MACAULEYS BEACH, COFFS HARBOUR (Saturday, 6 October 2018): Le-Ba Boardriders have taken out the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle northern qualifying event, overcoming five of northern NSW’s most talented boardriders clubs.
The far-north coast club took victory following a blow-for-blow final heat with three other clubs. The six-person squad – made up of former World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) surfers Stuart Kennedy and Adam Melling as well as Nyxie Ryan, Jack Murray, Marcus Aboody and Jai Glinderman – dominated the solid low-tide conditions all nailing an array of impressive turns, carves and snaps to post a massive 38.32 total. Fellow finalists Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay and Cabarita all put on valiant displays of surfing but ultimately had to settle for second, third and fourth respectively.
“This is such a sweet win for our club and all the members,” said former CT surfer and Le-Ba standout Stuart Kennedy. “There were so many good surfers in this event and to come out on top is an epic feeling. I know the team wanted to go one step further after finishing second to our rivals Byron Bay last year, so to get the win over them makes it even sweeter.”
Taj Watson (Coffs Harbour) was awarded the AirAsia Wave of the Day for a massive near-perfect 9.67 ride in his opening heat.
Nyxie Ryan (Le-Ba) claimed the Oakley Prizm Performer Award for her stellar performance across all heats.
Participating clubs included Byron Bay, Le-Ba (Lennox / Ballina), Coffs Harbour, Cabarita, Woolgoolga and Sawtell.
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, 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 – Le-Ba (Lennox / Ballina) 38.32
2 – Coffs Harbour 31.56
3 – Byron Bay 30.49
4 – Cabarita 27.27
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