Mike Stewart Wins 2025 Shark Island Challenge

The organisers of the 2025 edition of the recently resurrected Shark Island Challenge had to be patient.

Beginning in May, the contest had a two month waiting period to score optimal conditions for the event. When the tricky intersection between swell, direction, tide, and winds refused to align, they were forced to seek an extension on their permit from Sutherland Shire Council.

Finally, the elements co-operated and on the fourth of July a field of 24 surfers - 22 invites and 2 trialists - took on a slightly wind affected but chunky 4- 6 foot swell.

Watching the early rounds it was obvious that prior experience was important in progressing through heats. The Island is not a perfect peak like Pipe, or a clean bowl like Chopes, it’s not enough to just get in position, take the drop and let the wave do the rest. Getting the right wave at the Island is a delicate balance of assessing swell angle, the way the water is drawing of the reef, plus how fast or slow to go as the swell grows from the takeoff zone into the end bowl, called Surge, all while navigating ledges and wobbles along the way.

Dave Winchester drops into a warping end bowl at Shark Island (Sam Venn)

In Semi-Final 1, sexagenarian Mike Stewart battled it out against Lewy Finnegan, local Sam Strachan, and Liam O’Toole who had surfed his way from the trials to one heat from a finals birth. Strachan was unlucky throughout the heat as he consistently picked off good looking waves, only to have them run away or closeout as they hit the shallower inside sections of the reef - further proof the Island is not a perfect wave.

WA’s Finnegan is currently regarded as the best rider in Australia. He’s technically proficient, especially on rights, and regularly charges waves like The Right. Physically he’s an absolute specimen, who teaches yoga, pilates, and breathwork. His social media is littered with casual one-armed pull ups on rings and inverted push ups. Lewy dominated the heat, logging four or five scoring waves. Meanwhile, with a few in-and-out pits, Mike did just enough to get through to the final in second place.

The standout rider in the finals rounds was Jason Finlay. The now-South Coast oyster farmer was part of Australian bodyboarding’s lost generation. The ones that suffered the most when the then-IBA world tour’s demise precipitated a huge contraction in the bodyboarding industry in 2014 and 2015. Sponsors went missing and the critical infrastructure of a professional career collapsed just as these riders were coming into their prime, poised to take the mantle as the big dogs of the boogieverse.

A youth spent working to reach the pinnacle, only to have the pinnacle evaporate as they approached it.

Jase Finlay taps the anchors as the chandeliers fall (Sam Venn)

In Semi-Final 2 Finlay packed a triple-chambered double up that earned him the only 10-point ride of the comp. It still wasn’t enough to take the heat win which went to former Northern Beaches now North Coast resident Dave Winchester. Winnie was one of Australia’s top pro’s through the early parts of the century and a former SIC winner in 2011. He opened the heat with a lofted invert off the end bowl, and then closed out the heat with a roll in backdoor pit over Surge.

With minutes remaining in the heat, Michael Ostler was in position to pinch a finals berth after Jase had just a 3.33 as his second score, but the Saffa transplant was cruelly denied as the wave that would've given him the score pinched hard on the end section.

A tip of the hat must also go to Marli Dunn who finished third in the heat and was another standout rider throughout the early rounds. If you’re so inclined, check out Marli’s new clip ‘King Dunn’ on YouTube - highly recommended.

A short intermission in the men’s event to let the finalists catch their breath granted female riders Rio Clarke and Sophie Leathers the chance to roam the Shark Island lineup in a quasi expression session cum final. With a dropping tide, 6 foot sets, and a building cross/onshore wind it was tough for the girls to find any quality nuggets. This was especially so for Clarke who only flew over from West Oz three days prior after Lilly Pollard had to withdraw due to injury. In the end Sophie packed the only real barrel to take out the heat.

Sophie Leathers, left, and Rio Clarke in the women's final (Sam Venn)

The final was held in soft fading winter light and it was Mike who struck first. I’m going to get my boogie nerd on now, so apologies if you’re a casual reader who’s not interested in the technical aspects of dick dragging, but from a wave riding perspective it was a glimpse into the magic that is the Mike Stewart wave-weaving experience.

Rolling into a wave that built towards the end section at Surge, Mike had his outside rail hand pressed flat on the deck, board slightly angled towards the beach, maintaining momentum, but also slightly dragging his legs to ensure he was in the deepest possible spot when the wave began to run onto the inside shelf. As it hollowed out he was clipped by the slightly crumbling lip, but dug his legs and knees into the wave face to maintain control and muscled through the wash. As the wave drew steeper he allowed the water to suck him up the face away from the shockie, while placing his board flat against the wave face inside the tube. The movement up was balanced by a similar fall back down towards the bottom of the wave while still projecting ever forwards. This time, however, instead of avoiding the shockie he used it to project back up the wave face again, through the next backdoor chamber and ultimately out into the channel.

Five or so seconds of tube riding mastery.

A few minutes later Mike caught another hollow insider and commentator Brendan Newton excitedly questioned: “Stewart, is he goin’ for the title..?”

It seemed strange to question that someone competing in the final of the event might actually be aiming to win, but then the idea of a man in his sixties beating surfers half his age at one of the heaviest waves in the world does, on the face of it, sound ridiculous. Mike’s last big professional win was in 2009 at Arica, Chile. His win then at age 46 seemed improbable.

Now, a victory in a top class event sixteen years later?  

Winnie focussed (Sam Venn)

Halfway through the final, Jase Finlay went missing from the lineup. It was later revealed he'd slammed the reef in his Semi-Final, ignored it and paddled out for the Final only to have his legs, arms and back tingle and spasm after catching a wave. Jase was rescued by Dylan Longbottom on a ski before being ferried to safety by lifeguards.

Back in the water, both Lewy and Winnie notched solid tube rides and look to be in contention for the title. No-one knew the placings as the scores were hidden to build anticipation for the event presentation later in the evening. Mike packed yet another solid tube that spat him into the channel which looked to improve his overall standing.

As the clock ticked down Winnie found a solid one that flared outside but frustratingly didn't offer more than a quick in an out. Then Lewy spun in the pocket, got a cover up before rolling off the end section. The question was asked: Was it enough to end the Mike Stewart fairytale?

Lewy asking the question (Sam Venn)

In the lead up to the event, Mike had done a few podcasts and media bites. When asked about ageing he’d repeatedly said that he’s focused and excited by seeing how far he could go in terms of maintaining a decent performance level as he ages. He eats right, stretches habitually, has a dedicated fitness regime, still travels the world surfing. He claims he’s in better shape than when he was 18.

Left, SIC Finalists Jase Finlay, Mike Stewart, Lewy Finnegan, and Dave Winchester, while at right is Mike after the winner was announced (Sam Venn)

Later that evening he stood with tears in his eyes, crowned champion again, 25 years after his first SIC victory in 2000. He described the experience as “out of body” and “the highlight of my whole life”. I won’t get into the weeds as to whether this kind of obsession is healthy or normal. If you’re here reading this, then you, like me, are suffering under the surfing addiction to some degree. We’ll just leave it as a testament as to what is possible.

Or maybe Mike Stewart is just a freak.

// DAN DOBBIN