Australia was crowned Team World Champion at the 2025 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Surfing Games (WSG) on Monday September 15 AEDT. The ninth straight day of pumping waves in Surf City El Salvador saw La Bocana offering up powerful four-to-six-foot peaks to decide the medallists.
Dane Henry (AUS) and Janire Gonzalez-Etxabarri (ESP) won the men’s and women’s individual gold medals, respectively. Gonzalez-Etxabarri’s victory marked the first-ever WSG gold for Spain.
Henry’s win, alongside bronze medals for Morgan Cibilic (AUS) and Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), secured the team victory for Australia. The medallists were complemented by Ellie Harrison (AUS) in fifth, Milla Brown (AUS) in 11th before her withdrawal due to injury, and Callum Robson (AUS) in 19th.
Milla sustained damage to her MCL and had to withdraw from the event, which was, as she stated ''pretty tough but lots of learning, onto the next!!!''
Bungan Boardriders' Milla Brown during Day 5 surfing. Photo: ISA / Sean Evans
Already the most successful nation in WSG history, Australia broke a 14-year drought to win their sixth team gold medal this year, and their 16th WSG team medal overall. Having claimed four of their six team silver medals in the intervening years, the team was thrilled to once again stand atop the podium. As the reigning Team World Junior Champion, this years' win backs up their 2024 junior victory, also won in Surf City El Salvador.
See 2024 report: The Irukandji's Win Eighth Team World Championship And Two Individual Gold Medals At The 2024 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship
Dane Henry (AUS) became the first man in the modern era to win the WSG as the reigning ISA World Junior Champion. The 19-year-old follows in the footsteps of Tom Curren (USA), who won the 1982 WSG while still holding the junior crown from 1980. Only two other men — Gabriel Medina (BRA) and Jordy Smith (RSA) — have won gold medals at both the World Junior Surfing Championship (WJSC) and the WSG.
“That is a crazy club to be a part of,” Henry said. “The whole time I had belief in myself that I could do it. My surfing’s been feeling spot on. I really wanted to really shine in the Final and I’m really glad that I got the opportunity to do that. Competing against guys like Kauli Vaast, Morgan [Cibilic] and Douglas [Silva], you’ve got to pull out the best. I have a really special connection with this place and this competition now. I felt really in my element, which definitely pushed me through and helped me get the win.”
Opening his Final with a massive full-rotation aerial, Henry locked in an 8.67 before backing it up with a 9.50 on a long right-hander at La Bocana. His combined heat score of 18.17 put him beyond reach of his opponents and etched his name into surfing history.
Utilising a similar formula to his 2024 WJSC victory at the same location, Henry attacked the La Bocana rights, opening the men’s Final with a lofty full rotation that earned an 8.67. He soon added exceptional variety on a long right for a 9.50, building a massive 18.17 heat total that left Morgan Cibilic (AUS) and Douglas Silva (BRA) needing a two-wave combination.
Four further excellent scores were posted over the 30-minute match, three of them from Kauli Vaast (FRA), the only surfer able to challenge Henry’s lead with a single wave. The Olympic Champion’s vertical backhand attack came closest to Henry’s numbers, but the Australian stayed out of reach, even as Vaast landed a backhand full rotation to close the Final.
“This win means everything,” Henry said. “To represent Australia and stand on top with this team is the best feeling in the world. We believed in each other all week, and to bring it home for the Irukandjis is so special.”
Dane Henry, Team Australia / Photo: Sean Evans
Veteran and 2025 Team Captain, Sally Fitzgibbons, continued to build on her remarkable career, adding a sixth ISA World Surfing Games medal — a bronze — to her unprecedented haul of 4X golds and 1X previous bronze. Fitzgibbons remains one of the most winningest surfers in ISA Surfing history, and reinforces her reputation as the anchor of the Irukandjis.
"Our team really connected through our values of how much it means to us to represent our nation. Every individual athlete, coach, and staff member woke up every day ready to take on the challenge. Out of every ISA medal I've won, this is the one that stands out. I couldn't be prouder, and this memory will stay with me forever." Sally Fitzgibbons said
Zonta Club of Northern Beaches members at the 50 Years Celebration. Photo: Michael Mannington OAM
Profile of the Week Zonta Northern Beaches Celebrates 50 Years Of Service and Advocacy: President's Address
History Lovett Bay Public Wharves: Some History - one to the west, one to the east, one from when the area was opening up for tourists, one from when we were finding the ideal Places of Peace.
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Environment First Manly Penguin Chicks for Spring 2025, Greens to introduce cat containment laws in NSW: Empower Local Councils to Act, Magpies in Spring, Sydney Wildlife (Sydney Metropolitan Wildlife Services) Needs People for the Rescue Line, Warriewood DA Proposes removal of 11 Hectares of Vegetation, 280+ extra vehicles for streets, Development application for restart of Redbank Power Station refused: IPC, Plastic Mesh placed over Rainbow Bee-eater Breeding Grounds to facilitate 2 day festival, Environmental flows in NSW to resume, Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone project secures planning approval, Fossil discovery at Riversleigh tells tale of songbird, Feedback Invited: $10 million to cut food waste in NSW households + businesses - Draft resource recovery order and exemption for biosolids: Have your say to EPA by September 26 - Climate Change Licensee Requirements: Have your say to EPA by October 7 - EPA tackling greenhouse gas emissions with new licensee requirements: Have your say, Thomas Stephens Reserve, Church Point - boardwalk + seawall works to commence This September, Wildlife Hungry: Moving to road Edges to feed - Please Slow down, Battle for the bush? Ignore the noise – most farmers like renewables, Is this Australia’s climate wake-up call? Official report reveals a hotter, harder future if we don’t act now, New climate report warns property prices face a $611 billion hit. What does that mean?, From batteries to EV chargers, Australia and NZ need these 3 fixes to hit net-zero at less cost, Australia’s 2035 climate target is coming. Here’s how we’ll know if it’s good enough, Climate change is causing ever more disruption. Can Australia’s new adaptation plan help?, Drones with thermal cameras are revealing the secrets of elusive Australian forest wildlife, 7 things we can do today to meet Australia’s new climate goal, A walk across Alaska’s Arctic sea ice brings to life the losses that appear in climate data, $1 million to establish indi NSW recreational fishing peak body: feedback invited until Oct. 1, Notice of 1080 Poison Baiting, Weed of the Week, Solar for apartment residents: Funding, Volunteers for Barrenjoey Lighthouse Tours needed, Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Recycling Batteries: at Mona Vale + Avalon Beach, Reporting Dogs Offleash - Dog Attacks to Council, Plastic Bread Ties For Wheelchairs, Stay Safe From Mosquitoes, Mountain Bike Incidents On Public Land, Report fox sightings, Marine Wildlife Rescue group on the Central Coast, Watch out - shorebirds about, Possums In Your Roof?: do the right thing, Aviaries + Possum Release Sites Needed, Bushcare in Pittwater: where + when, Friends Of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment Activities, Community Gardens and Environment Groups and Organisations in Pittwater, Ringtail Posses, Pittwater Reserves, Environment History insights + Walks, Birds, +
Aquatics Irukandji's Crowned World Champions at the 2025 ISA World Surfing Games
Children Sunday cartoons and animations - this Issue: Woodstock gets the hiccups - Snoopy the dog, Paper run, The White Cockatoos of Charles Harpur – Father of Australian Poetry: For Children, Curious kids: do owls have bogies? + the Moon is getting slightly farther away from the Earth each year − a physicist explains why + why do some farts smell and some don’t? And why do some farts feel hot? + what is sign language? + how did spoken language start? + why are there different seasons at specific times of the year?, Stories: Penelope Rex and the Problem with Pets + 'Chester's Way' read by Vanessa Marano & Katie + local fun and clubs for you
Youth First Manly Penguin Chicks for Spring 2025, Tom Myers Takes Out Men's Ride of the Year in 2024/25 Big Wave Challenge, Grae Morris Crowned U23 iQFOiL World Champion, Opportunities: Acting training to Western Sydney + She’s Electric competition is back + I'm with the Band: Music Comp. + Open Mic at Palmy, Financial help for young people, School Leavers Support, Word Of The Week: Detail, Young people in England and Australia are supposedly poor at learning languages – our research shows this isn’t true, New entanglement breakthrough links cores of atoms, brings quantum computers closer, Instant ramen: a short history of a long noodle, A pretty face helped make Robert Redford a star. Talent and dedication kept him one, ‘To my happy surprise, it grew beyond my imagination’: Robert Redford’s Sundance legacy, Tiny crystals in Earth’s crust have captured the movement of the Milky Way’s spiral arms, Kate Woods’ new film Kangaroo is the heart-warming pick-me-up you didn’t know you needed, How a fly sees the world – and why understanding its vision can help prevent disease, Influencers of a bygone era: How late Victorian women artists mastered the art of networking, , local groups and services for you
Seniors Shelley Beach photo wins award, Hobart in 1966, Beyond weight loss: how healthy eating cuts chronic pain, Sydney in 1966, Northern Beaches Police Area Command: Retired police day 2025, 1 in 3 Australians in their late 60s are still working HILDA survey shows, Call for applications to join the Aged Care Council of Elders, Fewer friends, more time stress: the essential charts from this year’s HILDA survey, Older Australians collect an average of 31 PBS scripts a year – new research, Could plastic in your food be fuelling Alzheimer's?, A pretty face helped make Robert Redford a star. Talent and dedication kept him one, local groups and services
Park Bench Philosophers Iconic biocontainment lab marks 40 years at Australia’s disease defence frontline
Pictures Aussie Bird Count 2025 Runs October 20-26: BirdLife Australia Publishes 'What Bird is That?' Help for Participants - so do we!
DIY Ideas Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Mona Vale - Avalon 70th Birthday Celebrations: September 19 to 22
- 🏃🏼♂️➡️ Friday September 19 (Mona Vale only): 5km run with the legend NEDD BROCKMANN and huge Tradie Brekkie for Tradies Day 2025. Register here for the run: www.mitre10.com.au/trade/run-with-nedd-nsw
- 🎨 Saturday: Fun for the whole family.
- 🔥 Sunday: Huge in-store savings.
- 💙 Monday: Special community announcement.
Food Spring Strawberries: recipe Ideas For This Vitamin C Boost Fruit
The first of the Spring strawberries have been coming into grocers during the past week, with a price tag that makes them affordable for many families. One serving (100 g) of strawberries is an excellent source of vitamin C, a good source of manganese, and provides several other vitamins and dietary minerals in lesser amounts. Eaten fresh or turned into a dessert, these glorious crimson treats will keep the season crossover sniffles at bay.
Dipped in chocolate… Or in a soufflé… Or just piled high on a dinner plate! It is time to indulge your senses. A few recipe ideas run this Issue for your consideration.
