AVOCA
REIGN SUPREME
AT nudie AUSTRALIAN
BOARDRIDERS BATTLE
SERIES IV FINAL
ON
February 18-19 this year the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle Series IV Final was held in great waves at
Newcastle Main Beach after eight super competitive state qualifying rounds.
Twenty-four of the nation’s best boardriders clubs converged on the Steel City with the tag of Australia’s
best club up for grabs.
On paper, Avoca Boardriders Club looked one of the
stronger teams and after two days of tight competition
there were four teams left when the Grand Final on the
Sunday afternoon got underway, pitching the Central Coast
club - anchored by World Surf League (WSL) Championship
Tour (CT) surfers Matt Wilkinson and Adrian “Ace” Buchan
- against reigning champions Narrabeen as well as Snapper
Rocks and Bondi. Avoca reigned supreme notching up a
giant 35.40 heat total.
Despite the fact Avoca suffered a five-point deduction due
to Wilkinson catching more than the allocated wave limit; the
club dominated the hour-long affair with all surfers posting an
array of impressive scores.
“That was so much fun and has made for such a sick
weekend,” said Wilkinson. “There’s been so many good
surfers in this club for so long and if it wasn’t so hard to get
us all together we could maybe win more of these events, but
once we all come together I think it really displays how much
depth we have in the club.”
Fellow Avoca surfer and CT surfer Adrian Buchan relished
the chance to give back to the club that has supported him for
several decades.
“For me personally it feels amazing to give back to the club
that supported me since I was a grommet,” said Buchan. “This
club provided for me financially when I went to National and
World Titles in my early days and have always had my back and
they continue to when they get up in the middle of the night
to watch our heats online when we’re away competing. To be
fair, I think the Central Coast rivalry we have with the North
Shelly guys has really inspired the entire club and pushed us
to expand the depth of our own club and given us a spark to
win. To also surf with people like Sam Chell, who I’ve looked
up to for a long time and maybe inspire the younger members
is an incredible feeling.”
Representing the runner-up club Snapper Rocks, six-times
010 | Issue 16 // Winter 2017
World Champion Stephanie Gilmore said the camaraderie in
the club really helped drive them into the runner-up position.
“This is a great event for team culture and helps grow the
camaraderie between all the members,” said Gilmore. “It
was certainly nerve-racking to be put under that pressure
to perform but it’s also the perfect practice for a World
Tour event.”
2012 World Champion and Snapper Rocks surfer Joel
Parkinson echoed similar sentiments.
“We’re all passionate about this club and our local beach,
which is something every surfer in this event shares,” said
Parkinson. “The waves we got here and the venue truly
provided the perfect amphitheatre for all the clubs. I already
can’t wait for next year.”
Before the Grand Final took place, The Adaptive Surfers
of Australia put on an inspiring demonstration in pumping
waves. Barney Miller, Jade ‘Red’ Wheatley, Mark Formston
and two-times ISA World Adaptive Surfing Champion Mark
‘Mono’ Stewart showed off their incredible skills for the big
crowd on the beach.
The nudie Australian Boardriders Battle Series involved
more than 60 of Australia’s best boardriders clubs in eight
state qualifying rounds and culminated in a National Final in
Newcastle in February for 24 clubs.
The nudie Australian Boardriders Battle has official
sanctioning 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 and the National Final.
Major sponsors of the 2016/17 series include the naming
rights partner nudie and supporting sponsors Toyota,
Oakley, Nikon, Milwaukee, Destination NSW, The City of
Newcastle, DrinkWise, World Surfaris, Fox Sports, World
Surf League, mySURF.tv, XXXX Summer Bright Lager and
Surfing Australia.