September 1-28, 2024: Issue 634

 

2024 Australian Longboard Titles officially begin on the Tweed Coast: NSW Competitors List

+ Champions Crowned at the NSW Longboard State Titles (June 2024)

Photo: The Australian Longboard Titles have officially kicked off with an Opening Ceremony. Credit: Lachlan Ross / Surfing Australia

The Australian Longboard Titles have officially commenced with an Opening Ceremony on Thursday September 12 at the Hyundai Surfing Australia High Performance Centre (HPC), setting the stage for the start of competition today, Friday 13.

The longboard divisions of the 2024 Australian Surf Championships are being held as a stand-alone event on Bundjalung Country, along the stunning Tweed Coast in northern New South Wales.

As the longest-running event on the Australian surfing calendar, with athletes representing all six surfing states, this year’s competition promises to be thrilling. The six-day event will take place at some of the region’s most renowned surf spots, including Cabarita Beach, Kingscliff Beach, Fingal Beach, and Duranbah Beach.

Surfing Australia Contest Director Glen Elliott said favourable conditions are forecast for the competition.

“We’re thrilled to welcome all the state teams to the beautiful Tweed Coast! With nearly 120 competitors in the Masters age divisions, this is shaping up to be the biggest Australian Titles we’ve had in years—it’s going to be an incredible event.

“The forecast looks promising, with a strong southerly change expected overnight. That means we’ll see a building east coast swell, delivering some solid 3-5 foot surf for the first few days of competition. It’s the perfect setup as we gear up to crown our Open Men’s and Women’s champions, along with our U18 division winners on Saturday. As the event continues, we expect the swell to stay in the 2-3 foot range, just in time for our Masters age competitors to hit the water.”

Winner of the 2024 State Longboard Championships in the Open Men’s Division Declan Wyton from Manly is among those competing. Although the 2x Australian Longboard Champ and World Surf League (WSL) Tour competitor was just getting home from the ISA World Longboard Championships in El Salvador in June comp, Declan claimed this was his very first NSW State Title win.

Also competing is Curl Curl's Jason Livingston, who took home not one, but two NSW State Title trophies in the States; the O50’s and O55’s. Rumour has it his fellow competitors say they are waiting for him to move on into the 60’s show ground. He will be competing in both those Divisions, O50 and O55, in the Nationals.

Emma Perrier, who started the Breast Comp Ever, a women-only longboard competition run at Evans Head, leads out the Open Womens' Division. Emma beat local surfer Tully White at the NSW States this year. 

Also taking part in the are Avalon Beach surfer Blaze Angel Roberts, Freshwater Longboard Club's Tati Guedes and Gerringong's Juliana Scopel rounding out  the Open Womens.

Central Coast rider Cooper Kelaher will compete in both the Open Men and U18 Junior Men. Cooper took out the U18's at the States comp.

The full list of NSW competitors runs below.

Winners of the Open Men’s and Women’s divisions will earn a spot in the Australian surfing team, the Irukandjis, for next year’s International Surfing Association (ISA) World Longboard Championship. Additionally, all division winners will receive a longboard-specific coaching experience at the Hyundai Surfing Australia HPC.

Australian Longboard Titles – Divisions:

  • Under 18 Junior Men
  • Under 18 Junior Women
  • Open Men
  • Open Women
  • Grand Masters Women O40
  • Grand Masters Men O40
  • Kahunas Men O45
  • Grand Kahunas Men O50
  • Women O50
  • Dukes Men O55
  • Grand Dukes O60
  • O60 Women
  • Legends Men O65
  • Grand Legends Men O70
  • O70 Women

Please refer to the 2024 Surfing Australia Rule Book for the most up-to-date longboard criteria.

Schedule:

• Opening Ceremony: Date: Thursday, September 12, 2024

• Competition Windows:

WINDOW 1: Friday, September 13, 2024 – Saturday, September 14, 2024
Divisions: Open Men & Women, U18 Junior Men & Women
Presentation: To be held after competition on Saturday, September 14, 2024

WINDOW 2: Saturday, September 14, 2024 – Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Divisions: Over 40 Men & Women, Over 45 Men & Over 50 Men & Women, Over 55 Men, Over 60 Men & Women, Over 65 Men & Over 70 Men & Women
Presentation: To be held after the competition on Tuesday, September 17, 2024

For more information, please visit:  https://australiansurfchampionships.com/longboard/ 

Entry to the Australian Titles are by state qualification or invitation as a wildcard.

The Australian Titles are supported by the Hyundai Surfing Australian High Performance Centre (HPC), Jim Beam and Surfers for Climate.

NSW Team and/or Competitors

Open Women
Emma Perrier
Tully White 
Blaze Angel Roberts
Tati Guedes
Juliana Scopel

Open Men
Declan Wyton
Cooper Kelaher
Archy Bemrose
Marlenn Guihot
Tom Bennett
Jesse Tabell

U18 Junior Women
Giselle Taylor
Alani Wilson
Mahli Abbott

U18 Junior Men
Cooper Kelaher
Cooper Orr 

O40 Women
Laura Pigott
Juliana Scopel
Tati Guedes
Wendy Stevenson

O40 Men
Luke Redmond
James Archibald
Brett Saranooglou
Matthew Anderson
Andrew Tyler
Ryan Chelman
Malcolm McKay

O45 Men
Matthew Anderson
Andrew Tyler

O50 Women
Sue McComb
Sam Wilson
Di Smith 

O50 Men
Jason Livingston
Dave Turner
Alan Morrison
Simon Cox

O55 Men
Jason Livingston
Tony Rae
JP Willis
Alan Morrison
John Fraser
Thomas Bennetts
Tim Reilly
Simon Cox
David Turner

O60 Women
Anne Duncan
Andrea Bohm

O60 Men
Robert Smith
John Fraser
Thomas Bennetts
Storm Carter
Tony Rae
George Haskas
Craig Jones
Tim Reilly
Ron Galea
Jay Carter
Mick Gett

O65 Men
Jonathon Lavers
Tony Abood
Neil Fredericksen

O70 Men
George Watt
Peter Becker
Daniel Bond
Roger Jamieson
Earle Page
John Murray

Team List Submission 

a. State team lists for national title events, must be submitted to Surfing Australia at least 28 days prior to the entry closing date of the event. 

b. Final lists of competitors must be submitted at a team managers’ meeting following the competitors’ meeting. 

Any surfers nominated to compete at this point are the final starters for the Championship. Any “no-show” competitors will forfeit their heat draw positions. In subsequent rounds any “no-show” competitors will be credited with last place in their heat. 

Seeding & Reserve Allocation 

a. Seeding Formula – At the Australian Surf Masters and Longboard Titles State teams will be seeded according to their respective placing at the previous year’s National Titles teams’ event. State team members are then seeded within their teams e.g. 

  • 1st seeded surfer in top state team is contest number one (1) seed 
  • 2nd seeded surfer in top state team is contest number seven (7) 
  • seed 1st seeded surfer in second state team is contest number two (2) seed and so on 

Once the initial draw has been made, no redraws will be made to account for no-show competitors. 

b. At all Australian National championships – points will be allocated for placing’s based on the smallest state allocation for each division. The total points will be added together to get the overall state results from 1st to 6th. This formula can be amended by the SA Technical Committee at any time. 

c. Reserves – If a state is unable to fulfil their allotted allocations in an Open, Masters or Longboard age division, the unfilled allocations can be filled from older age divisions within their State team or from surfers that have competed in their regional and state titles prior to the national titles. This does not apply to junior divisions in the Longboard or Australian Junior/school titles. 

NB: Each team surfer may only compete in two divisions. If state allocations cannot be filled through the above procedure, the unfilled allocations will be sent to all states with 7 days to reply with nominations to fill these allocations.

Champions Crowned at the NSW Longboard State Titles 

Report by Surfing NSW: June 12, 2024

Champions have been Crowned at the Volkswagen Port Stephens NSW Longboard State Titles. Today we completed the 2024 Volkswagen NSW Port Stephens Longboarder State Titles after three outstanding days of competition here at One Mile Beach.

The conditions spiked for finals of the Opens and Juniors on Day Two with light winds providing tapered walls for our top tier competitors to unleash during finals. We progressed into the older divisions with sunny clean conditions and a dropping swell but still enough force to provide great waves and opportunity for some traditional and performance longboarding.

Winner of the Open Men’s Division Declan Wyton from Manly is no stranger to the world of Longboarding. The 2x Australian Longboard Champ and World Surf League (WSL) Tour competitor had his fellow finalists wrapped around his finger after locking in the highest number of the event, a 9.33 in the final, backed up by a 7.83 for a massive and impressive heat total of 17.16 out of a possible 20. Leaving Marleen Guihot, Sam Ticknor and Tom Bennett. all in a combination situation and chasing big numbers.

Although just getting home from the ISA World Longboard Championships in El Salvador, Declan claimed this was his very first NSW State Title win! 

As for the Women’s side of the draw, it was the second last heat of the event that got the crowd cheering. With the O40 Women hitting the water, the stakes were high! After a lot of shuffling across the board, it came down to five seconds before the buzzer where Juliana Scopel was pipped at the post by Laura Pigott who scored a 5.6 in the dying seconds of the heat and jumped into the lead. The camaraderie and sportsmanship between all athletes was the real win of the final. Both girls sharing a laugh as they returned to the shore eagerly awaiting for the results. 

“Total buzzer beater,” said Laura. “That one just came to me and it happened to work in my favour this time. Thanks to my fellow competitors, bring on Aussie’s!”

Another event standout and worthy mention goes to Jason Livingston for taking home not one, but two NSW State Title trophies. O50’s and O55’s. Rumour has it his fellow competitors say they are waiting for him to move on into the 60’s show ground. 


Opens Mens Winners 2024. Photo: Surfing NSW/Bosko

Results

U18 Boy’s Final
1st – Cooper Kelaher
2nd – Cooper Orr
3rd – Kobi Chau
4th – Jayden Fletcher
5th – Gwil Barnes

U18 Girl’s Final
1st – Giselle Taylor
2nd – Alani Wilson
3rd – Nirvana Goyne

Open Men’s Final
1st – Declan Wyton
2nd – Marlenn Guihot
3rd – Sam Ticknor
4th – Tom Bennett

Open Women’s Final
1st – Emma Perrier
2nd – Tully White
3rd – Blaze Angel Roberts
4th – Juliana Scopel

O40 Men’s Final
1st – Shane Baker
2nd – Luke Redmond
3rd – Mathew Anderson
4th – Andrew Tyler
5th – Adam McManus

O40 Women’s Final
1st – Laura Pigott
2nd – Juliana Scopel
3rd – Tati Guedes
4th – Wendy Stevenson

O45 Men’s Final
1st – Mathew Anderson
2nd – Sean Dry
3rd – Andrew Tyler
4th – Adam McManus

O50 Men’s Final
1st – Jason Livingston
2nd – Sean Dry
3rd – Alan Morrison
4th – Simon Cox

O55 Men’s Final
1st – Jason Livingston 
2nd – Tony Rae
3rd – Alan Morrison
4th – John Fraser

O50/60 Women’s Final
1st – Sue Mccomb
2nd – Anne Duncan
3rd – Sam Wilson
4th – Julia Magliano

O60 Men’s Final
1st – Robert Smith
2nd – Tony Rae
3rd – George Haskas
4th – Ron Galea

O65 Men’s Final
1st – Jonathon Lavers
2nd – Tony Abood
3rd – Peter Becker
4th – Greig Beddgood

O70 Men’s Final
1st – George Watt
2nd – Peter Becker
3rd – Earle Page
4th – Rodger Jamieson

For full list of results, visit:  https://liveheats.com/events/202568 

Thanks to our event supporters; Volkswagen, Coward Punch, Club Med, Port Stephens Council and Surfing NSW

Australian Surf Championships ALLOCATIONS:

  • U/18 Junior Men (2 spots)
  • U/18 Junior Women (2 spots)
  • Open Men (4 spots)
  • Open Women (4 spots)
  • Over 40 Women (4 spots)
  • Over 40 Men (4 spots)
  • Over 45 Men (2 spots)
  • Over 50 Men (4 spots)
  • Over 50 Women (1 spot)
  • Over 55 Men (4 spots)
  • Over 60 Men (4 spots)
  • Over 60 Women (1 spot)
  • Over 65 Men (2 spots)
  • Over 70 Men (2 spots)

* Please Note: Allocations are subject to change at Surfing Australia Discretion.

THERE WILL BE NO LOGGER DIVISION AT THE STATE OR AUSTRALIAN TITLES.