Team Irukandjis Masters has had a great time in El Salvador for the ISA World Masters and have maintained Australia's consistent performance at this event to secure wins all over the waves.
The 2024 Australian Team had NASA surfer, coach at Manly Surf School, and proud dad of two wonderful girls, Shane Conwell as the 40-49 division representative.
Shane came into the ISA's 2024 Masters comp. with some consistent surfing at home. He won the Surfmasters Over 35 Men at the Australian Surf Championships held in Port Macquarie on August 4-7. North Narrabeen Boardriders former world circuit surfer Christo Hall won second.
Shane and Christo both competed in the 2024 Volkswagen NSW Port Stephens Surf Master’s State Titles in June, with Christo winning the O35's and both securing placings in the O40's division.
On being announced as part of Team Irukandjis Masters Shane (Whale Beach, NSW) said;
“I feel honoured and overwhelmed to follow in the footsteps of previous great surfers who have represented Australia. I’m looking forward to the surf and experiencing the culture of El Salvador.
I’m going there to do my best for Australia, my family, NASA boardriders community, friends and to make my girls proud. I have been a Surf Coach for 23 years Manly Surf School, was Aussie Champion in the over-40s last year and a finalist in previous state and Aussie Titles.”
Shane in action on Day 2 of ISA Masters. Credit: ISA / Sean Evans
However, it is Scott Schindler (Sawtell, NSW) who has returned home as a World Champion after winning Gold in the Men’s Grand Masters (over 50) at the 2024 ISA World Masters Surfing Championship (WMSC).
The Irukandjis team also secured the overall Bronze at the event in El Salvador.
Serena Brooke (Noosa Heads, QLD) and Rod Baldwin (Copacabana, NSW) won Silver in the Women’s Masters (over 40) and Men’s Kahunas (over 60), respectively. Meanwhile, Sandra English (Budgewoi, NSW) earned her fourth WMSC medal, taking Copper in the Women’s Kahunas (over 60).
Finals Day provided ideal conditions, with some of the world’s best surfers over 40 competing for the top honours.
At age 53, Schindler claimed his first World Championship title.
"To win a world title is surreal," Schindler told Surfing Australia. "It’s a dream come true at any age and a true testament to the hard work that goes into this achievement. Winning for myself, the team, and Australia is a moment that will last forever.
"El Salvador was an amazing host, going above and beyond in its commitment to surfing. I want to thank Surfing Australia, my teammates, and the entire surfing community for their incredible support. It meant more than I can put into words.
"Finally my wife, who came on the journey too. She gave me space and time to support whatever it took. I could take time to surf, train, and focus, both mentally and physically allowing me to do whatever it took to win. And now we have experienced a world title together as a team, and that makes it even more special."
Scotty Schindler. Credit: ISA / Pablo Franco
Baldwin’s Silver completes his collection in the Kahunas division, having previously won Gold, Bronze, and Copper in past events.
"We have had a fantastic time over here in Surf City El Salvador," Baldwin said, "We were all made feel very welcome and the facilities made available for the team was fantastic. It was a great team to be part of, with everyone supporting each other and I have made some new great friends. Thank you again Surfing Australia for giving me the opportunity to represent Australia."
Rodney Baldwin Bronze Medal. Credit: ISA / Jersson Barboza
Former CT surfer and World Title runner-up Serena Brooke scored an early 7.33 and a late 6.07 to claim Silver in the Women’s Masters Final.
"El Salvador has been amazing," Brooke said. "I came up just short of the Gold with a Silver Medal but to represent Australia and surf in a team was awesome as this is my first ISA titles. I will definitely be back for more and looking to go that one spot better next time.
"The Irukandjis Aussie team support has been epic and to get third out of 28 countries as a team was an awesome effort. Looking forward to the next one."
Serena Brooke. Credit: ISA / Pablo Franco
A historic Finals Day in the 2024 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Masters Surfing Championship (WMSC) saw Brazil crowned as Masters Team World Champion for the very first time. Another day of incredible surf saw four-to-five foot walls lining the long, right point of El Sunzal. The conditions were ideal to crown World Champions from amongst the world’s best surfers over the age of 40.
A clean sweep for Hawaii in all three women’s divisions placed the back-to-back defending champions in second for the Silver Medal, with two-time champions Australia taking the Bronze Medal and France winning their first-ever Masters Team Medal, the Copper.
Brazil claimed medals in five of the six divisions, topped with a Gold Medal for Diego Rosa in men’s Masters (over 40). Roberta Borges and Jojó de Olivença both won Silver Medals in women’s Kahunas (over 60) and men’s Grand Masters (over 50), respectively, with Andrea Lopes and Jacqueline Silva taking home Bronze in Grand Masters and Masters, respectively.
“World Champion, man, I’m so happy, so stoked to be on the top of the world right now,” Rosa said. “I’m so happy for my team. We’ve been working together for the whole week. Thanks a lot to our confederation back in Brazil too. They were working a lot to bring us here, and we’re representing the best form here.”
Rosa’s powerful backhand topped that of two other strong goofy-footers, Gilbert Brown (CRC) and Hira Teriinatoofa (TAH), the two-time ISA World Surfing Games (WSG) Gold Medallist. Brown put up a strong challenge to Rosa, with a late exchange narrowly leaving the Costa Rican short of his required score, seeing him as the Silver Medallist. Teriinatoofa never quite found his rhythm and finished with Bronze. The sole regular-footer in the Final, Tyrell Johnson (RSA), had been a standout all week, but had to settle for the Copper Medal.
It was a clean sweep for Hawaiian women as Becky Benson, Rochelle Ballard and Melanie Bartels are crowned World Champions.
Representing three distinct generations of women’s surfing, Becky Benson, Rochelle Ballard, and Melanie Bartels each had iconic professional careers in their own respect and all three were crowned World Champions on October 24.
Having competed in her first ISA event over 52 years ago, in 1972, and participated as a member of the first-ever iteration of a professional surfing tour in 1976, 67-year-old Benson today became the first-ever women’s Kahunas World Champion. Peaking at No. 3 on the WSL Championship Tour (CT) in 1977, Benson cut her professional career short due to a lack of funding in women’s surfing. The Hawaiian has been extremely appreciative of how much has changed for women in the sport since then, and loved every aspect of competing in the WMSC.
“I can’t believe I’m up here with first place, I’m so happy,” Benson said. “This is the answer of a lot of prayers, so thank you God. And I want to thank the ISA. I want to thank Surf City El Salvador for putting on this amazing event. If it weren’t for my dad, I would not be here right now. I would not be surfing. He supported me all the way, and my mom as well. This is for them. I know they’re watching.”
As with all of her heats, Benson opened early and strong, holding the lead for the duration of the Final. Late in the heat, Benson channelled her days charging Sunset Beach, to earn a 6.17 from a solid wave and put large requirements on the rest of the finalists. Roberta Borges (BRA) and Barbara Roettger (PUR), who first competed against each other in the 1986 ISA World Surfing Championships in Newquay, England, were locked in a tight battle for second. Borges got the nod to win the Silver Medal, with Roettger taking Bronze and Sandra English (AUS) earning her fourth WMSC medal, the Copper.
Ballard, the 2012 Masters World Champion, was the standout in her division, consistently delivering excellent scores, and the Final was no different. Opening with an 8.00 and then almost immediately backing it up with an 8.90, the Hawaiian kept herself out of reach of her three fellow finalists. The powerful backhand of two-time Masters World Champion Heather Clark (RSA) came the closest to matching the precision of Ballard, but the South African had to settle for the Silver Medal, with Andrea Lopes (BRA) taking the Bronze, Siri Cota (USA) the Copper.
Long a champion of women’s surfing, having likely sacrificed a WSL World Title in 2004 to create a powerful advocacy group within the sport, it was fitting that the 53-year-old became the first-ever women’s Grand Masters World Champion.
“I’m so proud of all of it,” Ballard said. “It feels good to get some deeper roots and legs moving in women’s surfing. Everybody from our generation and the generation before us and the generation before that. That’s all paving the road for what it is today. So you can’t ever forget the past, and the roots, because it carries through in the now. And now, it’s important that we all stand together as one.”
For full results please visit isasurf.org/event/2024-isa-world-masters-surfing-championship.
The next great ISA event is the 2024 ISA World Para Surfing Championship (WPSC) which has gathered the world’s best Para Surfing athletes in Huntington Beach, California and will run from today, November 3rd, until next Saturday the 9th.
The Irukandjis Para Surfing Team attended the great Opening Ceremony as this Issue was being finalised.
At the 2023 ISA World Para Surfing Championship, the team brought home seven medals, including Emma Dieters (Mona Vale), Kirk Watson (Mona Vale), and Joel Taylor (Lennox Head) all winning gold in their respective divisions.
Australia's 2024 ISA World Para Surfing Championship – Team Irukandjis - is:
- Chris Blowes (Netley, SA) – Para Surf Stand 3
- Joel Taylor (Lennox Head, NSW) – Para Surf Prone 1
- Kai Colless (Burleigh Heads, QLD) – Para Surf Prone 1
- Cliff Gralton (Tuncurry, NSW) – Para Surf Prone 2
- Lee Ferrier (Narrabeen, NSW) – Para Surf Prone 2
- Mark ‘Mono’ Stewart (Byron Bay, NSW) – Para Surf Kneel
- Michael Fonti (Nowra, NSW) – Para Surf Kneel
- Kirk Watson (Mona Vale, NSW) – Para Surf VI 1
- Emma Dieters (Mona Vale, NSW) – Para Surf Kneel
- Annie Goldsmith (Erindale, SA) – Para Surf Prone 2
- Jocelyn Neumueller (Park Holme, SA) – Para Surf Prone 2
You can follow all the action at ISA's site on: isasurf.org/event/2024-huntington-beach-isa-world-para-surfing-championship
Go Em, Kirk and Lee and the whole Team.
2024 ISA World Masters Surfing Championship - RESULTS (Australia medals)
Teams Rankings:
- Gold Brazil - 4790
- Silver Hawaii - 4600
- Bronze Australia - 4445
- Copper France - 3616
Women's Masters (over 40)
- Gold - Melanie Bartels (HAW) - 16.60
- Silver - Serena Brooke (AUS) - 13.40
- Bronze - Jacqueline Silva (BRA) - 12.04
- Copper - Lisbeth Vindas (CRC) - 9.74
Men's Grand Masters (over 50)
- Gold - Scott Schindler (AUS) 15.50
- Silver - Jojó de Olivença (BRA) -14.43
- Bronze - Pablo Diaz (PUR) - 12.93
- Copper - Dani Garcia (ESP) - 12.24
Women's Kahunas (over 60)
- Gold - Becky Benson (HAW) - 10.64
- Silver - Roberta Borges (BRA) - 8.60
- Bronze - Barbara Roettger (PUR) - 7.83
- Copper - Sandra English (AUS) - 6.96
Men's Kahunas (over 60)
- Gold - Eric Graciet (FRA) - 16.23
- Silver - Rodney Baldwin (AUS) 14.54
- Bronze - Allen Sarlo (USA) - 11.86
- Copper - Shuji Kasuya (HAW) - 8.44
Team Irukandjis Masters:
Men
- Shane Conwell (Whale Beach, NSW) – 40+
- Scott Schindler (Sawtell, NSW) – 50+
- Rod Baldwin (Copacabana, NSW) – 60+
Women
- Serena Brooke (Noosa Heads, QLD) – 40+
- Kim Wooldridge (Austinmer, NSW) – 50+
- Sandra English (Budgewoi, NSW) – 60+
About the ISA World Masters Surfing Championship
The ISA World Masters Surfing Championship returned after a decade-long hiatus, hosted at Surf City El Salvador’s iconic El Sunzal point-break. This prestigious event features surfers aged 40+ across three divisions: 40-49, 50-59, and 60+. Notable past champions include seven-time WSL Champion Layne Beachley. The WMSC has been held six times between 2007 and 2013.
"The ISA’s decision to revive the World Masters Surfing Championship after more than a decade is thrilling," Luke Madden, Surfing Australia’s Chief of Sport - Events, Participation & Community said.
"Australia has an incredible depth of talent in the Masters category, largely due to our strong boardrider clubs. This event is a crucial pathway for our Australian Titles athletes, providing them a chance to compete on the world stage."
Shane being chaired by Christo (in yellow) after becoming Australian Champion ( 40’s) at Port Macquarie in August 2024. Photo: Manly Surf School