NORTH NARRABEEN
REIGN SUPREME
AT ORIGINAL SOURCE AUSTRALIAN BOARDRIDERS BATTLE SERIES III
After eight hard fought state qualifying
rounds, twenty clubs had made it
through to the Original Source Australian
Boardriders Battle Series III Final at
Cronulla on the 23rd and 24th of January.
Defending and two time champions
Snapper Rocks Surfriders Club were
lucky enough to gain wildcard entry into
the final along with North Narrabeen
Boardriders Club, Culburra Beach
Boardriders Club and Merewether
Surfboard Club along with host club
Cronulla Sharks Boardriders.
In punchy 4ft waves, Sunday was a
day of eliminations and high drama as
some of the biggest names in Australian
boardriding fell by the wayside while
a host of unheralded clubs revelled in
knocking over the heavyweights.
A dramatic start to the day saw two-time
defending champions Snapper Rocks
struggle in their Teams heat to virtually
end their title hopes. Joel Parkinson
had a chance to keep Snapper Rocks
in contention through the following
individual Skins heats but he was
eliminated early bringing an end to the
club’s two-year reign.
4 Issue 13 / Autumn 2016
Overnight leaders Merewether Surfboard
Club was also eliminated early from the
Teams division but had enough points
from Day 1 to stay in the top four.
While the heavyweights stumbled several
clubs including North Shelly, Jones Beach
Boardriders and North Shore Boardriders
had a day out to ride some incredible onbeach support with North Shelly making
it all the way to the Grand Final. Culburra
Beach Boardriders were a major threat
throughout the event but were eliminated
in the semi-finals of the Teams rounds.
The North Narrabeen squad included:
Nathan Hedge, Davey Cathels, Cooper
Chapman, Laura Enever, Nathan Webster,
Kai Warner, Jordy Lawler, Tru Starling and
Dylan Moffat. They collected $20,000 for
winning the event plus $3000 in Skins
jackpots.
“We had a sixth and a ninth in the first
two years and it didn’t represent what
we wanted for North Narrabeen, so we
rallied up and got the support behind us
and really deserved this one,” said North
Narrabeen stalwart Nathan Hedge.
In a new format for this year’s event,
the top four clubs at the end of the
preliminary Skins, Women’s and Teams
rounds contested a one-hour Teams
Grand Final to end the two-day event.
“When you surf for your club and your
home it means everything. It means
the world to step up for your club and
do it for your friends and this format is
incredible.”
In a staggered start for the Grand Final,
North Narrabeen had the full 60 minutes
and made the most of it to take the
honours with 35.67 points, ahead of Point
Lookout (30.37), Merewether (27.30) and
North Shelly (26.97). The remaining three
clubs started on 55 minutes, 52 minutes
and 50 minutes.
In several special awards also presented,
Ethan Ewing (Point Lookout Boardriders)
was awarded the Wayne Bartholomew
Medal for the best performing male surfer
at the National Final. Macy Callaghan
(North Shelly Boardriders) won the Layne
Beachley Medal for best performing
female. Each surfer also received $1000.