the final in style, posting an 8.50 to open their campaign strong. North Shore’s Sophie McCulloch answered back with a crucial 7.43, keeping her club firmly in the hunt.
Torquay's charge toward the title looked promising after standout surfer Tully Wylie dropped an 8.45, followed by Ellie Harrison’s sharp 7.28, which edged them into a narrow lead heading into the final ten minutes.
But it all came down to the final surfers. North Shore’s Alister Reginato delivered a clutch 5.88 under pressure, putting the club in the box seat as Torquay’s Xavier Huxtable and Merewether’s Morgan Cibilic launched their last efforts to hunt down the score. However, both fell just short.
As the final siren sounded and Cibilic slipped off his last wave, the North Shore club erupted on Burleigh Hill, securing their place at the top of Australian club surfing. The victory marks their second ABB Grand Final win.
North Shore Boardriders Club Power Surfer, Alister Reginato, spoke on what it felt like to win the event two times:
"It's wild, the first time was unbelievable but it's a little more special doing it here at Burleigh. This afternoon has been unbelievable, the team finally put a great heat together and everyone did amazing. The second time is pretty surreal!"
(All photos by Swilly)
More than mere surfing, ABB success is built upon time management and a quick sprint out of the blocks. Check the facial expressions on the start line.
Spectators turned out in force as the weather (mostly) co-operated.
North End Boardriders cheer on their team during the finals. The Queensland club came fifth.
Torquay's Ellie Harrison motion blur.
Ellie again, getting the tag during the final.
Hughie Vaughan (North Shelly) and Mikey McDonagh (Lennox Ballina) run the gauntlet of the Burleigh boulders.
Hughie had his own reason to despair - caught short on Hyundai Hill - but did some great surfing prior to that.
Commentator Vaughan Blakey has a quick interlude with Sheldon Simkus (Snapper Rocks).
With crucial time lost through running the event is closer to a biathlon.
The last stage of the run, Hyundai Hill - steeper than it looks apparently.
North Shore power surfer Alistair Reginato putting it away.
...and showering on the way in.
North Shore's Sophie McCulloch slicing.
Club celebrations (above and below).
Comments
Great event love watching the old and new generation ripping it up ..the whole concept is amazing viewing( waves definitely not fantastic but way better than most of the events in wsl ..young Byron surfer 12 yr girl was next level..
Vaughan Blakey's complete froth out while in the middle of a team interveiw during the final, was one the Greatest displays of passion I've ever seen at a surf comp. A beautiful thing....
Did you see him on the stationary bike ?
500 m dash lol
As I’ve previously mentioned, love the format as a surfing event.
What I don’t love is what a massive bogan fest it is.
Young kids mixed in with their adult idols and older crew carrying on like proper morons. The drinking culture is poor for many reasons.
It looked like 1985 out there.
I’d also hate to be a girl in that mix, team= only 1 female with four other blokes and and a hill full of has-been grubby sychophants - yep, nah.
Hey negative Nancy, it’s nice to read your judgments here on the internet.
I was apart of a team competing up there. This event is the pinnacle of competitive surfing and an ode to the core surfing experience. Friends, families and Board-rider club communities all in attendance.
Our girls had an incredible time surfing and enjoying the party atmosphere, I don’t think they felt your experience as a middle aged male watching from the couch.
Surfing Australia do a fantastic job running the event and Hyundai and Jim Beam make it financially possible.
Maybe come up next year and get involved in the fun and excitement that is the ABB finals. A good friend and team mate described the weekend as ‘Christmas for Surfers’.
Otherwise leave shite opinion to yourself.
Sincerely Sean McDevitt
Sorry for the offence plops. I grant you my take was fairly blunt. It is just an opinion though, as is yours.
I'm glad you, your team and family had a good time. As mentioned I think the concept is premium, I rate it.
I had young kids watching so I'm probably a bit more sensitive to frequent live TV swearing (competitors in interviews) and spectators clearly plastered screaming and pouring alcohol onto competitors (juniors included) - just isn't my jam I guess. Aside from that it's a great show.
No doubting it was fun but reminds me of a boys trip to the NRL magic round where you sit in a seat and sink beers for three footy games in a row.
Well did anyone see le bar Mikey roll his ankle
Faaaark. That looked painful !
Thought it was a very entertaining contest.
The polar opposite of the 2 people bobbing up and down t- bag show that was el salvadore
Pity the king island boardriders crew missed there flight the day before the event started …dam Rex airlines for ya !they would of made a huge impact on the event ..better luck next year crew ..