Mike Stewart Wins 2025 Shark Island Challenge

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By Dan Dobbin (dandob)

Mike Stewart Wins 2025 Shark Island Challenge

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Dan Dobbin (dandob)
Form Guide

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

Comments

marto1986's picture
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marto1986 Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 11:21am

Great write up Dan, was such a good win! Good watch as well throughout the day.

Sprout's picture
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Sprout Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 11:40am

Incredible win from the GOAT, thanks Dan.

belly's picture
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belly Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 12:12pm

Well captured Dan

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 12:27pm

Nice write up Dan.

Are any of these blokes or women making enough from bodyboarding to live off?

ie, are there any true bodyboard pros anymore?

dandob's picture
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dandob Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 1:00pm

Most ' Pro's riders work or supplement their sponsor income. Pierre Louis Costes is probably the best paid rider internationally from sponsors but he still runs coaching camps and clinics to supplement his income.

Established guys like Stewart, Jeff Hubbard and Mitch Rawlins own their own board and gear companies that are successful enough to let them still live the surf for a living lifestyle, but they're still running their own business.

This is the thing that surfing has to be aware of. All the talk of how cool it is that ' core' businesses like Florence Marine X and Chapter 11 are starting up, unless these guys blow up hugely, they'll not have a lot of money to tip back into supporting other surfers / the industry, because they'll largely be just earning enough to allow their owners and a few hangers on to be paid to surf.

peabo's picture
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peabo Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 1:25pm

Coaching seems to be a decent way for the legends of the sport to make an extra buck. Ryan Hardy spends about 10-12 weeks a year in Bali, paid to surf with all the 40+ year olds who grew up idolising him in the mags 20+ years ago. Jeff Hubbard has been doing a bit of this with the English crowds lately, where bodyboarding seems to be kind of gaining popularity with middle aged people for some reason.

Iain Campbell from South Africa does the same. Dude won a world championship in 2017 and no one has even bothered to create a Wikipedia page about him... which says a lot. Has devoted his time to YouTube over a number of years and seems to have the most followers out of any pro (about 40k), which might supplement his income too. But given he's about as popular as it gets there, it's hard to see anyone in bodyboarding making much money out of clips.

Really hard to tell how much interest there is in the sport in younger generations, particularly being in Vic where hardly anyone seems to boog these days. Feels like the core age group for boogers is mid 40s, at least for those talking about it online. Would love to see some stats on the fluctuations in quality board sales over the years or hear from some industry insiders on the health of the sport. Have things plateaued this decade? Getting better? Worse? No idea....

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 2:10pm

I very, very rarely see bodyboarders in the line-up these days.

There's a couple of guys as regulars and thats it.

surfatnorth79's picture
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surfatnorth79 Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 2:55pm

Agree for sure at most wave, especially the points and standard beachies. A bit different a select reefs and wedges, especially on the south / cental coast and some areas in indo.

juegasiempre's picture
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juegasiempre Thursday, 10 Jul 2025 at 6:52am

I never did either up that way but as you head south, they pop up more regularly.

Now I prefer to surf with boogers and their example, in and out of the water, has me wanting to put my son in the local boog club when he's of age.

Such a different vibe between the local boog club and the boardriders! At least from what I've observed, so take that with a grain of salt.

I've never booged but I bought a one and some flippers cheap. I'm just waiting for the day around here where there's perfect 1ft barrels to give it a go. Otherwise I'll just surf.

scrotina's picture
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scrotina Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 2:35pm

mike is a legend. all round waterman. anyone who bodysurfs 8ft shippies deserves every title they get

matt.mcleod's picture
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matt.mcleod Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 5:49pm

Nothing better than catching tubes with a frothing bodyboarder

conrico's picture
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conrico Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 6:06pm

How can you not love Mike Stewart. Great contest and inspirational winner!

Halfscousehalfcockneyfullaussie's picture
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Halfscousehalfc... Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 7:18pm

Well done Goat Stewart…. was a booger once 30 plus years ago in the Eppo era… don’t see as many young fella’s booging but seems to be a few 35 year plus year olds who still rip round Soldiers and the local reefs

Roystein's picture
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Roystein Thursday, 10 Jul 2025 at 9:04pm

So good… I was the same
Ballard, Eppo, Tamega, Kanoia, Hubbard, Hardy, etc
Plus a constant stream of quality VHS with epic soundtracks via Tensions and ROT

Remigogo's picture
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Remigogo Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 10:31pm

Holy shit!!! Mike's in his 60's?
Nah.
Yeah?
Nah.
Really? Bugger, how old am I then?
Never mind. Congrats man.

Great write up too Dan. Appreciate it.

MM's picture
MM's picture
MM Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 10:37pm

We don't see many young lidders south of the border either. It's a shame, because there are some nice setups in SA for bodyboarding, though getting there requires some mobility.

Remigogo's picture
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Remigogo Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 10:40pm

Just read the comments after me post here above. I've just hit 50 and have dodged the lid to just body surf in an effort to avoid disc relocation on the drops. Im frothing all over again like a pre teen. Haven't pitted for yonks, but fun as.

bdp's picture
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bdp Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025 at 10:59pm

Met Mike in SA in 1996. Mike and the Morey Team lucked out and paddled out with us into some of the biggest rideable Knights Beach wedges and performed a masterclass. Still have a homemade VHS and a few 35mm snaps of the event. One of those days it was so big I legitimately had issues timing getting in. What I noticed is how well he both reads the wave and uses his whole body to surf the wave rather than relying on flippers and rail alone - Probably from his bodysurfing background.

Bnkref's picture
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Bnkref Thursday, 10 Jul 2025 at 2:47pm

Hey bdp, can you post some of the pics on here?

Swany's picture
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Swany Thursday, 10 Jul 2025 at 12:19am

So stoked to read this - Mike’s stoke is all time and to be fair he looks like he’s in mental shape. That has to be some kind of record.

Mental shot of Winchester captured by Sam Venn.. in the spot.

Greebs's picture
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Greebs Thursday, 10 Jul 2025 at 1:30am

Actually it's kinda funny because I used to bag boogers with the best of em, especially during peak boog. And old codgers on boogs I just thought was a disgrace. But age catches up with most of us, pop-ups and shortboards just not viable for some breaks anymore so thought I'd give it a go - in my 60's. FFS eh?

Wasn't able to buy or make a suitable disguise either (supa-glued moustache and fake bushy eyebrows might've worked) so had to bite the bullet in the carpark and just go "Fuck it- Boog Pride" and if you've got a problem with that jam it up yer date. So that's one aspect of it but the other is.. unreal fun! I was genuinely shocked. Can't believe how much fun it its to pull under lip on a sponge! Slabby reefs, tiny beach closeouts, all good! Anyways that was two years ago and still loving g it.

Make Sponging Great Again!

TextSurfer Classic's picture
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TextSurfer Classic Thursday, 10 Jul 2025 at 8:54am

Sheep mentality

Mecco's picture
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Mecco Thursday, 10 Jul 2025 at 10:31am

As a disgraceful old codger on a boog, I love your comment, Greebs. Glad you're having fun and, indeed, Make Sponging Great Again!

Bad Currawong's picture
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Bad Currawong Tuesday, 15 Jul 2025 at 6:05pm

Been booging for 37 years at 53; lost an eye, lost a lumbar disc, lost a shit tonne of flippers and still diving into ice cold Tassie pits or launching from the lip as often as there's waves to do it on. Don't hit the monster slabs any more, but there's a crew of younger boogs down here who totally rip! A couple of true watermen, more seal than human!

Never stood on a stick and don't care :-) But these days I get just as stoked watching anyone surfing any craft when they're charging. Especially love egging the hesitant groms to just take the drop and seeing that shit-eating grin when they get spat out of a Wedge barrel for the first time.

Mike Stewart; fucking legend! Surf till ya drop dead in a hollow beachie!

Spuddups's picture
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Spuddups Thursday, 10 Jul 2025 at 8:52am

The local bodyboarders where I'm from held an event recently at a pretty psycho slab right in town. They lucked in to a pumping 18sec swell on the first weekend of the waiting period. What went down was some of the most insane surfing ever seen here. People are still buzzing on it. These guys deserve respect, they are hard core. Anyway, I got talking with one of the organisers after the event and he said basically everyone is older than 35. There's just no young bodyboarders coming up through the ranks now. Pretty sad when you think about it.

etarip's picture
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etarip Thursday, 10 Jul 2025 at 9:28am

That’s super impressive. Mike Stewart. Legend.

Props to the boogs that charge too.

barreldogs's picture
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barreldogs Thursday, 10 Jul 2025 at 9:48am

“apologies if you’re a casual reader who’s not interested in the technical aspects of dick dragging”. Bahahahahaha!!!!

As much as I respect the boogers, it is humbling that I am forced to the gut sliding team after my 4 degenerating discs do not cooperate with the quick to the feet aspect required to ride my preferred form of sled any longer. I flat refuse to become a stand up paedophile.

back beach's picture
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back beach Friday, 11 Jul 2025 at 3:05pm

Mate you’re guilty of the same small minded brainless insults that boogs cop. Sup surfers are quite often people who choose this craft cause of health and even if people sup surf for whatever reason they deserve “respect “ you speak of.
Just for a moment consider the hypocrisy of your comment

Age's picture
Age's picture
Age Thursday, 10 Jul 2025 at 11:47am

Awesome write up. The undisputed GOAT.

durutti's picture
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durutti Thursday, 10 Jul 2025 at 3:16pm

Love seeing the respect due to boogs that was not there when I was a grom. I like to think I’ll return to it when I’m too old to stand up too.

Mike is a freak, so happy to see how much this meant to him.

Yeeew

geoffh's picture
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geoffh Saturday, 12 Jul 2025 at 9:30am

it was great watching the event, and so good to see Mike win, But OMG the commentary was abysmally poor to the point of irritation, which was a shame as it undermined the event

blow-in-9999's picture
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blow-in-9999 Monday, 14 Jul 2025 at 10:40am

A few thoughts
* I still fucking love it.

*I think its a bit (good amateur) surfers getting better too. They've really improved the ability to scoop into stuff, that wasn't done a few (say 10-15) years ago.

* The money was already well gone before the IBA collapsed. Think circa GFC, plenty of guys on BIG contracts prior to that.

*Theres still a big flow of groms out there at the reefs, they just quit. All the teenagers who be out at every swell just go to uni and find other hobbies (MTB was big prior to it also collapsing). Despite some poor showings in the last two SiCs Anthony Miller is rather good, atleast when I've freesurfed with him.

*Board sales are almost on a bloody preorder basis now. Its truly terrible.