Lennox-Ballina (Le-Ba) Boardriders Club has claimed victory at the eighth and final stop of the Australian Boardriders Battle (ABB) Regional Series 14, overcoming 14 of Northern NSW’s strongest clubs to secure the regional title and a place at the 2027 NRMA Insurance Australian Boardriders Battle Grand Final at Burleigh Heads.
The iconic Duranbah Beach delivered an action-packed day of competition, with fun and consistent head-high right-handers providing the perfect playground for some of the region’s best surfers. A light north-easterly wind picked up throughout the day, giving competitors the opportunity to take to the air and showcase some progressive surfing.
Credit: Andy Morris / Surfing Australia
A huge crowd lined the beach, with all 14 competing clubs bringing friends, families and passionate supporters to cheer on their teams, creating an electric atmosphere for the final regional qualifier of the series.
With Mikey McDonagh and Nyxie Ryan (Lennox-Ballina), Jayke Sharp (Coffs Harbour) and Dakoda Walters (Byron Bay) among the standout performers, the quality of surfing was on full display as clubs battled for regional honours and the final qualification spots at the 2027 NRMA Insurance ABB Grand Final.
The competition culminated in a fiercely contested four-team final, with Lennox-Ballina, Coffs Harbour, Kingscliff and Cabarita going head-to-head for the NSW Northern title.
Lennox-Ballina rose to the occasion, delivering an impressive all-round team performance to finish on 32.03 points, securing victory by 4.06 points over Coffs Harbour Boardriders Club (27.97). Kingscliff finished third on 26.87, while Cabarita rounded out the final four with 24.66.
“It was such a sick day down here at Duranbah! We’re all so stoked to come away with the win. The whole team was ripping, especially Mikey McDonagh and Nyxie Ryan, and then Max McGillivray came through clutch in the final to help get us over the line.
We’re absolutely frothing to take out the NSW Northern title, and we can’t wait to see everyone at the Grand Final!”
– Harry O’Brien, Lennox-Ballina Boardriders Club
Adding to the day’s highlights, Dakoda Walters (Byron Bay Boardriders Club) produced one of the standout moments of the competition, taking to the sky for an 8.47-point ride to claim the Boost Mobile Wave of the Day.
“I didn’t know how good it looked from the beach, but it felt alright!
I hadn’t surfed since it came onshore, but it was great to have some wind for an air.
The biggest thing is to help out the team. An eight is alright for me, but for the team, that’s sick. And getting through to the Grand Final is a huge win.”
– Dakoda Walters
The result capped off a huge day of club surfing at Duranbah and brought the curtain down on the Australian Boardriders Battle Regional Series 14, the biggest regional series to date. With strong participation across all six surfing states, the series once again highlighted the depth of talent, passion and community spirit within Australia’s grassroots boardrider clubs.
With six qualification places at the 2027 NRMA Insurance ABB Grand Final up for grabs, Lennox-Ballina, Kingscliff, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Cabarita and Byron Bay all secured their spots at Burleigh Heads on 13–14 March 2027.
The Australian Boardriders Battle continues to showcase the unique camaraderie, fierce rivalries and competitive spirit of Australia’s boardrider clubs, bringing together generations of surfers united by their passion for representing their local communities.
With all eight regional qualifiers now complete, the stage is set for Australia’s best boardrider clubs to come together at Burleigh Heads in March 2027 for the ultimate showdown in Australian club surfing.
Credit: Andy Morris / Surfing Australia
NSW Northern ABB Regional Qualifier – Final Results
- Lennox-Ballina Boardriders Club – 32.03
- Coffs Harbour Boardriders Club – 27.97
- Kingscliff Boardriders Club – 26.87
- Cabarita Boardriders Club – 24.66
NSW Northern NRMA Insurance ABB Grand Final Qualifying Clubs
- Lennox-Ballina
- Kingscliff
- Port Macquarie
- Coffs Harbour
- Cabarita
- Byron Bay
Specialty Awards
Boost Mobile Wave of the Day: Dakoda Walters (Byron Bay Boardriders Club) – 8.47 points
For full results, head to LiveHeats.
2026 ABB Regional Qualifier Schedule
- WA – Trigg – September 12/13, 2026
- NSW Central – Northern Beaches – September 19, 2026
- VIC – Phillip Island – October 4, 2026
- QLD – Sunshine Coast – October 10, 2026
- SA – Fleurieu Peninsula – October 17, 2026
- TAS – Scamander – October 24, 2026
- NSW South – Cronulla – October 31, 2026
- NSW North – Tweed Coast – November 7, 2026
Full schedule, dates and further info: www.australianboardridersbattle.com
About the Australian Boardriders Battle
The Australian Boardriders Battle is Australia’s biggest grassroots surfing series, involving over 80 boardrider clubs in eight state qualifying rounds before culminating in the epic Grand Final showdown. The event has been instrumental in strengthening club culture, fostering future champions, and celebrating Australia’s deep connection with surfing.
The 2026 Australian Boardriders Battle Regional Series is proudly supported by
NRMA Insurance, Ford , Babybel, Celsius, Safestyle, Fujifilm Photos, Southern Cross University, Ampd Bros, St Ali, Boost, Blackroll, Surfers for Climate
This Surfing Australia event series is delivered in partnership with the state branches, Surfing WA, Surfing NSW, Surfing VIC, Surfing QLD, Surfing SA and Surfing TAS.
About Australian Boardrider clubs
There are more than 250 boardrider clubs across the country, where members gather regularly, often monthly, to organise grassroots competitions at world-class waves such as Burleigh Heads. 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.
For more information, visit www.australianboardridersbattle.com
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