JONES BEACH, KIAMA (Saturday, 15 September 2018): Elouera Boardriders Club have taken out the southern NSW nudie Australian Boardriders Battle event, taking down 13 other fired up boardriders clubs from south of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in clean two-foot waves at Jones Beach.
The Cronulla club which comprises of World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) surfer Connor O’Leary, Shane Campbell, Jarvis Earle, Paul Holbrook and Nichola Turner lit up the punchy peaks nailing a giant 31.57 heat total to get the nod ahead of fellow finalists Scarborough, Maroubra United and Bondi who took second, third and fourth respectively.
“We’re so pumped to have won this event,” said O’Leary. “We’ve been trying to win this qualifier for so long and we’ve finally done it. It’s an event series we all look forward to all year as the calibre of surfing is always so high. We’re definitely going to give it everything we’ve got at the National Final at Newcastle.”
O’Leary was awarded the AirAsia Wave of the Day for a massive near-perfect nine-point ride in his semi-final.
Nic Squires (Scarborough) claimed the Oakley Prizm Performer Award for his impressive approach and tenacity over the entirety of the event.
Participating clubs included Bondi, Southbridge, Jones Beach, Ulladulla, Maroubra, Woonoona, Scarborough, Sandon Point, Culburra, Elouera, Port Kembla, Dalmeny and Werri Beach.
The main base for event two of the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle was Bombo or Jones’ Beach.
The nudie Australian Boardriders Battle is officially sanctioned by the World Surf League (WSL), which allows Australian WSL Championship Tour surfers (men and women) the opportunity to represent their local boardriders club at respective state qualifying events as well as the national final.
The purpose of the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle program is to build the profile and capacity of community boardriders clubs Australia-wide. In the past five years, Surfing Australia has invested over $750,000 into Surfing Australia affiliated boardriders clubs as part of the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle series.
The 2018 nudie Australian Boardriders Battle is Australia’s biggest grassroots boardriders event and involves more than 60 of Australia’s best boardrider clubs across eight state qualifying rounds with 24 clubs competing at the National Final in Newcastle.
Major sponsors of the 2018/19 series include the naming rights partner nudie and supporting sponsors Oakley, Woolworths, Hyundai, Nikon, AirAsia, Destination NSW, Localsearch, Newcastle City Council, World Surf League, mySURF.tv, XXXX Summer Bright Larger, Fox Sports, 2XP and Surfing Australia.
RESULTS:
Final
1 – Elouera 31.57
2 – Scarborough 26.26
3 – Maroubra United 23.87
4 – Bondi 22.77
See all the results here.
Nudie Australian Boardriders Battle 2018/19 calendar:
ABB – EVENT 1 – Gold Coast, QLD – August 25, 2018
ABB – EVENT 2 – Kiama, NSW – Sept 15, 2018
ABB – EVENT 3 – NSW Central – North Narrabeen, NSW – Sept 22, 2018
ABB – EVENT 4 – NSW Nth – Coffs Harbour, NSW – Oct 6, 2018
ABB – EVENT 5 – Trigg, WA – Oct 27, 2018
ABB – EVENT 6 – Fleurieu Peninsula, SA – Nov 10, 2018
ABB – EVENT 7 – Phillip Island, VIC – Nov 24, 2018
ABB – EVENT 8 – Clifton Beach TAS – Dec 15, 2018
ABB – National Final – Newcastle, NSW – TBC