Pittwater Online News

THREE NEW AUSSIE CHAMPIONS CROWNED ON DAY TWO OF THE AUSTRALIAN SURF FESTIVAL

MCCAULEYS BEACH, COFFS HARBOUR
Sunday, July 31, 2016 by Surfing NSW
Three new Australian shortboard champions were crowned today after a series of fiercely contested finals in playful three-foot waves at the Australian Surf Festival.
 
History repeated itself for Dane Atcheson (Avoca, NSW) in the Open Men's final, with the Central Coaster claiming his second nail-biting win in the dying seconds of an Australian Title. Since claiming the prestigious title in 2008 - in the final seconds - Atcheson’s second victory had eluded him, however with two seconds remaining in the 2016 event, Atcheson was able to scratch into a wave that was rewarded with a 6.55 wave score and as result was able to claim the win from Harrison Martin (Cronulla, NSW) who was bumped down to second position.
 
“I didn’t know if I got up before the final buzzer or not, but luckily for me I caught that last wave in time and got the score. It was a definite nail-biter,” said Atcheson. “The Australian Title is always going to be one of my goals, so to have taken it out for the second time in similar circumstances feels incredible. Hopefully, I can get a third further down the track.”
 
After claiming a handful of junior titles over the last six months Alyssa Lock (Tweed Heads, NSW) managed to add an Australian Title to the mix, taking out the Open Women's division in an all NSW final. Lock synced her frontside attack with the punchy lefthanders, notching up a 14.00 heat total. Runner-up Sophia Fulton (Mollymook, NSW) put up a valiant fight but failed to muster up the required 7.26 wave score to take away Lock’s lead.
 
“I’m speechless, this feels amazing. This win will be something I remember for a few years to come,” said Lock. “All the girls in the final were surfing so well over the course of the final, so it feels incredible to come away with the win.”
 
Melissa Bartz (Pacific Palms, NSW) claimed her maiden Australian Title, taking out the Over-35 Women's final. After finishing in the runner-up spot, a handful of times, the Wamberal-cum-Pacific Palms local was on fire over the course of the final, posting a handful of giant scores to amass an impressive 15.50 heat total. Bartz had the privilege of sharing the final with former Australian Champion and Central Coast sparring partner Sandra English, who took out third position, behind runner-up Sue Levett (Manly, NSW).
 
“I’ve had a few runner-up finishes in the Aussie Titles, so it feels amazing to finally get the win,” said Bartz. “Sandy and I have travelled together a lot over the years and I’ve been lucky enough to see her win countless NSW and Australian Titles, so to win this with her in the water feels extra special. I had a few slow heats today, but I’m stoked to get a few decent scores in the final.”
 
The 2016 Australian Surf Festival is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. The event is also proudly supported by Coffs Harbour City Council, Coffs Coast Tourism, NRMA Darlington Beach Holiday Park, The Hoey Moey, Nikon, Toyota, Pacific Longboarder, NBN, Surfing Australia and Surfing NSW.

The Hoey Moey serves as the social hub for the 2016 Australian Surf Festival and hosts a large range of presentations and opening ceremonies.

For more information, please visit: www.australiansurffestival.com

RESULTS
Open Men
1 – Dane Atcheson (Avoca, NSW)
2 – Harrison Martin (Cronulla, NSW)
3 – Joel Paxton (Byron Bay, NSW)
4 – Kirra Green (Yaroomba, Qld)

Open Women
1 – Alyssa Lock (Tweed Heads, NSW)
2 – Sophia Fulton (Mollymook, NSW)
3 – Tahlia Redgard (Yamba, NSW)
4 – Alysse Cooper (Queenscliff, NSW)

Over-35 Women
1 – Melissa Bartz (Pacific Palms, NSW)
2 – Susan Levett (Manly, NSW)
3 – Sandra English (Budgewoi, NSW)
4 – Melissa Dart-Harrison (Coolangatta, Qld)

SHORTBOARD CHAMPIONS CROWNED AFTER A DAY OF WILD WEATHER AT AUSTRALIAN SURF FESTIVAL

DIGGERS BEACH, COFFS HARBOUR
Wednesday, August 3, 2016 by Surfing NSW
The final day of the Australian Surfmasters Titles endured a day of erratic weather as shortboard surfers – in age divisions from Over-35 upward – attempted to claim themselves a coveted Australian Shortboard Title.
 
Despite being recognised for his aerial prowess, Dave Reardon-Smith (Coolum, Qld) showed he was equally as capable of putting on a solid power surfing performance, posting a 13.45 heat total (out of a possible 20 points) to claim an Australian Title in the Over-35 Mens division. With a rapidly increasing swell, Reardon-Smith executed a handful of impressive carves and snaps to take the victory over fellow Queensland surfer Mark Richardson (Palm Beach, Qld) who fell into the runner-up position by a 0.60 margin.
 
1995 World Grommet Champion Mitch Dawkings (Port Stephens, NSW) showed his skills had aged like wine, claiming the Over-40 Mens division. Dawkings’ heat performance remained on-point over the whole duration of the event with the lightening fast natural-footer consistently posting excellent heat totals. Fellow finalists Bryden Galbraith (Toowoon Bay, NSW), Troy Dowker (Currumbin, Qld) and Jye Gofton (Coolum, Qld) all went down swinging, but had to settle for second, third and fourth respectively after Dawkings notched up a respectable 13.80 heat total.
 
Glenn Pringle (Cronulla, NSW) claimed his second Australian Title in three years, taking out the Over-45 Mens final. Pringle made a late charge in the battle, posting an 8.85 scoring wave in the final moments of the heat to take the lead from Murray Jacobs (Swanbourne, WA) who finished in the runner-up position.
 
After putting on an impressive display of surfing over the entirety of the Over-50 Mens division, former World Tour surfer Rob Bain (Avalon, NSW) continued to dominate the final locking in a handful of decent scores for giant turns. The Northern Beaches native locked in a 13.50 heat total to take the title ahead of multiple Australian Title holder Rod Baldwin (Copacabana, NSW) who finished in second position.
 
Trevor Medcalf (Mudjimba, Qld) ensured another Aussie Title would head north of the border, taking out the Over-55 Mens division. Medcalf posted a notable 13.90 heat total to claim the win ahead of Rod Baldwin (Copacabana, NSW) who mustered up his second runner-up finish for 2016.
 
Neil Cameron (Byron Bay, NSW) claimed his second title in as many years, taking out the Over-60 Mens final. The North Coast goofy-footer made light work of the peaky conditions claiming one heat win as well as a runner-up finish to take the victory ahead of Mark Phelan (Terrigal, NSW).

RESULTS:
Over-35 Men
1 – Dave Reardon-Smith (Coolum, Qld)
2 – Mark Richardson (Palm Beach, Qld)
3 – Damien Healy (Broadbeach, Qld)
4 – Wayne Morrison (Port Macquarie, NSW)

Over-40 Men
1 – Mitch Dawkings (Port Stephens, NSW)
2 – Bryden Galbraith (Toowoon Bay, NSW)
3 – Troy Dowker (Currumbin, Qld)
4 – Jye Gofton (Coolum, Qld)

Over-45 Men
1 – Glenn Pringle (Cronulla, NSW)
2 – Murray Jacobs (Swanbourne, WA)
3 – Terry Lansberg (Currimundi, Qld)
4 – Gary Howarth (Seaford, SA)

Over-50 Men
1 – Rob Bain (Avalon, NSW)
2 – Rod Baldwin (Copacabana, NSW)
3 – John Schmidenberg (Emerald Beach, NSW)
4 – Terry Lansberg (Currimundi, Qld)

Over-55 Men
1 – Trevor Medcalf (Mudjimba, Qld)
2 – Rod Baldwin (Copacabana, NSW)
3 – Mark Gobbe (Mona Vale, NSW)
4 – Roger Matthews (Christies Beach, SA)

Over-60 Men
1 – Neil Cameron (Byron Bay, NSW)
2 – Mark Phelan (Terrigal, NSW)
3 – David Cousins (Sunrise Beach, Qld)
4 – Leon Norris (Geraldton, WA)
5 – Alan Bounds (Red Hill South, Vic)

OPEN LONGBOARD FINALISTS DECIDED AT THE AUSTRALIAN SURF FESTIVAL

PARK BEACH, COFFS HARBOUR
Friday, August 5, 2016 by Surfing NSW
After unpredictable weather caused a lay day at the Australian Surf Festival yesterday, the NRMA Holiday Parks Australian Longboard Titles recommenced today with Open Mens and Womens finalists being decided in clean, but solid four-to-five foot waves at Park Beach.
 
Local surfer Harley Ingleby (Emerald Beach, NSW) showed why he’s a former two-times World Champion, earning his position into the Open Men's final. The silky smooth natural-footer put on an impressive display of nose-rides, mixed with a combination of powerful turns to take out his semi-final with an 8.00 (out of a possible ten points) and a 7.00 wave score to give him a notable 15.00 heat total. Anthony Spencer (WA) took the runner-up position in the semi to also cement his spot in the final.
 
Joining Ingleby in the semi-final winners circle was fellow former World Champion Josh Constable (Peregian, Qld). Ironically, Constable posted the exact same wave scores and heat total as Ingleby in the previous semi-final to cement his position in the upcoming Open Men's final. Declan Wyton (Annandale, NSW) claimed the runner-up position and as a result will face off with Ingleby, Spencer and Constable in the blue-ribbon battle.
 
Michalea Ross (Denmark, WA), Lara Murphy (Woonoona, NSW), Molly Powell (Anglesea, Vic), Tully White (Allambie Heights, NSW) all put on stellar performances to seal their positions in the forthcoming Open Women's final. Both Ross and Powell mustered up impressive victories in their respective semi-finals to cement their positions into the highly contested division.

Declan Wyton (Annandale, NSW) was awarded the NRMA Holiday Parks Noseride of the Day for an impressive nose ride in the first round. Wyton was awarded a NRMA Holidays Parks gift voucher as a result of the wave.