North Shore Boardriders WIN the Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle Grand Final
Sunday April 13, 2025
North Shore Boardriders have officially claimed the title of Australia's best boardrider club, securing national glory and ultimate bragging rights at the Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle (ABB) Grand Final, presented by NRMA Insurance.
Burleigh Heads delivered firing, dreamy three-to-four-foot conditions, setting the perfect stage for a Finals Day packed with high-stakes drama and elite-level surfing. The event brought together 42 of Australia’s top boardrider clubs — all battling through state qualifying rounds to earn their place at the prestigious National Final.
Under the pressure of a stacked final lineup, North Shore Boardriders Club held their nerve and delivered consistent, high-scoring performances from all five surfers. The victory marks their second Grand Final win, cementing North Shore’s legacy in Australian surfing history and showcasing the club’s exceptional depth of talent, team strategy, and community pride.
North Shore Boardriders Club Power Surfer, Alister Reginato, spoke on what it felt like to win the event two times:
"It's wild, the first time was unbelievable but it's a little more special doing it here at Burleigh. This afternoon has been unbelievable, the team finally put a great heat together and everyone did amazing. The second time is pretty surreal!"
The final was a nail-biting battle between North Shore, Torquay, and Merewether, keeping the crowd on edge as the heat came down to the last exchange of NRMA Insurance Power Surfers.
Merewether's Morgan Cibilic kicked off the final in style, posting a massive 8.50 to open their campaign strong. North Shore’s Sophie McCulloch answered back with a crucial 7.43, keeping her club firmly in the hunt.
Torquay's charge toward the title looked promising after standout surfer Tully Wylie dropped an 8.45, followed by Ellie Harrison’s sharp 7.28, which edged them into a narrow lead heading into the final 10 minutes.
But it all came down to the final surfers. North Shore’s Alister Reginato delivered a clutch 5.88 under pressure, putting the club in the box seat as Torquay’s Xavier Huxtable and Merewether’s Morgan Cibilic launched their last efforts to hunt down the score. Both fell just short. As the final siren sounded and Cibilic slipped off his last wave, the North Shore club erupted on Burleigh Hill, securing their place at the top of Australian club surfing.
Ellie Harrison from Torquay remained humble and grateful when speaking about their close loss:
"I'm so proud of Torquay no matter how we do. I thought it might have been our time this year, but hopefully we'll get it done at the next ABB!"
Australia’s most exciting club surfing competition, the Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle (ABB) Grand Final presented by NRMA Insurance, is set to return to Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast on April 12-13, 2025, following a groundbreaking 2024 edition that captivated audiences and competitors across the nation.
This event brings together 42 of Australia’s best boardrider clubs who have battled through state qualifiers to earn their place in this prestigious event. They will compete for national glory, substantial prize money, and ultimate bragging rights in the country's biggest grassroots surfing competition.
2025 Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle Grand Final RESULTS:
1ST - North Shore - 39.34
2ND - Torquay - 38.19
3RD - Merewether - 37.45
4TH - Snapper Rocks - 34.37
5TH - North End - 30.66
6TH - Byron Bay - 23.04
All results are available in LiveHeats.
Specialty Award Winners:
Jim Beam Club Spirit Award - Bungan Boardriders Club
Photo: Ethan Smith
Oakley Prizm Performer - Xavier Huxtable (TORQUAY)
Dometic Adventure with O Invitees -
Alister Reginato & Sophie McCulloch (NORTH SHORE)
Xavier Huxtable & Ellie Harrison (TORQUAY)
Morgan Cibilic & Philippa Anderson (MEREWETHER)
Sheldon Simkus & Raya Campbell (SNAPPER)
Chris Zaffis & Coral Durant (NORTH END)
Dakoda Walters & Leihani Zoric (BYRON)
Murf Layne Beachley Award - Leihani Zoric (BYRON)
Murf Rabbit Bartholomew - Ocean Lancaster (MEREWETHER)
A Format Like No Other
The Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle (ABB) Grand Final presented by NRMA Insurance is renowned for its exciting and unique format, where club teams of five—comprising Open Men, Open Women, Junior, Masters, and a Power Surfer—compete in a tag-team relay style event. Strategy, endurance, and surf prowess combine to create some of the most intense and dramatic heats seen in competitive surfing.
With extended heat times to accommodate the challenging Burleigh rock jump into the ocean, the 500m sprint up Burleigh Hill, and a field stacked with past, present, and future World Surf League (WSL) stars, the stage is set for an electrifying showdown at one of Australia’s most iconic right-hand point breaks.
The event is being broadcast LIVE on mySURFtv YouTube, Kayo Freebies, and Foxtel, ensuring fans can tune in from anywhere. Watch Day One HERE and Day Two HERE.
About the Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle
The Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle is Australia’s biggest grassroots surfing series, involving over 80 boardrider clubs in eight state qualifying rounds before culminating in the epic Grand Final showdown. The event has been instrumental in strengthening club culture, fostering future champions, and celebrating Australia’s deep connection with surfing.
The 2025 Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle Grand Final presented by NRMA Insurance is proudly supported by Jim Beam, ACCIONA, Ruffie Rustic Foods, BC Protein Snacks, Oakley, Kennards Hire, Dometic, Boost Mobile, Daiwa Australia, Murf Electric Bikes, Blackroll, Vissla, Zuum Energy Gum, the Burleigh Pavilion and Surfers for Climate.
The 2025 Hyundai ABB Gold Coast Grand Final presented by NRMA Insurance is supported by Experience Gold Coast and the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland
About Australian boardrider clubs
There are more than 250 boardrider clubs across the country, where members gather regularly, often monthly, to organise grassroots competitions at world-class waves such as Burleigh Heads. The boardrider club phenomenon in Australia has made a significant contribution to the nation's competitive success on the global stage, fostering close-knit communities that support young surfers on their journeys to becoming the next world champions.
For more information, visit www.australianboardridersbattle.com.