Jordy Lawler and Isabella Nichols Win Sydney Surf Pro
Isabella Nichols and Jordan Lawler claimed victory at the GWM Sydney Surf Pro presented by Bonsoy, Stop No. 2 of the 2024 Challenger Series. In front of a packed beach at North Narrabeen, the Aussie duo was able to overcome a massive international field to take the win in super clean two-to-three-foot surf.
Lawler Claims Biggest Career Win on Home Soil
North Narrabeen local Jordan Lawler has claimed a famous victory today in front of a huge home crowd, winning the 2024 GWM Sydney Surf Pro, the biggest result of his career. Having missed qualifying for the Challenger Series in 2024, Lawler came into the event this week as a wildcard. With low expectations on himself, he was able to cruise through the draw and claim the memorable win.
“Honestly, the last few months have been a real rollercoaster,” Lawler said. “After not qualifying for the Challenger Series this year, I was honestly thinking about calling it quits, so I’m just stoked I stuck with it. I was pretty low there for a while, and I hadn’t had a good result for a while, so I’m just so stoked right now. To make it to the Championship Tour has been my goal for so long and to win an event of this size can really help with that, I just can’t believe it.”
In the 35-minute Final, Lawler came up against former Championship Tour competitor Alejo Muniz in a classic frontside versus backside battle on the North Narrabeen lefts. Muniz had been in solid touch all week but it was the local knowledge and hometown support that got Lawler an early lead. Local boy Lawler was then able to build momentum throughout the matchup, eventually posting a 15.75 (out of a possible 20) two-wave total, his highest of the event and enough to put Muniz in a combination situation. In the dying minutes, Muniz found a 7.20 (out of a possible 10) to break the combination but was unable to back it up, leaving Lawler to claim victory.
“Winning at home in front of all of these familiar faces is so amazing, I’m speechless,” Lawler said. "Growing up, I looked up to so many of these surfers, and to be competing against them and getting the win is like a dream come true, especially at home. I’ve worked so hard to be here, and I’m keen to get it done this year qualifying for the Championship Tour.”
Nichols Goes Back-to-Back at GWM Sydney Surf Pro
Only three weeks after falling short of the Mid-season Cut and being relegated from the Championship Tour to the Challenger Series, Isabella Nichols has bounced back with a massive win at North Narrabeen, her second at this location in as many years. Nichols looked on point all week, posting solid scores and taking down some of the event's big names, including Sally Fitzgibbons in the Semifinals. Nichols’ win today has locked her in a second on the Challenger Series rankings and, along with her third-place finish on the Gold Coast, has put her in a great position to find her way back to the CT by the year’s end.
“There’s a lot going through my mind right now,” Nichols said. “I came into this event feeling really positive and good about things, which has worked for me. Last year, I came into this event feeling super down, and that obviously worked for me, but it is nice to have less pressure and emotion being in the same position and still getting a result. It’s been so good being in such a good headspace compared to last year. It just shows, regardless of your headspace, if you go through the process, you can get it done.”
Nichols saved her best performance for last when she came up against the form surfer of the Challenger Series, Erin Brooks. Nichols surfed a smart heat, holding on to priority for long stretches and executing on the best-set waves of the matchup. Brooks was left needing a solid score and almost got it with a huge frontside full-rotation air-reverse but fell, leaving Nichols to take the win with a two-wave total of 15.27 (out of a possible 20). Today’s result locks Nichols in at second on the rankings ahead of the next event in South Africa, the Ballito Pro.
“I want to give a shout-out to Erin Brooks," said Nichols. "She inspires me so much, and I feel so fortunate to have spent time with her over the last few years. She is so dedicated, so driven, and so incredibly talented. She’s like a little sister to me, and I’ve really enjoyed spending time with her over the last few weeks. I also just want to thank Matt (Grainger), who has been coaching me this week. The energy he brings is amazing, and it obviously works for me with two wins now.”
Erin Brooks and Alejo Muniz Finish Runners-Up
Today Erin Brooks made her third Challenger Series event Final in as many events. The 16-year-old has been the form surfer of this season, and it showed today, especially in the Semifinal, when she almost posted another perfect score. Unlike last week, where she went perfect for a huge, backside tube ride, today, Brooks landed a super quick frontside air-reverse to earn a near-perfect 9.57 (out of a possible 10). This runner-up finish consolidates Brooks’ position on top of the rankings as she pushes for CT qualification in 2025.
“To make another Final feels really good,” Brooks said. "I want to thank Bella (Nichols) for giving me a run for my money. I got her in Snapper, so she got one back on me here, but it’s all good. Making the CT is definitely my goal, but there are a lot of events left this year and so many amazing girls competing, so we will just have to wait and see. If I get there, I’ll definitely take up that opportunity.”
Alejo Muniz has had a challenging few years recovering from different injuries whilst trying to navigate re-qualification and find results on the Challenger Series. The 34-year-old veteran has had success on the Northern Beaches before, having finished runner-up at Manly in 2018. Muniz fell short of the win today, but his runner-up finish, coupled with a 9th on the Gold Coast, is enough to see him move to second on the rankings as he continues to fight for a spot on the CT in 2025.
“I’m really happy to be here standing on this podium,” Muniz said. "I’ve been working so hard for so long to get back to the top level. I’ve been through two surgeries and have missed out on qualifying by a small amount twice, so to be back in the Finals means so much to me. When I left home, I promised my son I’d bring him home a trophy from one of the events in Australia, so daddy has kept his promise.”
GWM Sydney Surf Pro Presented By Bonsoy Men's Final Results:
1. Jordan Lawler (AUS) 15.76
2. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 14.33
GWM Sydney Surf Pro Presented By Bonsoy Women’s Final Results:
1. Isabella Nichols (AUS) 15.27
2. Erin Brooks (CAN) 12.43
Comments
I thought Jordy very lucky to get the nod against Eli. Well done to him though. Well done to Isabella.
Eli rode the beast upside down for a 9. Many followed his lead after that big move.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EG9v8fdpAvo
his air in the qtr final was not a make. Judges deciding the winner of a comp yet again
"Judges deciding the winner of a comp yet again."
Who else decides the winner of a comp?
The surfers/surfing?
You know what he meant
Just being a smart-arse. It is allowed.
Anyway, if I'm in the judges booth, it was a make. As was Caio's, as was Italo's.
Can't get my head around this sudden fascination with riding out of the wave. The same thing goes on all the time in surfing, "did the surfer exit the tube clean or take the doggy door?" It's not always so obvious and judges have to adjust on the fly, "was the lay back intentional or was it a recovery, and hence a mistake?"
Judging moves like Caio's and Italo's complete non-makes is foolish.
What's more foolish is continuing on the same path.
I know, so I was one too.
Stupid rule, but they'd better at least be consistent.
Check the comparisons a few posts below. No consistency with the judges yet again,
I agree that both should have been a make,
Yet Caio's wasn't and jordys was.
Peoples careers are in the hands of suspicious judging. It sucks
Hadn't seen Caio's - wow. Surprised they didn't pay that.
I hadn't either, but it was good to watch it all back on replay and hear Ronnie and Richie being critical of the result.
Neither picked up the "fall", both thinking it'd be around the required 5-point score.
When the score came in, Ronnie called the judges "hyper-critical", then jokingly said surfers have "basically gotta beach it."
Big mistake, and Caio should rightly be pissed, but it still doesn't mean Jordy should also pay the same price, nor any other surfer falling prey to the judges trenchant demands.
It's starting to get a bit silly. Anyone who's ever done a forehand top turn would give consider that completed. Wonder if there's a more objective way to deem a 'make'?
I don't think it needs to be that complex.
For instance...
If a surfer rides an excellent barrel, but rather than make a clean exit they squeeze through the doggy door, the wave is 'made', but the clean barrel isn't. As it stands, judges don't dock all points from the barrel, they simply temper the scores.
If there's questions over a clean make (top turn, air, floater) the same thinking should apply. Yeah, the move was made, but not cleanly, so round the scores down slightly.
To call Caio's a complete non-make is just nonsense, yet seems to be a current infatuation.
Enough with it.
They are definitely over emphasising this "ride out of the whitewash" finish to ensure a completion as well. It just feels a bit engineered, if that makes sense. I think your position above is a sober and entirely logical way to look at the scoring stu
If WSL keep moving the goal posts, who will make the next big one ?
I think standing up fully extended. As jordy did. Others didn't get back to a regular stance
Italo included.
LOL .......back in the day sponsors.....
Food for thought !
I
Does Jordy get a wildcard for the rest of the year now??
Not sure but you would hope so. Wildcards become available if any of the 80 male athletes who qualified pull out of don’t turn up. As long as he is at the front of the queue he should be fine.
I was wondering the same thing. Hope so for his sake. Would suck to get a win and all those points and not get to use them towards a qualification push.
From looking at the rankings, his points do appear to stand. It's not like on the CT where a wildcard doesn't get any points for making the cut/ qualifying that way, ala Barron Mamiya from a few years back.
I’m led to believe he will get a wildcard for rest of contests
Complete rubbish conditions except for the last day and even that was really only average for what you would expect for the worlds (almost) best. So many close scores in the first two comps it does feel
like a even field with luck getting a few people through. Erin an exception. Can’t help but think most of the graduates to the CT will be back here again next year. Got to give it to Sally - a competitive animal who will be back on tour for sure and will again most likely struggle there. She has termination in spades though.
Lets talk about the legends heat…..
Oh hang on lets not.
WSL forgot it only worked at Snapper because 1) quality, fun waves rolling through 2) surfers that are still on tour or only very recently departed world champs
Another big win for Team Timezone. Loving the headspace Bella. Some of Erin's buckets of self belief seem to be spilling over though getting wins on little Sis looks to become increasingly difficult. Interview like an angel, surf like the devil, "huge full rotation air reverse" might be overstating it, how 'Flea' Brooks can muster anything huge, like her Snapper barrel, is mindbending.
Onya Jordo, rode his form perfectly and put together an excellent tournament, is he in the draw for Ballito?
Hopefully gets the backup result he needs asap and upgrades status from local legend to tour pro.
Great finish to a fairly ordinary event, One or two turns waves for the most part until the very last day. Not sure this is a great venue when you see the waves that went down in other parts of Sydney at the same time. Well done Jordy, the determination was clear for all to see, you earned this mate. With a win and a second, surely Erin has already qualified now?
Same event:
Caio deemed incomplete by the judges:
Jordy deemed complete by the judges:
if Ciaos wasn't a make either was Jordy's
Crazy not to consider that a make. I'd say that's even more of a make than Jordy's. WSL needs to explain.
4minutes to go and Jordan needed an 8.9
Eli was on
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EG9v8fdpAvo
Ciao's heat has dissapeared from the wsl website....
Yeah, that was bad.
Oh wow that Caio call is terrible
Looks a real shocker.
I thought they had introduced a mechanism where surfers could challenge a call later?
That seems a clear case for a post heat re-evaluation.
Surely not. Imagine if their opponent sat on priority for the last five minutes until the hooter, then after the heat ended they got told they were actually behind.
Some more comparisons. Italos wave wasn’t this comp but the rest were:
Real even on the mens rankings, surely brooks has already qualified on the women's?
Last year Isabella qualified in 5th spot with 22,725 pts
Erin currently 17, 800
Just needs to stay healthy and show up for a couple of mediocre results and she's in.
Didn’t watch one heat of this, the thought of average Sydney beachies wasnt revving me up.
So Sally is back on tour?! Shaka Shaka yewwww
With Tahiti only a week away, we can forget about mediocre beachies.
Fingers crossed for some red/purple action on the charts - looking forward to your forecast Craig.
The Southern oceans finally coming alive. They should get swell.
They might time it well. Big old blocking high this week, but as of next week the South Pac's starting to look promising.
Awesome @solitude. The fact it's been fairly quiet there thus far through May is probably a good thing too. It's bound to fire up at some point in May. Been relentless swell down this way for the last week...all super long period stuff too so i'd imagine that'll slowly work it's way E towards Tahitis swell window.
Spoke too soon. Go check out Liam Obrien's Insta from this morning i think.
Crazy!
Antractica is surrounded by red and purple swells atm....
https://www.windy.com/-Waves-waves?waves,-56.219,-154.160,3,m:dbraZT
I'll show my age ....or years of observations
Way back when chopes used to be in may then they switched it to August for more consistency.....
Hope next week fires!
I remember the May Chopes comps well, but from memory most were held in small clean swells, with the local trials the week before firing. I’d say the August move has generally been a success, with not many small years.
Yes that's why they moved it.
It would be nice to have the cut at chopes again. .....
Surprised where sienna Kerr is way down on rankings
She was probably expecting to make finals day both Australian comps
Will need a big result soon as only top 5 go
Again narra finals day turns into an air show,
Piss weak
Power rail game goes out door when Eli just throws an air on every closeout and claims them all
Judges need to but want say this ain’t an air show
When the conditions are 2 foot close outs, it has to be an air show. Barely saw a single exciting turn yesterday and it wasn't the surfers' fault.
Cheers for the wrap. QS? You wonder if it’s worth it though. Luana, sally, Isabel at the top of the qs again however barely look like they deserve to be a board caddy on ct. Same goes for the men. Seems to be a large gap.
Some obvious exceptions though. Erin Brookes is 100% CT level and will smash it once she's there. Her and Caity are next level, I watched Map to Nowhere last night and Caity's effort is literally the best woman's tube riding I've ever seen, hands down
Incredible, wasn't it. And I have the feeling that she's got so much more to give - or higher levels to reach.
100% @IB, she's next level and a refreshing change from the corpo robots on the tour now
Was this posted to spark the debate?
Jordy was smart. Landed clean then stepped off before he could look out of control. I think it's weird when a 'make' results from sloppy landings and surfers having to paddle through the whitewater. His score has certainly made the debate healthy. It's not like it's the only disputed result this or any other season.