The Central Coast’s North Shelly Boardriders have taken out the 2017 Sailor Jerry Surftag Australian Championships at North Narrabeen Beach, Sydney to win the Club’s first ever Australian Title. The North Shelly team of Saxon Lumsden, Riley Laing, Shane Holmes, Russ Molony and Johnnie Keith held off a late charge from North Avalon who fell 3.31 points short of North Shellys winning total of 83.11. North Avalon finished on 79.80 with defending champions North Narrabeen finishing third on 68.76 just ahead of Noosa on 67.76.

Saxon Lumsden (15.67) and Riley Laing (21.90) built an early lead for North Shelly with Shane Holmes (20.27) and Russ Molony (10.10) extending their winning margin mid way thru the final. Fifth surfer Johnnie Keith (11.17) caught his two waves quickly and secured 4 bonus points for being the first team to finish their ten waves. The North Shelly team had to endure an anxious ten-minute wait as they watched their total of 83.11 being eaten up by North Avalon, North Narrabeen and Noosa. North Avalon’s fifth surfer Dane Beevor needed to score a 6.09 on his Powerwave (Double Points) to secure victory for the Northern Beaches Club but could only come up with a 4.43.

North Shelly powerhouse Shane Holmes is over the moon with the win, “Just to even make the final is epic but to win is next level,” Holmes said. “Everyone is frothing and it doesn’t feel real. I was droving home yesterday with Russ and Riley after the first round and we said to each other lets win this thing, then come Sunday we made it happen. I love surfing for North Shelly, we are like one big family and everyone is so supportive, we just love going surfing and having fun.”

Shane Holmes takes the win for North Shelley Boardriders (Photo Bernadette McAlinden)

North Shelly Team Captain Russ Molony is proud of the team and what they have achieved, “The final was amazing to watch and be apart of,” Molony said. Everyone was surfing so good and the last ten minutes waiting on the beach for the other teams to finish seemed to take forever.”

Russ Molony, North Shelley Boardriders (Photo Bernadette McAlinden)

Defending Sailor Jerry Surftag Australian Champions North Narrabeen posted some big scores but ran out of time with fifth surfer Nathan Webster unable to catch his Powerwave. Cooper Chapman scored the highest two-wave total in the Final with 27.63 that included a 9.1 and a 9.27 on his Powerwave.

Chapman was awarded the Rhondda Harrison Surfer of the Series for the second straight year with a 6.94 average on all waves ridden throughout the 2017 Series, “Stoked to win the surfer of the series, it’s always great putting in a big effort for the team,” Chapman said. “Bit of a disappointing final for a few of the boys but was great to make it that far with Davey surfing injured and not having Hog (Nathan Hedge) around. Frothing for next year.”

Cooper Chapman awarded the Rhondda Harrison Surfer of the Series (Photo Bernadette McAlinden)

Noosa Boardriders were the surprise package of the event beating the highly fancied Elouera Boardriders in Semi Final No.2. The Noosa team included three brothers, James, Thomas and Hayden Cervi as well as Jasper Endersby and Dean Brady. Thomas Cervi was Noosa’s best in the final scoring 19.17 that included a 7.5 for a huge front side air reverse.

Noosa’s Team Captain Dean Brady is wrapped with the fourth place finish, “We’re so happy with making the National Final,” Brady said. “We obviously would have loved to win but to have made it through three rounds against such quality opposition like Snapper Rocks, Bondi and Avoca is a great boost for our younger guys.”

Thomas Cervi of Noosa Boardriders (Photo Bernadette McAlinden)

In the Women’s Division D’Bah Boardriders have gone back to back to back winning their third straight Sailor Jerry Surftag Australian Title. The team of Amiya Doyle (7.80), Freya Prumm (19.20), Audrey Styman-Lane (24.00), Grace Styman-Lane (11.76) and Brodie Doyle (6.67) came from behind to finish ahead of fellow Gold Coast Club North End by 9.16. Audrey Styman-Lane raised the bar on her first wave locking in a near perfect 9.67 which she backed up with a 7.16 Powerwave.

Audrey Styman-Lane for D'Bah Boardriders (Photo Bernadette McAlinden)

Amiya Doyle can’t wait for next year’s Series, “The Sailor Jerry Surftag is my favourite contest to surf in,” Doyle said. “The D’Bah girls and I are very proud to have won back to back to back Titles. The other teams put up a massive fight and were absolutely ripping at North Narrabeen, we can’t wait for the next one.”

The victorious D'Bah girls (Photo Bernadette McAlinden)

North End’s Sayaka Muramatsu posted the highest two wave total in the Women’s final with 26.43. The stylish natural footer scored an 8.43 on her first wave, which she improved on with a 9.00 on her Powerwave. The second place finish is a huge result for the Northern Gold Coast based club as it was the first time their Women’s team had ever competed.

2017 Sailor Jerry Surftag Australian Championships

Men’s Division / Women’s Division

• 1st – North Shelly 83.11 1st – D’Bah 72.43
• 2nd – North Avalon 79.80 2nd – North End 63.27
• 3rd – North Narrabeen  68.76 3rd – Merewether 57.38
• 4th – Noosa 67.94 4th – North Narrabeen 54.72
• 5th – North Steyne 5th - Alley
• 5th – Elouera 5th – North Shelly
• 7th – D’Bah 7th - Bondi
• 7th – Bondi 7th – Christian Surfers
• 7th – Werri Beach 9th - Queenscliff
• 10th – Merewether 10th – Cronulla
• 10th – Snapper Rocks
• 10th – Ulladulla
• 13th – Scarborough
• 13th – Queenscliff
• 13th – Avoca
• 13th – North End
• 13th – Bronte
• 13th – Kingscliff
• 19th – Umina
• 19th – Sandon Point
• 19th - Wamberal

2017 Sailor Jerry Surftag Australian Series

• 4/5 March – Cronulla (Area - Bondi to Ulladulla)
• 25/26 March – Newcastle (Area – North Steyne to Port Macquarie)
• 1/2 April – Gold Coast (Area – Coffs Harbour to Noosa)
• 13/14 May – Australian Championships – North Narrabeen, Sydney

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