Local teams just miss in nudie battle

PHILLIP Island Boardriders Club has claimed the Victorian round of the Nudie Australian Boardriders Battle (AAB) at their home break of Cape Woolamai at the weekend.

With victory at sea conditions at the powerful beach-break, competitors were faced with strong onshore winds and an increasing swell throughout the day.

Phillip Island proved that their local knowledge was superior, by claiming the overall event in a dramatic team’s final and scoring a spot in the National Final at Newcastle.

Needing a first place finish and requiring Torquay and Peninsula Boardriders to place third and fourth, Phillip Island surfed with poise and took out the Teams Division and finished with a cumulative total of 7,000 points.

Placing in second overall was 13th Beach Boardriders, who just fell short of first place with a total of 6,725 points and, after leading for most of the day, Torquay Boardriders Club fell at the final hurdle and finished the day overall with a total of 6,650 points.

Placing in fourth was Peninsula Surfriders Club on 6,062 points.

Elder statesman of the Phillip Island club Glyndyn Ringrose was stoked to see Phillip Island back to its glory days of surfing events.

“It’s unreal to finally win an ABB! It’s good to get our club back up to where we were surfing a few years ago,” Glyndyn said.

“The whole team can’t wait to get up to the national final in Newcastle and surf against some of the best clubs in the country.”

The purpose of the Nudie Australian Boardriders Battle program is to build the profile and capacity of community boardriders clubs Australia-wide.

In the past four years, Surfing Australia has invested over $600,000 into Surfing Australia affiliated boardriders clubs as part of the Nudie Australian Boardriders Battle series.

Full results can be found online at surfingvic.com.