Noosa Boardriders have been crowned champions at the 2024 Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle (ABB) Queensland qualifier, held on Saturday at Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast in clean, three-foot waves.
The one-day event showcased 16 of Queensland’s best boardrider clubs as they battled for a position in the Grand Final, set to take place at Burleigh Heads on March 8-9, 2025.
The Hyundai ABB is a distinctive ‘tag team’ team format where clubs must select 2x Open Men, 1x Open Woman, 1x Master (Over 35 years) and 1x Junior (Under 18 years) to compete. Each surfer is scored on their best single wave and must return to the beach after completing their waves, to ‘release’ the next team member into the surf.
Noosa Boardriders defeated North End Boardriders, Burleigh Boardriders and North Shore BRC respectively, in a hotly contested final. All eight teams who competed in the semifinals have now qualified for the Grand Final.
Noosa Boardriders dominated the final, pulling away from the competition to secure a decisive victory.
Cooper Davies from Noosa Boardriders was a standout throughout the competition, with his highest single wave score a 9.33 (out of a possible 10). His efforts earned him the Oakley Prizm Performer Award.
“Coolum is close to home for us, so it was great to have the whole team come down and support the team at the Hyundai ABB,” Davies said.
“It’s really great to have everyone here, showcasing the strong depth of talent within the club. It is also really nice to have the groms and juniors cheering you up the beach as you run out of the water. We can’t wait to head to Burleigh in 2025 for the Grand Final.
Sophie McCulloch made her competitive surfing comeback following a serious injury. She surfed valiantly for North Shore BRC, achieving the event’s highest single wave score, a 9.43 (out of a possible 10), securing the Boost Mobile Wave of the Day Award.
“It felt amazing to catch that wave! I had been waiting for it for a ages, but fortunately, I got it just in time,” McCulloch said.
“Being apart of a club gives you so much more fire when you’re competing. I try and channel what I do for North Shore into my heats for myself. I have a family at North Shore and I wouldn’t want to compete for anyone else.”
North Shore BRC received the Jim Beam Club Spirit Award in recognition of the camaraderie and support they provided to their athletes.
2024/25 Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle Series 12:
Event 1 – ABB WA – 14th Sept – Trigg Beach, WA
Event 2 – ABB VIC – 6th Oct – Phillip Island, VIC
Event 3 – ABB QLD – 12th Oct – Sunshine Coast, QLD
Event 4 – ABB South Aus – 19th Oct – Fleurieu Peninsula, SA
Event 5 – ABB Tas – 26th Oct – Clifton Beach, TAS
Event 6 – ABB NSW South – 2nd Nov – Wollongong, NSW
Event 7 – ABB NSW Central – 9th Nov – North Narrabeen, NSW
Event 8 – ABB NSW North – 16th Nov – Coffs Harbour, NSW
Grand Final – 8th – 9th Mar – Burleigh Heads, QLD (entry by qualification)
About Australian Boardrider Clubs:
There are more than 230 boardrider clubs across the country, where members gather regularly, often monthly, to organise grassroots competitions at world-class waves such as Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast. The boardrider club phenomenon in Australia has made a significant contribution to the nation’s competitive success on the global stage, fostering close-knit communities that support young surfers on their journeys to becoming the next World Champions.
Surfing Australia last year expanded the Grand Final format to include 42 boardrider clubs (previously 24) from across Australia, with more than $115, 000 in total prize money up for grabs throughout the series.
There are three specialty awards presented at each regional round: The Jim Beam Club Spirit Award, Oakley Prizm Performer Award and Boost Mobile Wave of the Day.
The Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle Series is proudly supported by naming partner Hyundai and support partners Jim Beam, ACCIONA, Ruffie Rustic Foods, BC™ Protein Snacks, Kennards Hire, Oakley, Dometic, Boost Mobile, Blackroll and Surfers for Climate.
The Hyundai ABB Gold Coast Grand Final is supported by Experience Gold Coast and the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.
For more information, please visit australianboardridersbattle.com.
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