WORLD CLUB CHALLENGE SEMI FINALS:
The star-studded Snapper Rocks team showed their intent from the first seconds of the first World Club Challenge.
Sheldon Simkus called his surf after two waves registering 7.50 before the teams superstar Joel Parkinson picked the eye out of the Snapper swell, his sole ride almost taking the former World Champion around to nearby Rainbow bay as he completed a host of judge pleasing power-house turns, returning to the beach with a 7.57 With plenty of time on the clock, Korbin Hutchings took his time, surfing four waves before raising his hands to claim the wave and an 8.10 point score.
Kobie Enright then carefully selected two waves adding 7.33 to the Snapper Rocks score sheet, the team also receiving the bonus three points for having all surfers on the beach prior to the final siren.
Snapper Rocks 33.50 claimed the semi-final by 9.77 from Le-Ba 23.73 with D’Bah 19.23 with NASA 17.97 finishing in 4th place.
Le-Ba- Harry O’Brien 6.00 Nyxie Ryan 5.00 James Wood 6.30 Bohdi Williams 3.43 & 3 Bonus points.
D’Bah- Jimmi Hill 6.63, Brent Dorrington 4.57, Freya Prumm 2.33, Nathan Cook 5.70
NASA – Fraser Dovel 3.67, Chris Salisbury 5.03, Bohdi Lee-Jones 5.00, Arch Whiteman 4.27
SNAPPER ROCKS: 33.50
Le-Ba. 23.73
D’Bah. 19.23
NASA. 17.97
SEMIFINAL 2:
Led by veteran surfer Nathan “The Hog” Hedge. North Narrabeen set out to end the charge of in-form internationals San Clemente and Hawaii’s Kauai along with Australian board riding powerhouse Merewether looking to claim their place in the World club Challenge decider.
North Narrabeen shot to the lead following a six-point score from Hedge before Dylan Moffat added 8.33 points to the tally with a one ride effort. Jordy Lawler quickly added a score of 6.07 with Laura Enever claiming a 4.17-point ride with the squad also securing the three bonus points.
After dominating the women’s division for much of the contest, San Clemente’s Kirra Pinkerton 3.50 visibly struggled through a painful hip injury, the San Clemente star assisted by former CT surfer Nate Yeomans 6.33 and Ian Crane who registered a 9.33 to keep the Americans in a hunt for top spot.
Most had expected Hawaii’s Kauai to cruise through to the decider, however the crucial time management component of the event cost them dearly. Malia Manuel 8.17 Billy Zietz 3.17 Rylan Beavers 7.00 Sebastian Zietz 1.60 the side finishing in 4th place and finishing short of the WCC decider.
Merewether’s Morgan Cibilic 6.30 Jackson Baker 6.80 Mikey Clayton-Brown 5.27 and Phillipa Anderson 3.67 (3 bonus points) scored a combined 25.11 to finish in third place.
North Narrabeen 27.57
San Clemente 25.33
Merewether 25.11
Kauai 19.94
THE DECIDER:
With three individual finalists in their ranks, Snapper Rocks started as favourites to claim the World Club Challenge title, but it was surf veteran Nathan Hedge who got North Narrabeen off to a flying start, his 7.10-point ride providing Dylan Moffat with ample time to register a second solid score, which he did.
Joel Parkinson like Hedge was quick to register a strong score (7.40) and release Snapper Rocks third surfer, while Dylan Moffat continued to build on North Narrabeen’s overall lead, Moffatt’s score of 8.75 the highest of the final.
Ian Crane worked hard to keep San Clemente in the hunt, Crane’s 7.67 building on Nate Yeomans 5.5 score.
But in the end, it was Jordy Lawler’s 8.57 point ride which proved the difference. Laura Enever added a valuable 4.5points to the tally with the team also securing the three bonus points for making it to the beach before the final siren.
North Narrabeen crowned 2024 World Club Challenge Champions by just 1.61 points from Snapper Rocks with San Clemente third and Le-Ba fourth.
- North Narrabeen 29.60
- Snapper Rocks 27.99
- San Clemente. 21.30
- Le-Ba. 12.27
North Narrabeen:
Nathan Hedge: 7.10
Dylan Moffat: 0.67, 0.53, 3.00, 6.43
Jordan Moffatt: 8.57
Laura Enever: 0.60, 1.00, 4.50
Bonus Points: 3
Snapper Rocks:
Sheldon Simkus: 6.33 , 7.03
Joel Parkinson: 7.40
Korbin Hutchings: 5.10, 5.93, 1.07, 1.17
Kobie Enright: 4.63
Bonus Points: 3
San Clemente:
Harry O’Brien, 2.33, 3.17
Nyxie Ryan: 3.73 , 3.20
James Wood: 4.27, 2.67, 3.53
Bohdi Williams: 0.43 , 1.10