Wednesday 1st November 2023 – Manly, Sydney. Long Reef Boardriders have won the 2023 SURFTAG SERIES at Sydney’s Queenscliff Beach over the weekend in pumping three-to-four-foot waves. Needing to finish third or better in the Under 18’s Final of the GYG JUNIOR SURFTAG to win the Series, the Long Reef team of Baxter Hurt, Jonny Grainger, Xavier Bryce, Ryder James and Cooper Huggins finished runners up to North Steyne Boardriders to secure the clubs second SURFTAG SERIES win.

Long Reef team and support (Photo Bernadette Johnson)

In a high scoring final, the North Steyne team of Ben Zanatta (23.51), Sol Gruendling (14.37), Kalan Orchard (19.49), Roman Bunting (15.94) and Will Somerville (12.07) lead the fifty-minute final from start to finish with the Manly based club winning by a massive twenty points over Long Reef, North Avalon Surfriders and North Shelly Boardriders. Zanatta was the standout for North Steyne posting a 7.17 on his opening wave which he backed up with an 8.17 powerwave, resulting in the 14-year-old winning the Phil Courtney Highest Wave in the Final Award. 

North Steyene's Ben Zanatta (Photo Bernadette Johnson)

North Steyne team captain Kalan Orchard was stoked to catch some good waves and lock in a few big scores over the weekend, “It was a lot of fun and we are stoked to win our first time in the comp, so we’ll be back next year and hopefully go back-to-back and maybe even take out the Series off Longy”, Orchard said. “We have a lot of groms coming thru and our under 14’s got a bit unlucky, we’ll be back next year and hopefully get a few more wins”. 

GYG JUNIOR SURFTAG – Under 18’s

• 1st – North Steyne 87.38
• 2nd – Long Reef 67.38
• 3rd – North Avalon 62.25
• 4th – North Shelly 43.02

Long Reef’s Team Manager Carl Musker was elated with the SERIES win and to be a part of such a fantastic bunch of people, “It’s been a sensational effort by the whole club and it’s been 8 years in the making”, Musker said. “We have really fought to get this club back on its feet and its working and we just love going in events like SURFTAG they mean everything to us. We put a lot of energy in so a big thanks to GYG and all the sponsors as well as Global Surftag, it’s such a well-run event and we love being here”.

2023 SURFTAG SERIES RANKINGS after GYG JUNIOR SURFTAG

• 1st – Long Reef Boardriders 3875
• 2nd – North Narrabeen Boardriders 3725
• 3rd – Queenscliff Boardriders 3165
• 4th – North Steyne Boardriders 3043
• 5th – Avoca Boardriders 3005
• 6th – North Shelly Boardriders 2755
• 7th – Bondi Boardriders 2620
• 8th – Elouera Boardriders 2510
• 9th – North Avalon Surfriders 2200
• 10th – Scarborough Boardriders 2060

In the Under 14’s, Queenscliff Boardriders Club finished on top of North Avalon, Long Reef and North Shelly with the Final going down to each team’s fifth surfers powerwave. QBC’s Saxon Goodwin locked in a 2.80 resulting in North Avalon’s Mav Macgugan needing a 7.5 for the win in the dying minutes but fell short with a 5.00.  The QBC Grommets team of Jordy Bray (15.64), Luke Silver (14.83), Hunter Sutcliffe (16.5), Eli Clarke (2.64) and Saxon Goodwin (9.03) found the right waves on their home break with opening surfer Jordy Bray winning the Phil Courtney Highest Wave in the Final Award with a 7.07.

GYG JUNIOR SURFTAG – Under 14’s

• 1st – Queenscliff 64.21
• 2nd – North Avalon 59.20
• 3rd – Long Reef 58.31
• 4th – North Shelly 33.23

Guzman y Gomez (GYG) is extremely proud to sponsor GYG Surftag this year and loved feeding young surfers from across Sydney!

“Congratulations to all of the surfers that competed last weekend at GYG Surftag! GYG saw some incredible surfing and couldn’t be happier that we were able to feed our Clean food to the athletes for their pre and post-match meals! GYG is fast food athletes say yes to!”

SURFTAG SERIES Contest Director Steve Harrison was blown away by the level of support each team had on the beach, “The vibe on the beach and around the TAG tent was next level with all ages of keen supporters cheering on their local Boardriding Clubs”, Harrison said. “The waves on both days really turned it on giving competitors a great opportunity to score big, well done to Queenscliff and North Steyne for taking the wins and Long Reef for winning back-to-back Titles which is a huge result for their club”. 

Follow SURFTAG SERIES:

www.surftag.au 
www.instagram.com/surftagseries
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The 2023 SURFTAG SERIES is proudly supported by GUZMAN Y GOMEZ, WOODHILL ESTATE AGENTS, GSHOCK, DRIPPING WET SURF SHOP, SMOOTHSTAR, ATOLL TRAVEL, SWELLNET, MANLY OBSERVER, TAWNY FROGMOUTH & LIFELINE NORTHERN BEACHES.