NORTH NARRABEEN BEACH, SYDNEY (Saturday, 22 September 2018): North Steyne Boardriders have taken out the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle central qualifying event, overcoming eight of NSW’s most talented boardriders club from north of the Sydney Harbour Bridge to Newcastle.
The Manly based club took top honours following a blisteringly hot display of surfing in the punchy two-foot surf. The five-person team, made up of Beau Mitchell, Blake Levett, Kai Otton, Saxon Reber and Hunter Kelleher made light work of the wind-blown conditions, posting a respectable combined heat total of 27.76 to get the upper hand against Avoca, North Avalon and North Narrabeen who claimed second, third and fourth respectively.
As a result, the top three clubs have qualified for the upcoming National Final in Newcastle.
“This is our first win since doing this event series,” said club stalwart Blake Levett. “Last year we were fortunate enough to make the final of the team’s event, so to go one step further feels amazing. It’s always been a goal to take this event out and I think I speak for the entire club when I say how stoked we all are to win.”
Ben Penny (Queenscliff) was awarded the AirAsia Wave of the Day for a massive near-perfect nine-point ride in opening heat.
Lliam Mortensen (NASA) claimed the Oakley Prizm Performer Award for his overall dominance in his heats.
Participating clubs included North Narrabeen, Merewether, North Shelly, North Steyne, Queenscliff, Avoca, North Avalon and Bungan.
The main base for event three of the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle was North Narrabeen 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, 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 – North Steyne
2 – Avoca
3 – North Avalon (NASA)
4 – North Narrabeen
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