First champions crowned at 2020 NSW Surfmasters
BOOMERANG BEACH, GREAT LAKES
Thursday, 30 July 2020
By Surfing NSW
The NSW Surfmasters pres. by Moby’s Beachside Retreat saw its first state champions crowned following some exciting finals in dreamy three-to-four foot conditions.
Local competitor Mel Bartz (Pacific Palms) showed why she is a former Australian Champion, smashing apart the punchy righthanders on offer. Over the course of her campaign, the gifted natural-footer posted a series of massive scores, including a near-perfect 9.67 early in the day and a 9.00 in the final.
Mel Bartz - photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Sandra English (Budgewoi) added another NSW title to her portfolio of results, taking out the Over-50 Womens division from Susan Levett (Manly). English was also awarded her Surfing NSW lifetime membership at the event due to her decades of service for surfing in the state and her roles in managing surf schools as well as coaching.
Perennial event standouts Rod Baldwin (Copacabana), Mark Gobbe (Mona Vale) and Neil Cameron (Byron Bay) all put on impressive displays in the picturesque conditions to claim the Over-55, Over-60 and Over-65 Men’s divisions respectively. All surfers posted a handful of decent scores over the duration of the finals to take out the aforementioned divisions.
All heat results can be seen here.
The prominent four-day event will see over 150 competitors - aged 35 and above - battle it out in an attempt to secure an NSW shortboard title and a spot in the national titles at the 2020 Australian Surf Championships.
A range of former World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour surfers and Australian Champions will compete in the event including Nathan Hedge (Narrabeen), Rod Baldwin (Copacabana) and Jake Spooner (Bulli).
2020 is the ninth year running the NSW Surfmasters Titles Presented by Moby's Beachside Retreat has been held in the Great Lakes region.
The competition will commence each day at 7:30am with the call for the day's schedule and location confirmed via the event hotline at 6:45am.
Divisions for the event include Over 35 Men, Over 35 Women, Over 40 Men, Over 45 Men, Over 50 Men, Over 55 Men, Over 60 Men and Over 65 Men.
The NSW Surfmasters pres. by Moby’s Beachside Retreat will adhere to strict COVID-19 policies and regulations outlined by the NSW Government.
All Surfing NSW events are in line with the current NSW public health order and we work with Sport NSW and NSW Office of Sport on all plans. Surfing NSW have developed a COVID safety plan to ensure the safety of all staff, participants and local stakeholders.
Please click here for our regularly updated Surfing NSW events COVID safety plan.
For further information on our protocols and guidelines please refer to the https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/public-health-orders.aspx and Office of Sport website here.
The NSW Surfmasters Titles Presented by Moby's Beachside Retreat is proudly supported by Mid Coast Council, Great Lakes Tourism, Moby’s Beachside Retreat, Volkswagen, Mothernest and Surfing NSW.
Results:
Over 35 Women
1 – Melissa Bartz (Pacific Palms)
2 – Nathalie Rennie (Terranora)
3 – Talina Wilson (Coledale)
4 – Belinda Koorey (Manly Vale)
5 - Samantha Oakes (Carlton)
Over 50 Women
1. Sandra English (Budgewoi)
2. Susan Levett (Manly)
Over 55 Men
1 – Rod Baldwin (Copacabana)
2 – Andrew Johnson (Dalmeny)
3 – Michael Hoysted (Fern Bay)
4 – Ged Cook (Warners Bay)
Over 60 Men
1 – Mark Gobbe (Mona Vale)
2 – Lyle Elder (Moonee Beach)
3 – Donovan Daniels (Bangalow)
4 - Neil Cameron (Byron Bay)
Over 65 Men
1 – Neil Cameron (Byron Bay)
2 – Graham Shearer (Byron Bay)
3 – Wayne Roach (Merimbula)
4 – George Watt (Bonny Hills)
Competitors shine in difficult conditions at 2020 NSW Surfmasters
BOOMERANG BEACH, GREAT LAKES
Friday, 31 July 2020
By Surfing NSW
The NSW Surfmasters pres. by Moby’s Beachside Retreat tore through the opening rounds of the younger divisions today with some of the states most talented amateur surfers going nuts in four-to-six foot conditions at Boomerang Beach.
Nic Squiers (Corrimal), Matt Hoar (Dalmeny), Mitch Dawkings (Nelson Bay) and Sharpe brothers Cameron and Randall (Shelly Beach) all put on dominant displays of surfing in the opening heats of the Over-35 Mens with all surfers claiming heat wins with a handful of decent wave scores. As a result, all five surfers will bypass the repechage rounds and make their next appearance in the quarterfinals.
Nic Squiers - photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Over-40s surfer Sean Lancaster (Merewether) found himself at home in the throaty surf, effortlessly nailing turns and snaps in the low-tide conditions. Lancaster was duly rewarded with a solid 7.50 wave score that allowed him to take the win and seal himself a spot in the quarterfinals.
Jake Spooner (Bulli), Keiran White (Newport), Andrew Symington (Long Jetty), Brett Bannister (Narrabeen), Wade Lazich (Narrabeen) and Col Bernasconi (Long Jetty) all let their years of experience do the talking in the Over-45 Mens division as all surfers claimed impressive victories. As a result, all five surfers will bypass the repechage rounds and make their next appearance in the quarterfinals.
Col Bernasconi - photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Rob Hazelwood (Narrabeen) - photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
All heat results can be seen here.
The NSW Surfmasters Titles Presented by Moby's Beachside Retreat is proudly supported by Mid Coast Council, Great Lakes Tourism, Moby’s Beachside Retreat, Volkswagen, Mothernest and Surfing NSW.
Surfers fight to earn their spots into finals day at the 2020 NSW Surfmasters
BOOMERANG BEACH, GREAT LAKES
Saturday, 1 August 2020
By Surfing NSW
The NSW Surfmasters pres. by Moby’s Beachside Retreat continued today as competitors duked it out in the repechage rounds in an attempt to cement themselves a spot into tomorrow’s final day of competition.
No stranger to the NSW Surfmasters finals, Marcus Davidson (Shelly Beach) found himself shining in his opening repechage heat, demolishing a series of punchy five-foot right handers. The Central Coast natural footer nailed a near perfect 9.33 wave score in his opening Over-45 Men’s heat to take the win and earn himself a spot into the quarterfinals.
Glenn Curtis (Lennox Head) made his presence felt in the Over-45 Mens division executing a handful of mammoth turns to finish his heat with a giant 16.00 two-wave heat total. Curtis made himself at home in the solid right handers, hammering a variety of powerful snaps to claim his heat and earn himself a spot into the quarterfinals.
Former World Tour surfers Robbie Page (Crescent Head) and John Shimooka (Cronulla) came up against one another in the Over-50 Mens division with both surfers showing their years of experience. Page was able to gain a narrow edge over Shimooka in the heat as a result of a barrage of giant backhand hits and take the win by a slender 1.4 point margin. Both surfers progressed through to the next round.
All heat results can be seen here.
The prominent four-day event will see over 150 competitors - aged 35 and above - battle it out in an attempt to secure an NSW shortboard title and a spot in the national titles at the 2020 Australian Surf Championships.
A range of former World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour surfers and Australian Champions will compete in the event including Nathan Hedge (Narrabeen), Rod Baldwin (Copacabana) and Jake Spooner (Bulli).
The NSW Surfmasters Titles Presented by Moby's Beachside Retreat is proudly supported by Mid Coast Council, Great Lakes Tourism, Moby’s Beachside Retreat, Volkswagen, Mothernest and Surfing NSW.
John Shimooka - photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Mark Tickle (Newport) - photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW